Technology and the Future of Work
opinionated Essay
4416 words
Technology and the Future of Work Every society creates an idealised image of the future - a vision that serves as a beacon to direct the imagination and energy of its people. The Ancient Jewish nation prayed for deliverance to a promised land of milk and honey. Later, Christian clerics held out the promise of eternal salvation in the heavenly kingdom. In the modern age, the idea of a future technological utopia has served as the guiding light of industrial society. For more than a century utopian dreamers and men and women of science and letters have looked for a future world where machines would replace human labour, creating a near workerless society of abundance and leisure. (J Rifkin 1995 p.42) This paper will consider developments in technology, robotics, electronic miniaturisation, digitisation and information technology with its social implications for human values and the future of work. It will argue that we have entered post modernity or post Fordism, a new age technological revolution, which profoundly effects social structure and values. Some issues that will be addressed are: elimination of work in the traditional sense, longevity, early retirement, the elimination of cash, the restructuring of education, industry and a movement to global politics, economics and world government. In particular this paper will suggest that the Christian Judao work ethic with society's goals of full employment in the traditional sense is no longer appropriate, necessary or even possible in the near future, and that the definition of work needs to be far more liberal. It argues that as a post market era approaches, that both government and society will need to recognise the effects of new technology on social structure and re-distribute resources, there will need to be rapid development of policies to assist appropriate social adjustments if extreme social unrest, inequity, trauma and possible civil disruption is to be avoided. Yonedji Masuda (1983) suggests we are moving from an industrial society to an information society and maintains that a social revolution is taking place. He suggests that we have two choices ‘Computopia' or an ‘Automated State', a controlled society. He believes that if we choose the former, the door to a society filled with boundless possibilities will open; but if the latter, our future society will become a forbidding and a horrible age. He optimistically predicts our new future society will be ‘computopia' which he describes as exhibiting information values where individuals will develop their cognitive creative abilities and citizens and communities will participate voluntarily in shared goals and ideas. Barry Jones (1990) says we are passing through a post-service revolution into a post- service society - which could be a golden age of leisure and personal
In this essay, the author
- Opines that every society creates an idealised image of the future - a vision that serves as inspiration.
- Explains that dreamers, scientists, and women of science and letters have looked for a future world.
- Describes the implications for human values and the future of work.
- Argues that the definition of work needs to be far more liberal.
- Opines that there will be no break with the past, but will see the effect of new.
- Explains that the post-war baby boom and advances in technology are expected to increase by 2025.
- Explains that in some countries, the number of men 65 and older who remain in the workforce has fallen.
- Explains that to consider the possibility of a radical change from the past, they give no hint.
- Opines that the economic model will continue to work well in the new era.
- Opines that the failure to automate risks jobs and the introduction of automation.
- Opines that it will be a very long time before the gains could offset the losses.
- Opines that surplus labor could be taken up by new industries that in turn would use the surplus labour.
- Opines that the longer term effects of such a cycle are questionable.
- Explains that the average american consumes twice as much now as in the 1940s.
- Analyzes the effects of goods and services on the psyche, with more people with less money, and a trend.
- Opines that south australia is as high as twenty five and nine per cent for the country.
- Explains that in the uk, the working week has reduced from eighty four hours in 1820 down to just eight hours.
- Opines that conventional economic wisdom will not be based on conventional wisdom but is likely to be in the future.
- Opines that we are entering a period of change in the twenty-first century.
- Opines that how we do our jobs and educate will affect almost every aspect of our lives.
- Describes business solutions at a fraction of the usual cost and in shorter length.
- Argues that we are entering a post-modern era.
- Analyzes how rifkin (1995) has a similar view, and concludes that he believes the road to an a.
- Opines that he is optimistic about the post-market era and suggests that the end of work is imminent.
- Explains that the top 20% of households received 44% of national incomes in 1982, and by 1990 this had risen to 47%.
- Explains that education for all but a few domestic jobs starts at the ninth grade level, and for those, the hope of being retrained or schooled for an elite job.
