Quote: zooo @ 20th April 2014, 5:41 PM BSTYep!
You is 'orribly biased Zooo.
Status report Page 5,612
I program automatic machines (or robots) for a living that put people out of work.
Sounds awful on first reading but it was explained to me thus:
Each company has to stay competitive. If they don't install automation their competitors will and their unit costs will be smaller - therefor they will be cheaper than the rest.
So instead of a few peoples jobs being redundant, the whole company will survive.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 21st April 2014, 9:46 AM BSTI program automatic machines (or robots) for a living that put people out of work.
Sounds awful on first reading but it was explained to me thus:
Each company has to stay competitive. If they don't install automation their competitors will and their unit costs will be smaller - therefor they will be cheaper than the rest.
So instead of a few peoples jobs being redundant, the whole company will survive.
It's been happening since the Industrial Revolution, so it's nothing new really. Businesses, unfortunately, sometimes have to ignore the humanistic side of things in order to stay competitive.
Quote: Hannah G @ 20th April 2014, 10:21 PM BSTA man behind me at asdas refused to use the self service machines and was saying they are putting people out of jobs, so the assisstant just let him go to the fag counter as he was rather loud.
But it's made me think about robots.
What will happen in the future when robots are doing everybody's jobs??
How will that work? You surely can't have a country full of people out of work?
Isn't it a real problem that we will face?No I'm not on drugs lol, just wondering...
One theory is that if robots do all the work, then it won't matter if all the humans are unemployed, because everything will be produced for us so we won't need money. Basically Communism but without the "from each according to their ability" bit, and more everyone just doing what they want without worrying about having to earn money. To be honest I'm not sure if this sounds utopian or really horrible.
I think it's more likely that robots will never do quite all the work, but as they do more and more, society will become productive enough to easily provide social security for those people who are out of work. Basically everyone would effectively be on benefits apart from artists / musicians / any kind of entertainer, and a few other skills that AI isn't suitable for (programming robots?).
Best go treat my money plant to some Baby Bio.
Quote: Raymond Terrific @ 21st April 2014, 12:05 PM BSTOne theory is that if robots do all the work, then it won't matter if all the humans are unemployed, because everything will be produced for us so we won't need money. Basically Communism but without the "from each according to their ability" bit, and more everyone just doing what they want without worrying about having to earn money. To be honest I'm not sure if this sounds utopian or really horrible.
I think it's more likely that robots will never do quite all the work, but as they do more and more, society will become productive enough to easily provide social security for those people who are out of work. Basically everyone would effectively be on benefits apart from artists / musicians / any kind of entertainer, and a few other skills that AI isn't suitable for (programming robots?).
It's been covered many times in Science fiction stories of course, the kind that never make it to films, because they aren't full of violence.
Most writers have proposed things like a basic birth stipend, I.E ongoing credit allocated to everyone at birth.
Plus credits that can be earned as Raymond says by doing things for other people such as Artwork, Music etc plus some such things that don't even exist today.
Quote: billwill @ 21st April 2014, 2:37 PM BSTIt's been covered many times in Science fiction stories of course, the kind that never make it to films, because they aren't full of violence.
Yeah, that's why I don't like many sci-fi films, the science fiction is usually just a vehicle for the relentless action, which I tend to find boring now. On the other hand my bookcase is literally overflowing with sci-fi novels and short story collections.
The general idea is that robots do the work of people, putting them out of work, making even more profits for the companies.
I noticed that it's the same voice lady who does the voices for all the machines in tesco, sainsburys and boots. If I was her, I would get a job as a cashier in one of those places and randomly say things like:
"Please place the item in the bagging area" , just to mess with peoples heads. It must be weird for her when does her shopping because it's her own voice telling her to scan her first item.
Ben thinks it's time to relax and then contemplate going back to work tomorrow.
Quote: danphobic @ 21st April 2014, 3:05 PM BSTI noticed that it's the same voice lady who does the voices for all the machines in tesco, sainsburys and boots. If I was her, I would get a job as a cashier in one of those places and randomly say things like:
"Please place the item in the bagging area" , just to mess with peoples heads. It must be weird for her when does her shopping because it's her own voice telling her to scan her first item.
I'm always slightly amused that I feel a bit bad when the machine-lady asks me, "Did you use any of your own bags?", and I have to press "No". She sounds so hopeful and excited that I feel like I'm really letting her down, and that she must be terribly disappointed by my answer - like I've just told a child that Santa isn't real, or something.
There's also a phone payment thing I sometimes do where the woman's voice suddenly gets quite stern as they're processing the payment. The first "Please wait!" is fairly gentle, but it' s quickly followed by another "Please wait!!!" where she's on the verge of sounding very cross. You feel like you're being unfairly picked on.
The lady on my sat nav gets positively icey in tone when I don't follow her instructions. "Please turn around when possible...you rebellious whore".
They're real, goddamit!
On Spanish trains, there are two different women's voices: one for general instructions, the other for station names.
Voice one: "The next station will be..."
Voice two: "Barcelona Sants."
It's very strange.
That's why I call mine a "satellite Nag-ivator"
I think I'd like the station names job - more work. Presumably they only needed one take for "the next station will be" woman.
Currently watching Catherine Tate and David Tennant in Mucho Ado About Nothing. Tate is pretty disappointing in the role of Beatrice. No shade or colour to this most complex of characters.
I am perhaps a little biased, Beatrice is my favourite character in literature.