The robots are coming. And they will destroy our livelihoods. At least, that is what some argued at a debate on the automation of labor hosted by intelligence squared. I have been exposed to this topic numerous times, not only in this course but also in Faulkner events and in my own studies. And while there is no consensus on whether or not automation will ultimately be a good or bad development in the long run, there is no debating the fact that it will come, and when it does, it will be very disruptive. Up to half of common jobs are easy targets for automation, and workers in those fields will find themselves unemployed if they are unable to compete. I myself have been planning on becoming a software developer for some time now, and am in no immediate danger. However, because of machine learning, many think that at some point in this century robots will become advanced enough to program themselves. But even if they are not, a salary job can be much less secure than most people think. You are always one big mistake, or one recession away from being fired in a competitive market. Mr. North has suggested an alternate path: start a business. He says that it will guarantee employment for me in 2030, if I am able to successfully start one. Why is this?
- Automation. Robots are very good at doing repetitive work. For a long time now, the manufacturing industry has been using them in factories to piece things together. But as robots get better and cheaper, more and more routine jobs are at risk. But there are three kinds of jobs that robots cannot do: jobs requiring dexterity, jobs requiring personal skills, and jobs requiring problem solving and innovation. The first type would be, say, a butler. The second, a counselor. And the third, a businessman. Robots do not think. They do not create. You give them instructions, and they execute those instructions. This is why an entrepreneur cannot be replaced by a robot.
- Independence. When you work for a salary, you are under the employment of one person. That person is hiring you because it is profitable to his business to do so. He can’t do everything after all. But as soon as it becomes unprofitable to have you employed, you will no longer be employed. When you are a business owner, you are still employed. But not to one person. You are being paid by every customer who buys your product. And you will get fired every day. But it will not be catastrophic.
So, if I could manage to get together enough capital and enough bright ideas to successfully start a business, I would have a guaranteed employment in 2030 because I could not be replaced by a robot, and because I could not be fired at the whim of any one person.
jedwardjewell 