Robots and Automation Are Taking American Jobs – Think Your Job is Safe?

You’d think the same headline would be the prominent theme of every year since the 1800s. After all, we’ve seen a decline in the need from everything from lamplighters once electricity was invented to farm workers once farming equipment, tractors and trucks came along. However, for various reasons throughout 2012, there’s been a steady debate brewing over modern day robotics and algos overtaking jobs that were once unthinkable.

Where Employing Humans Makes No Sense

There are a lot of parts of the economy where humans continue to perform functions that can and should be performed completely by automated means. By continuing to employ humans, it’s just an unnecessary cost on society and frankly, prevents people from being freed up to do something that adds more to US productivity, output, and possibly, their own career/income. Here are some examples:

• Toll Takers – I don’t know what they call it where you live but in the Northeast, we have an “EZ-Pass system which allows your car to drive straight through an overpass that detects your car’s pass. Usually, there are a couple EZ-Pass only lanes and then there are a few human operated lanes. It continues to confound me why they still exist. And what is even more perplexing is why Americans still voluntarily sit on each toll line 5 minutes or more instead of flying through an automated lane. I could see an international traveler or very infrequent driver that doesn’t bother, but for 99% of drivers, why would you wait? Aside from that, the people performing these jobs aren’t really using their potential, at all. They stand in a booth all day taking a ticket and handing out change. They are often subject to insults and rude behavior, but more importantly, they are subject to hazardous fumes for a lifetime that must surely result in a higher prevalence of health issues later in life, and they are paid above-market rates for completely non-skilled labor due to their labor arrangement. They don’t really help with anything else outside of toll-taking. For instance, years ago, my car broke down going into the toll booth. What great timing! My car was stuck right at the damn entrance to the booth and I looked at the guy and shrugged, like “what now”? I said, “you wanna help me push this up a bit so people can get through?” He said no since if he hurt himself outside the booth, he wouldn’t be covered under the rules. So, I was on my own. I started pushing the car myself which was ridiculous since it was 2000 pounds and there was nobody to steer it. I wasn’t having much luck, but fortunately, a guy stuck behind me got out of his car to help me push. In essence, it makes no sense that these jobs still exist in the numbers they do. States should do more for force (or entice via incentives like a 10% discount) drivers to switch completely to EZ-pass type systems.
• Gas Station Attendants – …

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