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- Technology and Employment in the United Statesanalytical essayTechnology is used throughout the United States, whether it is good or a bad thing we all have our own point of view. Technology may be easier and faster, but reduces the employment rate, makes Americans to less likely find a job, unemployment rates go down with technology but makes education not worth it, and makes American’s anti-social when it comes to the social work force. Technology does have their pros to it, but it can only go so far without needing a person’s help. Technology can help the productivity go up.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that technology is used throughout the united states, whether it is good or a bad thing, but it reduces the employment rate, makes americans less likely to find jobs, and makes american’s anti-social when it comes to social work.
- Explains that technology can produce more products to the employers, and can work faster than average american’s. technology reduces the number of jobs and careers in america.
- Describes the socialist labor party of america, karl marx, daniel deleon, de leonists, socialist industrial unionism and labor unions.
- Analyzes how technology has left americans without a job. capitalism has turned these technological marvels into so many means of destroying jobs.
869 wordsRead More - Fahrenheit 451 And 1984 - The Fear Of Utopiaanalytical essayThe authors therefor saw the ‘utopian’ societies to be a trap for weak minded publics, and that once in place, such systems would be able to perpetuate indefinitely due to the efficiency at which they protect and propagate themselves. Through fear, diversion and sedation the utopia can maintain a strong grip on the people it encompasses before anyone realizes the sacrifices made. The popularity of these books does rule out the possibility of such a society coming into existence in the future, however. The state of people is not about to change, and their ignorance will continue regardless of the harshness of the wake up calls issued.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how conflicting frames of mind have played defining roles in shaping humanity throughout the twentieth century.
- Analyzes how the characters in brave new world and fahrenheit 451 are unable to conform to society's standards.
- Analyzes how the characters' struggles to hide their newly found individuality are futile in orwell's interpretation of the totalitarian state of 1984.
- Analyzes how orwell reveals the horrors of an advanced dystopia through o'brien, such as the death of the individual.
- Explains that s saw utopia as a trap for weak minded publics, and that such systems would perpetuate indefinitely due to the efficiency at which they protect and propagate themselves.
1240 wordsRead More - The Problem with Work: Feminism, Marxism, Antiwork Politics and Postwork Imaginariesanalytical essayIn her book “The Problem with Work: Feminism, Marxism, Antiwork Politics and Postwork Imaginaries” Kathi Weeks (2011) argues that today we work too hard and that work is quite important that is a requirement to survive. Work has become a privatized system and ultimately is a way of life (p.3). She also claims that the idea that a subject must work to become a worker it is more related to discipline than it is to economic. Humans become social and political subjects within work. Thus, work has become a key site of becoming classed (p.8). Gender identities are also created and reinforced through work.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kathi weeks talks about how critiques of work need to include "the whole work day" and not just waged work.
- Analyzes how weeks proposes to challenge not only the economic and political organization of work but to confront its normativity and moralization.
- Analyzes how weeks takes the concept of the refusal of work from the autonomous marxist tradition developed in italy during the 1960s and 1970s. work dominates our lives and benefits capitalism.
- Analyzes how weeks criticizes second wave feminists of the 1970s, arguing that marxist feminism has tended to focus more on the critique of work organization and distribution than on questioning its values.
- Analyzes how social modernization centers its critique of capitalism in the problem of exploitation and the "contradiction between the forces and relations of production".
- Analyzes how weeks suggests the autonomist marxist's concept of refusal of work as an alternative to the common productivist tendencies present in marxistic and feminist traditions.
- Analyzes how weeks proposes to reduce the hours of work and the work’s importance to undermine the way of life defined by work, which ultimately keeps us subordinated to work.
- Explains that the shorter day and shorter week was a core demand of the labor movement in the us.
- Analyzes how weeks advocates for the refusal of work to undermine what work means in our society.
- Explains hardt and negri's claim that media is a major factor in blurring "work and life."
