The New Economy - What Will People Do?

As technology continues to replace human workers whole sectors of global economics are left behind. In their wake they leave shuttered businesses, a barren reminder of times past. As reported on CNBC by 2027 half of all current human based jobs will be performed by technology leaving billions of people with no income to care for themselves or their families. People without income pay no taxes and buy no goods. These are the conditions of civil unrest, protest, and possibly revolution. Times like these create a desperate class of people whose natural instinct for survival will have normally law abiding people acting out, taking what they need, and perhaps venting violently against property, other people, and themselves.

One example of this is self-driving vehicles. Trains, ships, and trucks will soon have no need of a human crew. Let’s look at just trucks. If human drivers are no longer needed what will happen to the economy? What will the truck drivers do for their next career? How many other displaced workers will they be competing with? This will affect more than just the drivers. The ripple effect will spread to truck diving schools, truck stop merchants, and companies that supply them, creating even more displaced workers.

Forward thinking governments around the world are seeking solutions to the on-rushing cataclysm that could potentially result in the worst human conflict in history. Entrepreneurs around the world are also creating solutions to this immediate problem.

For generations people have been trained to labor for companies. People were, for the most part, told when to show up, what to do, and when they could go home. Education was little more than job training. This does not adequately prepare people for the new economy. Our education systems need to create greater emphasis on critical thing, discovering your passions, knowing why you are doing something so you can create a clear path of action with a definite destination in mind. These are the skills that the new economy will require.

In the transition, it is up to leaders, both public and private, to create work that is familiar to the current masses in the workplace. The work needs to be task based and the worker needs to feel secure that they will get paid for their labor. The available positions need to be able to scale at a rapid pace at least equal to the rush of displaced workers. A systematic means of awareness needs to be implemented so that displaced workers will know that the new economy work is available and that they can do it.

Workers should not expect a handout but should be willing to show their desire to work by taking action and investing in their own future. The most well-meaning, best intentioned solution will not solve the problem of any person who does not want to be helped. Workers should not wait till they are without income to sustain themselves but can prepare now for the new economy by learning about what work options will be for people in a high-tech world economy. They should seek to match those opportunities with their personal interests and passions. Then find out what new skills they will need to be successful in their new career. Ideally, they will be able to begin their new career part time so they can continue to keep their current job and income while they transition to their new career choice.