Hey everyone! It's been a little while since my last post here on Steemit! The following are some of my thoughts on the future of the job market from a conversation I had with a friend recently. I put them together in my notes and thought that others might learn a few things, so here we go:
Here are a few points that I'll cover in this post:
- AI - The Impact of Automation on the Availability of Jobs
- How do people "make a living"?
- What do we do with all this time?
- What impact do platforms like Steem have on this future?
The impact of automation on the availability of jobs is relatively straight-forward. Many jobs can be automated for greater efficiency than having a human do it (not all jobs, but a vast majority of jobs). I saw a statistic that claimed 40% or more of current jobs will be automized and irrelevant in the next 40 years. That's a lot of people out of a job and looking for an entirely new career path!!!
So the next logical question is "how do people make a 'living'?
Well, I think the very idea itself of "making a living" is going to need to adapt to the changing circumstances. With more and more automation, companies are going to grow larger and larger and the job market will get smaller and smaller. With this reality, I think some form of universal basic income (UBI) will be necessary. I'm not sure what kind of structure it would be, but I imagine that it will be a basic income for every citizen that fulfills basic needs like shelter, food, clothing, etc.
So the next step in this logical progression is "what do we do with all this time"...
Well this is where things get tough... Most people don't actually know what to do with themselves when they don't have an 8 hour work day each day of the week to keep them busy. We're going to have to teach everyone to be more creative and follow hobbies and other pursuits that actually interest them and make them happy.
Society will have to shift from doing mindless work to doing mindful "work" that we actually enjoy. I think it can be a really positive direction for humankind, but it will definitely be an adjustment.
What impact do platforms like Steem have on this future?
I see Steem playing a role in a future like this... Steem has the potential to allow content creators, professionals, craftsmen, travelers, and everyone else who has some special talent/interest to earn for being passionate about their interests.
If we are to have all of this free time, then we'll need to find hobbies and outside interests to keep ourselves happy and moving forward. Having a platform like Steem and the apps built on top of it that allow us to share these hobbies with other individuals and also connect on a deeper level while "earning a living" is a great future that I would love to be a part of!