You're a robot, Harry. But sir, i can't be a ro-ro-ro-ro-ro-rrobot!
Those robots that you were used to seeing in movies as the motor of apocalypse, are slowly but surely integrating into our lives. All kinds of forecasts has been made in literature, science and movies but what are the challenges that these machines bring to our lives in terms of society? Let's dive right in!
Robotization in itself will affect the whole society. Just imagine if everyone had a walking, talking and all knowing companion possibly more powerful, effective and work hunger than we are. It could be your friend of sorts, do most if not all chores for you, and even work for you. They could provide more industrial output, do better surgery and health
care, thus leading to us live longer. Then again, they could reduce our life span by being oppressive cops, used as a military component or even leading a revolution of their own. For example, if robots were to be that smart and advanced, how do you prevent them from making other robots? How do you combine best parts of being human, while leaving the rest?
One could argue, that if we just used them as workers, manpower and so on, then they could not do it. But, I think humans can't resist the urge to make robots as smart as us. There will probably be working robots that are cheaper and thus not so 'emotionally developed', but there will be ones that can outsmart us. Granted that it is possible at all to do so.
What are the threats to society then, apart from the obvious apocalypse, social change and so on?
It is the one thing that drives us all, sadly so, everyday. It is the thing that some of us have, while some of us don't. It is the thing that you love when you have it, and hate it when you don't. Yes, that's right, it is money. The biggest change that comes from robots is in the core of society: work, money and taxation. It doesn't matter as much if robots start to rule us, because while it is a possibility, only certainty is that they will completely change our use of time, equality, wealth and those things that define us in so many ways. First of all, if we skip ahead to this future where robots have taken over half of jobs in society, what does it look like? Immediate effects are: Robots will probably not be cheap. why? Because everybody wants one, because it can be used as a working machine for your benefit, because the materials and processes needed to build one probably won't be cheap (diminishing resources in the world, rare metals for electronics etc.) and because one needs to make profit. How does it affect taxation and working conditions?
If less than half of society is employed, there will be demand for welfare system to be implemented for these billions of people. Just the social unrest it causes demands for a effective way to somehow keep these people alive. Then again, prices tend to rise and our money is worth less and less all the time and societies are in much debt even today. How, suddenly, do you have enough money to support all people when there is less tax payers around, more elder people than ever before and even billions of people more than that of today. How do you pay for all of this with less tax payers? There are few alternatives to this I think. For one, you won't pay welfare to people at all. Leads to unprecedented problems within a society, but, could be restrained by the use of force with robots?
Secondly, robots could make money for you, so you should invest in your own little working machine. This would be taxated of course, but it could support you at least theoretically. It solely depends on how expensive will this important machine be, and what are the expected return on your money. As you've guessed by now, many are left without the possibility to own their own robot. They hopefully still could be supported by the taxes collected.
Third, there is possibility that big corporations and billionaires own most of the robots and conduct their own business with it. If societies have enough control over capitalism and money, they could implement huge taxes that those owners have to pay for their chance of making more. Well, if you've looked around, how has it worked for you? I think it is highly unlikely that they do this without a fight. And I do understand, to some extent: these taxes to support most of the society will be so high that it would completely discourage you, although, you would still be on the winning side.
Fourth, would be that societies are smart enough to invest on their own working units, and do it before it is too late. Again, wishful thinking but possible. Then it would ease up the stress on all sides of the pool. This is what I think the most preferable way. It would probably work quite alright in the socialist utopias of Scandinavia (as so many people like to call them), but I would like to see some, erm, 'capitalist driven' countries to make this leap to 'socialism'. It would completely destroy their sense of self worth. I guess much of it depends the role of companies in the future. Should the world turn to corporate capitalism like the big money seems to wish, and all of this could be nearly impossible to implement. Yet, societies should take active role in preserving societies and peace.
In reality, probably, many of these alternatives are either tried or live simultaneously.
While we wait for this all to roll out, I'd suggest you buy some gold and farmland, the next time you're into money. While NOT an investment advice, landlord is always a lord-of-the-land. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and i'll see you on the next one.
How do you see the future? Educate me in the comments below!
