After reading some of my classmate's blogs about the various benefits of technology, I can't help but think of an aspect of technology that encompasses all the negatives... where have the people gone? I too appreciate not standing in line at the airport, or listening to a podcast on my own time, but what happened to the natural concept of human interaction.
I can not remember the last time I actually checked in at the airport, other than giving them my luggage. Something as simple as checking-in online saves significant time, but it most likely caused someone to lose their job. This employee did not lose their job because they were incompetent, but simply because the machine could do it quicker. I was in the super-market recently and I could not decide which check-out line would be quicker, the self-checkout, or the 15 items or less. A gentleman who was watching me make my decision said, choose the 15 items or less, it keeps people employed. I had never really thought about it. Basically, I use the cashier line if I forget my "bonus card" and the check-out line if I think I will get away with calling apples the cheaper kind.
What will happen to uneducated individuals if we keep creating technology that takes their jobs? Obviously, the government cannot afford to pay for long-term unemployment. How will the children of these workers be fed?
As for technology as simple as the podcast, I wonder what happened to human interaction. When my parents were young and the President came on television, the entire family watched the one TV together. There was only one viewing time, and one TV, so the family bonded over important events. Now, even if my family were to all enjoy a particular show, we could always avoid watching it together and simply watch it over the Internet later. There is no bonding when you watch ABC.com by yourself.
Yes, I understand the benefits of technology, but I am too much of a humanitarian to forget about the underlying consequences.
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3 comments:
Desi, this is a very thought-provoking and interesting blog entry. I think that I will discuss this on my own blog.
On the other hand, maybe it is more humanitarian to get rid of the jobs for the uneducated and help the uneducated become educated. Your view of the grocery store implies that the only jobs that those people can do are in the grocery store or that these jobs always existed. Hopefully, your reading of Thomas Friedman will give you a much broader view of employment and employability.
I don't know that I got the same thing from this entry as Prof. Sine did.
I think this is an excellent point Desi. But in response to Prof. Sine (above) not just uneducated people hold min. wage jobs.
There are those soon to be grad students with car payments and credit card payments that need to hold two jobs (a well paying in their field job and a min. wage, I love Borders, job) There are those parents who are just trying to give their kids what they want (more than what they need.) and both parents work full time jobs and part time jobs.
Then there are those HS/College kids who still want their own money, or have to work to help support their family.
So I don't think grocery store or other min. wage jobs are just for the uneducated.
But those are just my two cents!
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