For years, many discussions have been had in regards to how technology is changing the workforce and beginning a new era. With more and more people starting to earn their living through digital realms such as websites, video games, and digital media, many traditional mediums like newspapers and television are beginning to die out.
The death of these mediums comes with a major catch -- which jobs will be replaced by these systems? Middle-class jobs that have been around for generations are being wiped out as well. It is not just blue-collar jobs like construction workers, but white-collar jobs as well. Many people believe that such a change requires a completely new system of work and a new economical model to go with it.
The Traditional Blue-Collar
Many traditional blue-collar jobs have been replaced with machines. Construction workers, factory workers, and people in the transportation industry. Where once these were the most prosperous jobs, now they are the most obsolete ones. The old model has been that a construction worker built something physical, a factory worker transported it from one place to another, and transportation workers moved said product to store shelves. These jobs are being replaced by automated bulldozers, unloading robots, and self-driving trucks respectively. A computer program can do the work faster, cheaper, and with higher quality.
The Traditional White-Collar
The same problem is in effect for most jobs white-collar jobs as well. With more and more people using digital mediums to get their information, the publishing industry is beginning to suffer. Similar to before, a newspaper can be replaced by an online news website, and television by a video streaming service. These mediums are not limited to just news agencies either; they also affect education and academic institutions as well. It goes without saying that this has left hundreds of thousands of teachers in the dust without much of a chance for employment.
In conclusion
As we have seen, technology is killing more jobs than it is creating. While there may be a few jobs created within the new system, they will not amount to more than a drop in the ocean. This will create an economic crisis that will have catastrophic effects on the world and our societies as a whole.
Such an interesting topic to talk about! I am sure there is much more to say about it and I can't wait to read it! :) Keep up the good work!