We need to be smarter, quicker and more determined in our opposition to out right mechanization of our society

BY STEVEN KASZAB

Our economy is transforming before our eyes. These past five years have forced many of us to accept what we cannot change, and change what we can. The Corporate World has realized a few things too.

With the introduction of robotics in all areas of our marketplace, such as: manufacturing, packaging, farming, mining, food service, transportation and more, there is less need for us, the working stiff. Robotics seems to be able to do what many of us can do, but also show the strengths of superior performance. Robots are not afraid of viruses, do not get sick, are always on time, can be reprogrammed to function in multiple ways. We cannot? The Chinese re-education camps of old showed us that even with strict protocols and re-education, people often remain the same.

Corporations now know they can place most employees on the part time list, forcing billions to work multiple jobs at lower pay than a full time employee. Full time employees are required by law to receive benefits, a cost to an international conglomerate, so part time is for young and old. This is a futurist pattern that will never change.

The corporate world realizes they have some legal obligations for the safety, education and welfare of their employees. So, how do they now alleviate this business difficulty? Staffing organizations often owned by these large corporations manage employees, providing minimal benefits while charging big time for the services rendered.

“Corporate Disassociation” is the name of this game, and it is becoming more prevalent even in governmental services too. Public Employee Unions have been challenged time and again by management, asking if it has relevance at this time. An attack upon the employee, both personal and as a united group has started. Corporations now use international sources for low cost employees, brought to our homeland to work and then go back to their homelands. No real benefits, used by staffing/management firms for annual service.

Our parents had the opportunity to live one life with often a few long-term jobs. Professions were a term applied not just to engineers, doctors and management, but also miners, tradespeople and food service personnel too. This has changed. All our jobs have changed too. The opportunity to work in a set profession no longer exists. Even railway workers, meat packers and grocery store employees must have many jobs, and now automation and robotics will take many of these jobs away from us.

Automation and robotics are as long lasting as their individual parts. They are serviceable, transformative and recyclable too. The service industry in developed nations keeps many of us employed. We are the product-customer of the future. Senior health care and home care within the developed world will introduce robotics in a multiple of different ways. A human smile, a few words of encouragement will not be human, but come from a machine. Does it make a difference? I think so.

There are over ten billion people on this planet, and many live in developing nations where a livelihood can simply be a means of survival. These people will come to the developed world looking for what we have – a better world hopefully less stressful and easier to live. What a surprise when they come and find continual and new struggles such as employment, housing, education and social acceptance.

Outside of our families and friends (those precious to us), are we nothing more than sand pebbles in a huge beach of humanity, important to few, used by many, and perhaps replaceable. Are we going to become victims to the machines of the future, luddites who need to stand our ground and fight for ourselves?

Corporations create employment in one place and dismiss an entire population or community by closing a plant or place of business elsewhere. Will the unionists of this world stand up for the little guy, the worker, and become luddites with a difference.

The Luddites were a secret organization of textile workers in 18^th century Britain who destroyed modernizing machinery that took their jobs. We need to be smarter, quicker and more determined in our opposition to the right mechanization of our society. “What about us,” should be the cry? We all need to be employed, having the opportunity to be part of the building of our society and protecting our family’s futures.

When grandma or grandpa opens their eyes in the morning and hears a welcoming word, will it be the voice of a lovely caring nurse or a metallic machine? Empathy coming from a person means a great deal more than from a programmed device.

Corporations care about one thing, and one thing only, that of maximizing their profits. To them robotics and automation are tools to achieve this goal. Do we let this pass us by, or do we challenge this march towards futuristic replacement…alternative robotics?