- Describes how they used to work in an online university, universidad virtual del estado de guanajuato, as an advisor for college students.
- Analyzes how hardt and negri describe the mediatized as the person that is subsumed and absorbed in the web, different from the alienated.
- Concludes that media is a weapon with to opposed faces. it allows you to feel you are participating in your own life and social movements, but at the same time you miss what is happening in the material world that surround you.
- Opines that social media is a new form of organization with its advantages and disadvantages, but we decide if we assume it completely, assume only the best part of it, or resisted to it.
2252 wordsRead More - Technology in A Brave New Worldopinionated essayTechnology in A Brave New World Technology is defined as using the entire body of science, methods, and materials to achieve an end. Technology, or techne, is so preoccupied with weather it can, it never considers if it should. In "Of Techne and Episteme," a article on technology and humanities, the author Eddy warns us that a society without epistemological thinking would lead to a society of "skilled barbarians." This is the topic of the novel Brave New World in which Aldous Huxley portrays a future world where babies are manufactured on an assembly line and put into a social class while they are still embryos in a test tube. As children they are engineered to be content with their rank in this world where love, viviparous reproduction, and knowledge of anything beyond your job serves no purpose.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how in "of techne and episteme," it never considers if it should.
- Explains that they were put into a social class while still embryos in the test tube.
- Opines that if any age lacks the minds to force it to think about the ethical, the summary:
- Opines that, like a snow flake, no two people are alike.
549 wordsRead More - Technology and Societyanalytical essayTechnology and Society There is a town in eastern Pennsylvania called Centralia. It was a mining town fairly typical of Pennsylvania in the 1880’s. Today it is virtually a ghost town. Interestingly, it has not been degraded due to the decline in the demand for coal. The decline in population in Centralia is due to a mine fire that was started in 1962 and has still not been extinguished today.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that centralia, a mining town in eastern pennsylvania, has not been degraded due to the decline in the demand for coal.
- Explains the purpose of the paper, which is to provide a brief history of pennsylvania coal and the town of centralia, and to critically analyze the science, technology and society issues embedded in this story.
- Explains that pennsylvania coal helped fuel the industrial revolution in the 1700s and 1800s. it was the fourth largest state in coal production.
- Explains that coal was used to heat buildings, power railroads, and to make coke, which made steel. the second biggest use for coal is in the making of iron and steel, but the demand for these two products is declining.
- Explains that in the 1800's with the demand for coal rising, and immigrants arriving to mine, coal towns began to appear across the state of pennsylvania.
- Explains that centralia began to grow when the lehigh and mahanoy railroad company built a railroad line through the town in 1865.
- Describes how a strip-mining pit outside of centralia was set on fire to clean it up for the memorial day holiday. the fire was put out by volunteer firemen.
- Explains how clarence kashner, the president of the independent miners, breaker men and truckers deemed the fire a mine fire, and several attempts to extinguish it were made.
- Narrates how a second attempt to stifle the fire was made in august of 1962, when $20,000 was allocated to dig it out with the help of the department of mining and mineral industries.
- Describes how the fire began in centralia in the 1980s. a young boy almost fell in to a hole that opened in front of him due to it.
- Explains that the projected cost of putting out the fire is $660 million, and the government has allocated $42 million to buy the property back from the citizens of centralia.
- Explains that the susquehanna university scientific team is using centralia to learn more about life and the environment in extreme environments.
- Analyzes how centralia's economy and population declined due to lower demand for coal miners, but this is irrelevant because of the fire. many people left their ancestral roots behind to start anew.
- Analyzes the societal impact of centralia. books such as a walk in the woods by bill bryson and unseen danger: a tragedy of people, government, and the
- Analyzes how the fires in centralia occurred due to a series of technological and societal failures.
- Explains that the susquehanna university science team had to deal with a number of human elements. the remains of old homes, the few remaining people, and the treacherous working conditions are constant influences of society upon the scientists.
