Robots Will Steal Your Job, But That’s OK: how to survive the economic collapse and be happy
December 11, 2012
- Author:
- Federico Pistono
- Publisher:
- CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (10/23/2012)
You are about to become obsolete. You think you are special, unique, and that whatever it is that you are doing is impossible to replace. You are wrong. As we speak, millions of algorithms created by computer scientists are frantically running on servers all over the world, with one sole purpose: do whatever humans can do, but better.
That is the argument for a phenomenon called technological unemployment, one that is pervading modern society. But is that really the case? Or is it just a futuristic fantasy? What will become of us in the coming years, and what can we do to prevent a catastrophic collapse of society?
Robots Will Steal Your Job, But That’s OK: how to survive the economic collapse and be happy explores the impact of technological advances on our lives, what it means to be happy, and provides suggestions on how to avoid a systemic collapse.
Kindle version also available at this link
Comments (11)
by Arctic Poppy
I just wish you’d had someone “alive and real” as a copy editor. I’ve never seen so many spell check error in so few pages.
by Rob
Wow. Neo-Luddies. Actually it’s economic ignorance at work. Look. Robots may gain a foothold in some industries, but so what? You’re either going to do what you do now; which is create a product or service that other people want, or you’re going to work for someone who provides a product or service people want. Besides if you consider recent advances with things like prosthetic replacements and augmentation you’ll find that there will, in the end be little difference between organic or natural life and created or synthetic life.
by trebaryar
Except of course robots work 24/7, don’t get pregnant, don’t unionize, don’t sue for sexual harassment, don’t strain a muscle and go on disability, don’t need lunch breaks nor vacations, and best of all don’t require retirement funds. There will always be a bored human inside the augmented overware. It continues to amaze me that rapidly approaching 70% unemployment and the disruptive economic model that will need to replace a system that has worked well for a long time, is not seen to be our biggest and most pressing challenge.
by gare
Hi trebaryar
Where do you get the 70% unemployment statistic from? That is very interesting! Thank you.
by Bob Vasquez
Oh, did you not know that the 70% unemployment is part of the “entitlement” that some people have to make up their “own facts”?
by gare
Author Gives a TedxVienna talk on this topic:
TedxVienna – Federico Pistono – Robots Will Steal Your Job, but That’s Ok
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kYIfeZcXA9U
by Cybernettr
The author is younger (and skinnier) than I expected. I take it he’s one of those Silicon Valley whiz kids, or wherever he’s from.
In any event , how does all of this massive job loss fit in with Ray Kurzweil’s predictions? Kurzweil wrote that “automation has been eliminating jobs at the bottom of the skill ladder and creating new (and better paying) jobs at the top of the skill ladder.” But from this talk, it sounds like quite a few jobs are being eliminated from the middle of the skill ladder as well.
by Gorden Russell
I just wish that this review gave a hint as to how you can hope to survive the loss of all employment.
by Yuri
I don’t think my independent film making will be replaced just yet. Glad I choose the creative path.
by Bob Vasquez
Oh, don’t worry about this matter. Congress is on it but, first, they need to solve the contraception and marriage between one man and one woman among other of their favorites.
by qwiddity
I’d like to read this, but because robots (wearing human clothing) stole my job years ago, I don’t want to pay for it. Perhaps if I post a link here to my free, open, public book, Federico might read it and consider sending me a copy of his work: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x0qOiBfyaHgoRA1B9ozj9R6JkRt7iUfzBQev-nh09A4/edit