The Economics Of Self Service
0
0
You are probably seeing a lot more self service checkouts when you go to the supermarket, airport, banks, and other stores. What are the economics of self service? First up, there are less jobs for human beings in your community because the machines are taking their employment. So, if you care about this fact it is a good idea to take note of this. The next economic question is whether you are saving money because you are now doing the work of what used to be done by a checkout operator paid by the store? There is no guarantee of this and I have seen no dedicated savings based on this in my own experience.
“Whether these new technologies replace jobs, relegate existing positions to non-public facing roles or create new employment opportunities, they will result in us interacting with fewer people than we have historically.”
The Exploitation Of Your Unpaid Labour
Personally, I prefer to use the self service checkout at ALDI, simply because I like to be doing stuff rather than standing their waiting. I am sure there are a bunch of people like me in this regard. However, the trend toward self service checkouts without a clearly defined discount is dishonest business in my view. I wonder when dumb human beings are going to wake up to this scam love affair with technology.
This is an exploitation of unpaid labour, which CFOs at big corporations are enamoured of.
The Economics Of Corporate Concentration
The over concentration of corporate ownership into too few hands, which is occurring around the world right now is accelerating the automation of services. AI is pushed by PR companies as the greatest thing since the commodification of sex. Human beings are leaving the scene enmasse so that bean counters can save money. Installing a machine or a programme is the popular solution to everything. Obviously, jobs are going and some sort of massive readjustment is going to have to happen.
Workers & Consumers Are Being Shafted
The economics of self service is seen as the answer to many previously labour intensive sectors. The economics add up for the shareholders and corporate executive but not for us consumers. In the past, this would matter because consumers used to be king. Now, however, due to the rise of duopolies and oligopolies consumers no longer have buying power. These companies can set the prices because of the lack of competition in the market. Capitalism and the free market economy have been manipulated by these huge companies to the detriment of consumers. The monopolisation of sectors destroys the basis upon which we depend upon for our economies to work for us. Basically, we are being screwed by private enterprise. Putting more and more power into the hands of these businesses is only going to make things worse.
Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of Money Matters: Navigating Credit, Debt & Financial Freedom.
©WordsForWeb
Average Rating