Lyle Northey (Silent/Boomer)

Since the 1980’s the middle class in America has declined in size because of the special privilege given to the rich to make them richer. This is all based on the “trickle down” theory which we know does not work. Now that we have reached the 2020’s we are being informed of another issue to reduce the middle class even more.
That issue is AI. All of these various industries want to implement AI so that they can cut back on human employment. This means less of a payroll bill, much smaller contributions to health insurance and social security. Maybe it might be possible to get rid of those items all together and we can put more money in our pockets.
Great theory but the question that comes to mind is if no one is working and all this stuff is being produced by robots that do not require breaks or meals or insurance or retirement benefits, who is going to buy the stuff you are producing? When all is automated then the factory will do the work and humans will have little or nothing to do with it and no income either.
Unemployment is very low at present, but should change when AI hits with the impact that is predicted. There are dangerous jobs that make robotic workers very attractive but that technology can not replace everything. The hopes that reductions in human staff may be running around in the brains of some is just not entirely possible. Even AI will require human interface as no man made system is perfect, at least not yet.
We were supposed to be flying to work by the 1960, that did not happen. This technology is like all the rest, it will have problems and that is going to require thinking beings to repair it. The hope of the very rich to get richer will have to depend on the usual lying, cheating, and manipulating that continues to happen in the political and financial arenas by our not so honest political and banking executives.
It is in our people’s best interest to be well informed and very concerned about who gets elected and stays in office. Term limits need to be standard on all aspects so that we do not have the same people making decisions for 30 or 40 years as they age and get cynical or go crazy.
The politics of today will no doubt play the introduction of AI as a plot by a certain group of people. This will bring the directed anger at the given group rather than the greedy business men behind the implementation. Just another way to use hate to mask the pursuit of wealth as the fault of someone with a difference from mainstream society.
Hate crimes have been on the rise since 2015. The campaign for the Presidency became the venue for hate to be spewed like never before. The winning of the election put the fountain of hate clearly in the center of the picture and he gave all the people with problems the green light to exercise their hate. Even though he lost the next election he has still been stirring the pot and the news media and the court system continue to allow it to happen. It is time to muzzle the dog and reestablish civility and the rule of law in this country.