Yeah, UBI is touted as the solution, but I find its supporters never have a firm grasp of economics (both the absurd inflation it would introduce and the huge disinecentive on work it would create since tax rates would have to be massive to support the number of unemployed. It's like they want Atlas Shrugged to happen in real life). Another possibility is mass rioting from the marginalized unemployed masses (would the wealthy elite really give up their wealth easily? If anything the last few decades has shown they have grown in power).
Yeah, UBI is touted as the solution, but I find its supporters never have a firm grasp of economics (both the absurd inflation it would introduce and the huge disinecentive on work it would create since tax rates would have to be massive to support the number of unemployed. It's like they want _Atlas Shrugged_ to happen in real life). Another possibility is mass rioting from the marginalized unemployed masses (would the wealthy elite really give up their wealth easily? If anything the last few decades has shown they have grown in power).
I'm not sure what the answer is.
You're right, not everyone is going to be an engineer of some sort. If we don't have unskilled labor, what do we do? Universal income? I've never liked the idea, but if there is no work, what are the other options?
When truck drivers lose out to automation that is going to put a lot of people out of work. We'll still need some drivers where a human has to unload and stock freight. Like a beer or bread truck driver for instance. However, eventually that function will automated too. It will end up being the biggest shakeup of the transportation industry since the shipping container.
Retail is going to continue to shift to an online model, which requires much less labor than physical stores. Food service is already moving to self ordering apps and kiosks. How long until it's a machine cooking your burger too? They already have the technology.