Pre-intensive task for formative assessment
1. Which of these automation-related changes (e.g. mass unemployment; new digital jobs, AI at workplace (ethical and surveillance concerns); inadequate digital skills, poor working conditions) worry you the most? Why?
After reading the designated literature, it seems beyond doubt that changes will occur in society along with automation, although it will be impossible to predict which one will happen, and is most frightening.
However, the possibility that automation will increase the disparities that are caused by mass unemployment and new digital jobs made me worry the most.
I thought that SST(Howcroft and Taylor, 2022) was a realistic and multi-faceted approach to seeing society after automation. Adopting this and looking at the current world, it is clear that the widening of these disparities is causing unrest. The tendency to widen the gap between rich and poor and between genders and to polarise the left and right is scary. For example, as a result of the worsening living conditions of the socially vulnerable (the economically poor, women, etc.), there would be secondary damages, such as loss of educational opportunities and mental disease. If the citizen’s state is unstable, the state may move in a radical direction, such as introducing a basic income, which may cause a significant backlash from capitalists and others who are forced to share profits, causing strife and confusion.
2. Is a world without work possible?
A future without jobs as a result of automation cannot be envisaged for me. Similarly to the above, imagining the future happening on the ground from the present, for many people, work means more than earning capital currently. Moreover, the future with no jobs needs a system to maintain citizens’ lives, such as basic income, which would cause considerable resistance to introduction. Additionally, I could not find any system, except for UBI, to support our lives after our jobs disappear. Therefore, It seems impossible to imagine a future without jobs.
3. If you were given all the powers in the world, what changes would you like to see in the world of work?
In the Cambridge dictionary, I found the two definitions of “Job”.
- The regular work that a person does to earn money
- Something that is your responsibility
I would like to see a world in which the former meaning is weakened. I want to see a world where the forces that concentrate wealth in the hands of a few capitalists are restrained and where people take responsibility for the betterment of society without being overly concerned about how much capital they can earn.
4. Complete this sentence: The future of work is…
The future of work is an extension of the present, though unpredictable. It is essential to look at what we can do now (not just think about how to deal with the problems in the future, but take action now to create the future) to ensure people’s happiness.
Howcroft, D., & Taylor, P. (2022). Automation and the future of work: A social shaping of technology approach. New Technology, Work and Employment, 38(2), 351–370. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12240
1 replies to “Pre-intensive task for formative assessment”
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There is so much to like about your reflections here. Particularly, the passion you have for addressing the inequalities and disparities that are present in our world of work and that you think people should be working towards the betterment of the society and not just private gains. These points should be the principles that guide your vision for a radical work futures and go into your public facing artefact.
Work is definitely more than money. It brings certain forms of fulfilment and happiness and gives us identity. But the issue is the capitalistic nature of relationships through which we perform various tasks (i.e. wage relations). UBI is one such initiative designed to dismantle the capitalistic wage relations. Perhaps, you could envision some strategies that could also do that? You have to be bold to come with new ideas.
Read Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams’s book is about that. You could also consult some other authors, such as https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/blogs/news/5075-imagining-radical-futures
This is exciting stuff you are thinking and I would want you to pursue this seriously. Well done.