- Opines that the interplay between society and technology in centralia is not a negative skew. the invention of the automobile embodied the human values of freedom and movement.
- Argues that the answer is not to stop developing new technologies, nor to eradicate existing technologies. reevaluating what we as a society truly "need" and then meeting those needs is unlikely to happen any time soon in america.
- Explains that the amish have the courage to reject technologies that are not in line with their belief system. the smoking hillsides and abandoned buildings of centralia might remind america of the consequences of using technologies under the restrictions of certain societal values.
- Cites the centralia mine fire home page. "how the fire started."
- Cites coombe, tom, ohneck, carolyn, and dean mann. "pennsylvania coal:
- Explains pennsylvania historical and museum commission's "pennsylvania state history: the era of industrial ascendancy 1861-1945."
2568 wordsRead More - Compare Dystopia And Modern Societyanalytical essayRollo May, a psychologist, once said that, “in the utopian aim of removing all power and aggression from human behavior, we run the risk of removing self-assertion, self-affirmation, and even the power to be”. As a contemporary population, daily life has advanced from a comprehension; introducing utopian qualities would have domino effects on different human rights of a hindsight apparistic nation. Modern societies similar to a utopia has a larger entity that undermines the community within different aspects but nevertheless runs the risk of becoming a society with dystopian features by illusions of authoritarian rule.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that introducing utopian qualities would have domino effects on different human rights of a hindsight apparistic nation.
- Argues that modern society is different from a dystopia because knowledge that is being withheld is turning the protagonists’ community into dystopian approach.
- Compares modern society with jonas' dystopian society because there are less equal people in present-day and apparistic societies.
- Analyzes how lowry's the giver reflects how utopian and dystopian qualities intertwine and split from one another.
706 wordsRead More - Thomas Sowell's Conflict Of Vision Essayanalytical essaySowell begins his analysis of visions by citing Walter Lippmann’s astute observation: “At the core of every moral code there is a picture of human nature, a map of the universe, and a version of history. To human nature (of the sort conceived), in a universe (of the kind imagined), after a history (so understood), the rules of the code apply.” Sowell argues that social visions differ in their basic conceptions of the nature of man: “The capacities and limitations of man are implicitly seen in radically different terms by those whose explicit philosophical, political, or social theories are built on different visions.” In Sowell’s estimation, advocates of different visions conceive of “[m]an’s moral and mental natures…so differently that their respective concepts of knowledge and institutions necessarily differ as well. Social causation itself is conceived differently, both as to mechanics and
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the early 21st century is characterised by unprecedented social and cultural change. the old conservative-liberal divide no longer has the capacity to effectively describe the place of values in the western world.
- Analyzes sowell's argument that political, economic, legal and social disagreements are the result of a conflict of visions.
- Argues that sowell's analysis is a tool for understanding why different people respond in very different ways to questions of politics, law, international relations, economics and social policy.
- Asks how sowell's ‘conflict of visions’ thesis can be employed by the christian church to overcome its ruptured approach to public policy issues, and to help its leaders and members develop an internally consistent and coherent ‘public theology’ that is not only faithful to scripture but offers real and effective solutions to today’s social, political, legal and economic issues and problems.
- Explains that modern western society is less integrated than it purports to be. this provides the church with the opportunity to challenge existing structures, show compassion, and offer biblical guidance and/or solutions to these social issues and problems.
- Explains that the church is made up of different individual christians, with different socio-economic standing, different levels of education, cultural influences, denominational affinities, and at different stages of their christian walk.
- Explains that it is not enough to attribute christian disagreements over social policy to individuals' political or cultural preferences, or simply label proponents as having political leanings toward the ‘left’ or ‘right.’ such descriptions are often ambiguous and carry particular connotations.
- Opines that all christians—indeed, all law-abiding citizens—have a desire to do the right thing, but what is it? the right action is difficult to determine when it comes to complex legal, political, social and economic issues.
- Explains that a person's understanding of god and their knowledge of biblical teaching on such issues will influence their church community and church creeds or mission statements.
