Re: Substituting computers for people LO32

Myrna Casebolt (MYRNA@WP.DHSS.STATE.WI.US)
Tue, 07 Feb 1995 08:10:13 -0600

I think this is a very real issue you raise. Actually, this so-called
resistance or apprehension to what we have decided to call "change"
may very well be because of the notion of "where do I fit in?" On the
other hand, a morphic resonance (concepts of Sheldrake et al) could
seep into our consciouness and overtake (euphemistacally!) this awful
naggin fear of not having control.. If we help one another receognize
that control is but a perception anyway and that our system of being
with self and others and the universe can only be understood by being
and looking at our being, then maybe we can evolve together. It stikes
me that evolution takes so long because we only evolve when we are
ready to. And.....when threat winks at us....it's hard to be ready. What
do you think?

Myrna@WP.DHSS.STATE.WI.US

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
K.C. Burgess Yakemovic wrote:
> While I may be wrong, I suspect that the list members have, as a group,
> characteristics that would make them ill suited to copy clerk jobs. But
> we must be careful about rearranging the world so that all the jobs
need
> to be filled by people like us... because all the people _aren't_ like us. >
> Some didn't finish high-school. Some can't read. Some may have
learning
> disabilities... or physical disabilites. Maybe they're in the "average"
> catagory... finished high school but have no college or vocational
> training. If we aren't careful there will be a few jobs for highly
> skilled,educated people... and some jobs requiring manual labor, but no
> "thinking"... and no jobs for the vast number of people who fall "in the
> middle", ability-wise.

There is a group of futurists who claim that the pace of technology WILL
put semi-skilled people out of work - receptionists and operators
replaced by voicemail, secretaries by PC/WP, file clerks by disk
management software, etc.

This means that those who do not have the aptitude or attitude for
picking up new skills will be unemployable in sufficient numbers.

All the more reason why the building of L-O is critical to enable
continuous reskilling rather than downsizing...Keith
> K.C. Burgess Yakemovic kcby@mindspring.com
> Group Performance Systems phone/fax 404-395-0282
> 4776 Village North Court, > Atlanta GA 30338 USA
-- Keith Cowan Phone: (416)565-6253 FAX: (905)858-7131
Toronto Internet: cowan@pci.on.ca Compuserve: 72212,51

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