A World Without Work: What would it be like?

Introduction 

Advancements in technology have become a vital source of debate concerning the sustainability of employment opportunities taking into account that technology is taking over the roles and responsibilities that were preserved for human beings. Thompson (2015) indicates that the debate on the implications of allowing machines into the workplace environment has raged from the perspective that tools would make workers absolute. From this perspective, it is clear that although the end of work remains as a futuristic concept, it ought to create concern among workers, who are likely to be impacted by the continued introduction of machines and technology within the workplace environment. The focus of this report is to examine the article 'A World Without Work ’ by Derek Thompson in seeking to describe his view of the future where machines have taken over the workplace.

Happenings in Youngstown, Ohio 

Thompson (2015) examines incidents in Youngstown, Ohio that occurred on September 19, 1977, leading to the closure of the Campbell Works mill, which employed over 50,000 persons and $1.3 billion in manufacturing wages. The outcome of the closure can be considered as regional depression, as the town experienced a significant transformation attributed to a psychological and cultural breakdown leading to an increase in cases such as depression, spousal abuse, and suicide among others. The relevance of the story of Youngstown, Ohio to the projections for the future can be seen from the fact that it highlights the expected impacts arising from people losing their employment. It is a likely occurrence that people will experience increased mental distress resulting from them losing their source of economic earning as a result of their replacement within the workplace by machines and technology.

Cry Robot 

People do not believe those who 'cry robot' due to the fact that they often believe that machines do not have the capability of functioning in a manner that is reflective of how human beings are able to operate (Thompson, 2015). Those who cry robot are considered to lack an understanding of the value placed on the humanistic element within the workplace environment, which creates the need for having to ensure that workers remain as a critical part of the workforce (Beckett, 2018). That is a view that resonates with the fact that most people are not willing to accept a future where employment opportunities have been taken over by machines and technology. Additionally, most people do not want to believe that machines have the capacity and capability of functioning in a manner that is equal or even better for human beings.

Paradox of Leisure 

The paradox of leisure can be seen from the fact that although the majority of the people often complain about their work or sources of employment and may want relaxation or rest, they do not wish to accept a future that would see them lose their employment (Thompson, 2015). That is reflective of the fact that the replacement of the persons within their specific work environment would mean that they would have more times to build positive relationships with their families. That would translate to the society being seen as happy considering that the foundation of happiness would be the amount of time that persons spend with their families. However, this brings a contradictory understanding of the fact that persons would experience a significant shift in their mental and psychological wellbeing attributed to the fact that they are spending too much time free without doing anything of value.

Post-Wage Arrangements 

After persons have lost their sources of employment, it becomes essential to come up with a wide array of post-wage arrangements that would allow them to lead a life that ensure that they are provided for in terms of food and shelter. Thompson (2015) indicates that post-wage arrangements would involve having to ensure that persons converge within the new union halls where they are expected to find tradespersons that would provide them with specific jobs. In this arrangement, the idea is having to create a meeting point between an individual looking to hire and one looking for employment to enhance the possibility of creating an economic livelihood. On the other hand, the meeting points also play a crucial role in ensuring that persons are able to exchange their goods and wares with others with the sole focus being towards defining the possibility of survival.

Effects of Government Policies 

The establishment of government policies may have a significant impact on the changing job market, considering that they would help in the establishment of a transparent approach through which to ensure that workers are protected. For example, the establishment of a policy that seeks to ensure that companies only focus on reducing the number of hours for the employees rather than reducing the workforce would be of great value towards protecting the positions that workers hold. Governments have a crucial role to play in seeking to ensure that they come up with policy frameworks that are designed to ensure that they protect those that they serve, who are the workers that are facing a dull future.

Personal Views 

Personally, I hold the view that indeed, the workplace environment is changing in a significant way, which is inevitable attributed to the extent to which the world is embracing technology. However, I believe that this does not necessarily mean that the position of the worker within the workplace environment should remain in limbo attributed to the demand for automation. Instead, companies ought to come up with a structure allowing them to automate their processes but also work towards protecting the position of the worker, who is essential towards giving the process that humanistic element. I have heard a majority of the companies arguing that this would be expensive for them considering that automation is much more effective when compared to workers. In my view, this is a negative approach to protecting the future of the world considering that relieving persons of their duties would mean that they are not in any position to take care of themselves and their families.

Conclusion 

Derek Thompson, in the article 'A World Without Work ,’ explores one of the critical issues raising debate within the job market today, which is continued replacement of workers with technology and machines. The issue has raised serious questions on the viability of such approaches taking into account that it becomes much harder to determine the implications that this may have on the world. The article explores the story of Youngstown, Ohio, where over 50,000 jobs were lost due to the closure of a local steel mill resulting in regional depression. That is an outcome that ought to be expected if the world would ignore the implications associated with continued uptake of machines and technology. I believe that it would be important to find a balance between automation and the role of the workers in a bid to protecting the future.

References

Beckett, A. (2018). Post-work: the radical idea of a world without jobs . Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jan/19/post-work-the-radical-idea-of-a-world-without-jobs 

Thompson, D. (2015). A world without work . Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/07/world-without-work/395294/