Lost Your Job? Blame the Robots, MIT Economist Says

Being a doctor and a nurse can be done by robots? Not yet and it will be a while but until then people will do these. So if you're going to replace the work force then social systems that provide income and food for people displaced by robots and off shoring are only going to increase and the rich who got wealthy from it will have to pay more if this country is going to remain a democracy not a plutocracy.

robots are not the reason for the lose of jobs. It is because of out sourcing the jobs. Letting immigrants in the country and taking the jobs that our Kids would take and the uneducated adults would take. Don't blame tectnology for this blame the govement on letting the companies hire non american citizens!!!!! If all the people were non american citizens working who would pay taxes in this country?????

Let me guess, you are a Native American as in Iroqois, Mohawk, Apache, Blackfoot? Didn't think so. Given that, YOU can only be a descedant of an immigrant. Daddy'O nothing has changed in over 250 years. Besides, immigrants do not TAKE jobs from anyone, most Americans (including Canada and Mexico which is part of North America), refuse to perform those jobs. Too much pride to work in McDonalds? It's a job. In conclusion, neither robots nor immigrants take jobs, we just rather out price ourselves, be unemployed and blame everyone around us for the dilemma. P.S. I'm 2nd generation "Italian American", educated and an electrical engineer. I'm more of threat to robots than they are to me. As for immigrants? We have a constitution equally applicable to everyone. Sorry to have busted your bubble.

Hmm, how come I never see excuses like this when Republicans are running things! Yeah, it was robots that ran up a $1.3 trillion deficit, and scared employers with the prospect of higher taxes, and rising health care costs!

Another idiot academician, from MIT no less......these so-called experts need to get a life, try showing a profit from a lemonade stand, lol, I'd bet you wouldn't last a week! Robots created jobs which cancelled out jobs that were replaced by robots. How about all the other factors which seem more significant?? Such as, outsourcing to foreign lands, illegal immigration, etc, and no less than any other, our politicians encouraging business dealings in foreign lands in the name of "Global Economy", the ruin of manufacturing as well as our agricultural base here in America!! There's TONS of educated derelicts who are settting policy and protocol that is absolutely pointless and WRONG!!

The company I worked for sent me to Fanuc Robotics out in Michigan. There I learned how to teach the robots their movements and operations. I was the only technician sent . The others were engineers! Guess what? The company closed and moved to Mexico anyway. My skills were worth zilch, having been unique to those robots and that particular application. Thus I became a parts picker at a local auto dealership at half the wages I'd been making!

Unless and until we open a virgin frontier ripe with resources and possibilities, America (and the world) will be struggling. Such a frontier exists. It's our solar system. stay tuned.

My company works almost exclusivly with large corporations, and robots have nothing to do with why so many people are getting laid off. The major culprit is simple greed. Using the economy as an excuse, large companys, even though they are still making a profit, are laying off people and requiring those still employed to do the work that used to take 2 or 3 people. The rich of this country are the true culprits, as they are increasing their own fortunes by taking advantage of the defenseless middle class workers who can't buy politicians. The Republicans are getting what they want by protecting the rich, even though there is undeniable evidence that this so called "trickle down economics" is responsible for the biggest problems in this country. If you need somone to blame for the loss of your job, you can thank Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and the new crop of "real robots" such as Sarah Palin and Christine O''Donnell.

The trend for robotics has been going on for many years. If it were the cause of the rise in unemployment, then the first six years of this decade would not have seen the high employment and economic growth that we experienced.

The reason for high unemployment is a matter of basic Keynsian Economics and the actions of the Democrat Party in control of Congress. Most jobs in this country are through small businesses. The Congress under Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid mandated a 41% in the minimum wage over a period of 2 years and one day. This then caused small businesses to close, lay off workers, cut hours, cut back on inventory purchases, and/or stop hiring new employees because they simply could not afford to absorb a 41% increase in costs. Blaming Wall Street, banks, and robotics is nothing but demagoguery to distract people from the truth. We will continue to have high unemployment for several more years until small businesses can save up enough money to be able to afford to pay more employees the higher wages imposed by Congress, barring any other action which reduces the effective cost of hiring new workers. There is no good reason for businesses to borrow money to pay wages they can't afford. Why should anyone go into debt for the benefit of someone else.

this is true:i work for a company that just installed a $60,000.000 machine all geared to get rid of people who are tired of getting ripped off by not getting paid for over time. i would mention their name but dont want to get in trouble.search and see the food industry.thank God the machine has troubles been programmed at least for now.

Just look at every thing Made In China,Mexico,ETC ETC ETC!!
I would love the Presiden grow a pair of balls & finally come out & say the truth.
I workd 4 Advanced Auto Parts & they R only intrested in Profit.
Yhey want both side They want Cheep labor to make all there Parts & on the other hand want us Americans 2 buy threr parts at any cost.
Pretty the bottom line is going to cats more & more Americans there jobs & who is going to buy then.
Wallmart,Advanced Auto Parts, Auto Zone ,Napa,Sears, & every one else needs to Buy American Stuff made here to Resell it cheeper & Quit being so Blanking greedy.
The government has to back American Steel Mills first.
Steel Workers must accept less money even retired Machinest would lend a helping hand if they know it would help our Country.