- Explains that many christians react emotionally with knee-jerk responses when presented with alleged instances of injustice, unfairness, and inequality. in some cases, such responses focus on the immediate action and little or no attention is given to the end result.
- Explains how a christian ethical response to morality, law, economics, social policy, and international relations can be formulated that is not only effective but morally and theologically consistent with scripture.
- Analyzes how sowell's book a conflict of visions discusses the ideological roots of the major political, legal, and social struggles and disagreements.
- Explains sowell's definition of 'vision' as a sense of causation. it is more like hunch or gut feeling than an exercise in logic or factual verification.
- Argues that sowell's characterisation of visions represents a classification.
- Analyzes how sowell's book addresses the underlying assumptions behind the differing ideological visions in the world today.
- Explains sowell's assertion that visions are not "mere emotional drives," but have a remarkable logical consistency, even if those devoted to them have seldom investigated that logic.
- Argues that the role of social visions (as conceived by sowell) in determining social policy and responses to social issues and problems has not yet been examined by the theological community.
- Argues that employing sowell's conflicting visions to guide public theology is not just another hermeneutic.
- Explains that the church today is fractured in so far as different groups and traditions within it apply different ethics in the way they address social evils and apply redemptive ‘goods.’
- Opines that sowell's conception and analysis of the conflict of visions is grounded in the western intellectual tradition, so the thesis is limited to that tradition.
- Argues that sowell's two conflicting visions are essential to understanding this project.
- Argues that the basic moral and social challenge for advocates of this vision is to make the most of the limited options and possibilities that exist as a result of these inherent constraints in human nature.
- Explains that advocates of the unconstrained vision believe that human understanding and natural disposition are capable of intentionally producing social goods.
- Explains that advocates of the unconstrained vision believe that human beings have an untapped moral potential.
- Analyzes how the constrained vision sees the need for elaborate checks and balances on human government since no individual or group with vested interests should ever be completely trusted with significant power over others.
- Explains that the church and the theological community differ in their views of human beings. some protestants have been accused of adopting a 'worm' theology, whereas post-vatican ii catholics see human nature as having "been raised up to divine dignity."
- Explains that the moral and mental natures of human beings are seen very differently by advocates of the two visions, and therefore their respective concepts of knowledge and of social processes and institutions differ as well.
- Explains that a complex society requires the transmission and incorporation of knowledge through numerous social arrangements. knowledge is primarily conceived as the collective experience of numerous individuals which is transmitted to the rest of the society through largely inarticulate means.
- Opines that the 18th century advocates of the unconstrained vision created the age of reason.
- Argues that the liberally educated and ‘enlightened’ citizens in a society should act as guides and instructors to the masses.
- Explains that the key differentiating elements that distinguish advocates of the constrained vision from those who are unconstrained are their view of human nature, their conception of knowledge, and their understanding of social processes and institutions.
3218 wordsRead More - Free Hamlet Essays: Teaching Deception and Selfishness in Hamletanalytical essaysociety today is hyper-aware of the ?example? that it sets for the future generation; in
In this essay, the author
- Opines that society today is hyper-aware of the?example? that it sets for the future generation.
- Describes gertrude, claudius' new wife, and polonius' counsel to the king and father.
- Analyzes how claudius is smug at the onset of the play because he appears to have gotten away.
- Analyzes how young hamlet proves unable to accomplish something until the very end of the film.
- Opines that polonius' response is only of cohesion with the king; he seems to have little.
- Opines that speaking to appear sincere as a politician does, to look good rather than actually be.
- Opines that the one conversation that she has with claudius at the beginning of the play is present.
- Explains that polonius had ordered laertes' breakup with hamlet and agreed to allow her to go to rome.
- Analyzes how in a play riddled with greed, manipulation and dishonesty, the end result is the demise of all the main characters.
- Analyzes how hamlet's conceit has moral repercussions for adults and elsinore youth, who are unable to lead.
