WHERE HAVE THE JOBS GONE?

Speaking of the future and usually that is what we do for we are never content with the here and now but only with tomorrow.  What does the future hold for us as Americans?  Well, Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon are striving very hard to define that for all of us.  And aren't we all so eager for the next innovation to come out of these companies?  I agree that each new advancement is fun and brings so many new capabilities to make our life ever more consumed and connected. 

But I have this tick which makes me always look down the road and to try to envision what the future could become with all the technology on steroids.  And beyond that I like to listen to the latest claims made by the digital gods.  One of the very best sites to keep abreast on all things new in science and technology (besides Wired) is kurzweilAI.net.  One of Ray Kurzweil's colleagues is Peter Diamandis.  Peter (and Ray) are brilliant men.  Peter has created what is knows as "Peter's Laws."  I will include those in a future post as they are GREAT.  Tonight I would like to mention his law on the future: "THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO CREATE IT YOURSELF."  And that is exactly what all the above CONGLOMERATES (made up of parts from various sources or of various kinds) are working on...continually.  They predict and then they create and it becomes reality.  But do we ever UNPLUG LONG ENOUGH to think about where their predictive future is taking us and what it means for jobs? 

I think this weeks cover of The Economist sums it up nicely:

 

 

It bluntly states "the effect of today's technology on tomorrow's jobs will be immense--and no country is ready for it."  There can be no doubt that we are in a TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION.  And whenever a REVOLUTION occurs it changes EVERYTHING FOREVER.  That is the meaning of revolution to turn over and make anew.  Of course jobs will be disruptive on all levels.  Everything we know today socially, politically, economically, personally, have changed and will be changing more.  The Economist reports that TECHNOLOGICAL DISRUPTION is a large tidal wave that is coming to shore and will wipe out much in its path changing the landscape forever.  It's not just jobs that will be changed but our very existence as we know it today.  We can't really change it.  We can't really prepare for it.  So I suggest that you grab a surf board and pray to ride the wave.  And if that's not an option.....?