Thought provoking article

[belgareth]

http://marshallbrain.com/robotic-nation.htm (\"http://marshallbrain.com/robotic-nation.htm\")

[EXIT63]

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When a significant portion of the normal American population is permanently living in government welfare dormitories because of unemployment, what we will have is a third-world nation.

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We\'re gonna have that anyway. With or without robots. Se Habla Espanol? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif


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That robot could clean bathrooms, take out trash, wipe down tables, mop floors, sweep parking lots, mow grass and so on.

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Yes, but is she \"fully functional\"? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif


I think it\'s going to take a little longer than this guy suggests. Because the military is gonna be using these robots for ten to 15 years first. Just think how many terrorists we\'ll be able to slaughter with our new robot armies! And no American soldier has to die. Who says the future\'s not looking brighter?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Holmes]

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That robot could clean bathrooms, take out trash, wipe down tables, mop floors, sweep parking lots, mow grass and so on.

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My goodness, the truth is now officially stranger than The Jetsons! Eep, Opp, Ork, Ah-ah... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Holmes

[EXIT63]

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Eep, Opp, Ork, Ah-ah...

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Meet me tonight.

[proteus]

Very interesting article, but the problem with this actually being realized is that the very problem created by this robotization, namely increasing unemployment, will result in a fewer pool of consumers. Consequently, corporations will have less revenue, and we all know corporations exist solely to make money, and do not innovate for it\'s own sake.

So at some point, unless they find new ways to keep the workforce employed, the very economic situation they\'ve created with their robots/automated systems, will place limits on this technological revolution. It\'s already happening IMO. Anyway, I hope this is the case /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[belgareth]

Certainly, it will reach a point of equalibrium but the number of people put out of work in the process will be bad. In the last paragraph he suggests we look at our economic model and consider how to change to a better course. The robot genie is out of the lamp and will never be put back so we need to learn to deal with it to our best advantage. There are many things machines will never be able to do and we have a tremendous opportunity for learning and leisure if we handle it well.