- Analyzes how a man in act iii feels no remorse for what he has done. he confesses to himself, saying, "what form of prayer can serve my turn?"
- Analyzes how polonius instructs ophelia on how to behave while he and the king are spying on hamlet.
- Analyzes how hamlet is embittered by this betrayal, as he says in act i scene ii,?frailty / thy name is woman!?
- Opines that parents should admit their concerns to their children and stress their abilities to cope with a crisis.
- Analyzes how ophelia's betrayal of king hamlet makes him bitter towards women in general. when he learns of claudius' duplicity, gertrude handicaps him.
- Analyzes how hamlet realizes he must act out against him in act i, scene v, lines 215-216, and exclaims, "o cursed spite / that ever i was born to set it right!"
- Analyzes hamlet's scene in act iv scene v, where he donned his clo?es and dupped the chamber door.
- Opines that parents are the most important role models for their children.
1079 wordsRead More - The Long Road Homeanalytical essayThe future holds a different meaning for everyone, for some it holds hope while for others it holds despair. This constant wondering about the future has influenced many works to be written about the future. Some of these works propose a blissful future, but the majority paint the picture of an unfortunate dystopian world. Recently I read Daughters of the North, a novel in which the dystopian future of England is shown. Shortly after reading Daughters of the North, I watched The Road. This film showed a similar view of the future, yet more grim and unappealing that Daughters of the North. In this essay I will be comparing and contrasting these two works to show two different points of view of what a dystopian world is. After watching The Road I realised there was a large amount of books and movies that believe the future will be grim. I believe this is because as humans we fear what may be in our future due to the conflicts that we face today and wish to warm the world.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the future holds a different meaning for everyone, for some it holds hope, while for others it has despair. they will compare and contrast these two works to show two different points of view of the dystopian world.
- Analyzes how the environment in both daughters of the north and the road was affected by climate change.
- Compares the dystopian societies of the road and daughters of the north. both show that climate change is a concern for future generations.
- Analyzes how antagonists influence the lives of characters in both works, preventing them from living less stressful lives. in daughters of the north, the antagonist is the government, while in the road the gangs plumage the remaining food and supplies.
1010 wordsRead More - The Benefits of ICT at Workexplanatory essayThe Benefits of ICT at Work The following is a list of all the things that my adult uses for Ict in and around the house and at work for personal, social and professional use. · Internet and internet technologies –Broadband, Modem, E-mail, WWW. · Communication- Mobile phone, MMS, vehicle tracking devices.
In this essay, the author
- Describes all the things that my adult uses for ict.
- Advises keeping a separate copy of the documents in 'a folder' in case they were lost.
- Describes the key factors that determine the model you have and how much you pay.
- Explains that you can make copies and make them bigger or smaller.
- Explains that it is the most social piece of ict that he uses at work.
- Explains that cameras have a zoom option so that you can zoom in on pictures.
- Describes the features of a display screen on the back so you can see what you have.
- Explains how to change the size of the photo and the resolution so that you can change it.
- Explains that saving you time and you can print it later.
- Explains that if it needs to be delivered to someone else, they can send it in.
- Describes the reasons why he uses e-mail.
- Explains that all you have to do is copy the document or file onto the memory.
- Explains that he uses a memory stick at home.
- Describes the laptop that he uses to complete his work at home.
- Explains that for a company and had to do work at home, they could bring the laptop home.
- Explains that the man uses a laptop because it means that he uses it.
- Opines that the one he has does everything, and has a summary.
- Explains how things have changed by the fact that things get done a lot faster.
- Explains that e-mail can attach any type of file to it and send it anywhere in the world.
- Explains that a memory stick is used to store any type of file that is on your computer.
- Explains that the cost would outweigh the total use that he is going to get out of it.
- Explains that the man uses a laptop if he is on holiday or goes on day trips and needs to do some work.
- Explains that he has adapted by having to learn to use a computer and to take an ict course.
2554 wordsRead More