How about the new sectors of developers, programmers, maintenance, service, marketing, accountancy etc etc for these automation companies.
My point is, we're moving up as humanity, jobs will always follow. Just look at last 75 years where machination and automation have already taken large chunks of traditional jobs.
With less people in factories and working the land, Hell... even the Female population joining in; we managed to increase desk jobs all across the board (better/healthier) , inflated our entertainment industry by an enormous ammount (Radio -> TV -> MTV -> youtube), created an incredible amount of technical progress (engineering jobs), created the internet (programmers), created an enormous market in luxury goods, Built many more buildings and structures then ever before, Tourism has skyrocketed etc etc.... progress.
In the Netherlands we knew worker shortage for about 65 of these 75 years (high unemployment was mainly during the peaks of a number of crisis), for the rest it increased our living standard almost unimaginably, made jobs healthier/better, increased our pay and vacation days and lowered our weekly working hours.
IMO it just frees us up for "better"/other things.
increase desk jobs .. inflated our entertainment industry .. engineering jobs .. programmers .. enormous market in luxury goods .. Built many more buildings and structures
That's my point. All kinds of new areas to exploit. What happens when those are automated? Because they will be. Desk jobs, service, even construction and programming will be mostly handled by automation.
As a whole, we have always struggled with the problem of overproduction. It is soon going to get much worse, and will be unsustainable with our current system.
Seriously, what do you think the average meathead from highschool is going to be doing for a living in 40-50 years, that couldn't be better done through automation?
The idea of everyone being employed full-time is going to become a relic of the past. If we don't accept that and begin a transition, then things are going to get dangerous as jobs dry up and wealth disparity continues to grow.
That's my point. All kinds of new areas to exploit. What happens when those are automated? Because they will be. Desk jobs, service, even construction and programming will be mostly handled by automation.
There will always be a considerable part of jobs that is not automatable, either preferred by humans due to interaction or by necessety/ safety.
If I could wish/hope we would go for the Star Trek idea and explore space.
As a whole, we have always struggled with the problem of overproduction. It is soon going to get much worse, and will be unsustainable with our current system.
Not since the end of WW2 in the US (remember the great depression) and after the 60's or even 70's in EU (rebuilding after the war was no picnic). Overproduction is a relatively new phenomenon for mankind and only really a case in about 20% of the world. I grew up in the 80's and altough we where doing well (it was just after the global oil crisis) it was incomparable to today's western standards.
For the future i see; more products and bigger markets; hence more "human jobs" desk, sales, maintenance, development etc etc
Seriously, what do you think the average meathead from highschool is going to be doing for a living in 40-50 years, that couldn't be better done through automation?
Meathead can currently operate an I-phone so he might not be as dumb as we think and can probably grasp basic engineering when properly taught. We wil always need plumbers, electricians, welders, maintenance and all forms of construction jobs (high demand over here and plenty of meatheads working them), he can work in ever increasing security sector, can start a You-Tube channel for fly fishing, launch a line of duckwhistles via the interwebz, become a proffesional Dataminer for phuks etc etc.
The idea of everyone being employed full-time is going to become a relic of the past. If we don't accept that and begin a transition, then things are going to get dangerous as jobs dry up and wealth disparity continues to grow.
I agree with full time jobs dissappearing "as they are now", but I disagree with your other statement. (mind I'm wearing Dutch goggles)
In Benelux, UK, Ger, Fra and scandinavia (western Europe), you have seen a trend of the following since the 80's (mind you they all have minimal wage, sector unions and socialist political ideas influencing)
Lower workhours per week (most full-time jobs are on 36 hour weekly max contracts)
More part-time jobs (by choice, as there is a general demand for employees) between 20 hrs - 32 hours weekly
Higher work efficiency
Higher pay and more vacation time
Better quality jobs
More Wealth distribution
Higher educational standards
Smarter overall population
More higher educated jobs
More diverse jobs
Highest living standards on the planet
Scandinavia even has very generous paid paternity leave (months, weeks)
In general education standards are pretty high in these countries (not any/ many private schools), it is encouraged to follow higher education by state facilitations, uni's are affordable and accessable for all. By these measures our population has become way smarter overall. We have also funding for re-education to adept to new jobs.
Speaking for the Dutch; Our tech, IT, medical and engineering sectors have exploded since the 70's and currently are amonst the best of the world. Farming and trading used to be our big things. They both still are but with much lower amount of employees. It used to take 600 men to empty a cargo ship and 50 men to harvest your corn. These workers have learned, adapted and impoved to get better jobs.
IMO we are not victims of automation, we are being liberated by it, to do what we want with our lives and live them to full potential.
Except, they did.
Manual labour is way way down from where it was. And skilled trades are a much smaller portion of the population than in past.
That was fine in the past. There was new frontiers in industry, service and other sectors to absorb the surplus labour.
Automation is going to affect everything. There will be no new sectors. We will not require a significant portion of the population to put in full-time hours in order to get everything done.