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| Here we are in 2015 and
you know what? Its not quite how I imagined it. We expected Big Brother in 1984; a moonbase in 1999; a highly intelligent homicidal computer in 2001; and even a merman in 1983 (according to Jimi Hendrix but then again he did take a lot of drugs!). By comparison reality seems much less exciting and technically advanced (but at least the Moon is still in orbit - google Space 1999 for more info). However if you look a bit deeper technology is really starting to take off. Computers and Robots may not be about to take over the world but they are coming to increasing prominence. The internet in particular is starting to make serious changes to the way we live. Increasingly 'middle man'type jobs are being threatened. Obvious examples are travel agents, shop workers, insurance brokers, estate agents, printers and most recently taxi controllers (thanks to Uber). Weirdly the internet is forcing us to do more for ourselves. No longer does a travel agent organise your flights and hotel; a broker identify the best insurance policy for you etc. Instead you do it yourself on the internet. There are some advantages to this. You can get better prices because there is no need to pay the middle man. There are environmental improvements with physical products such as books & CDs replaced by digital versions. On the other hand reasonably skilled jobs are being phased out and the replacement jobs are less satisfying. Walking around a huge warehouse fufilling Amazon orders or working in a call centre are not my idea of a career. Worse still are the stories we hear about how these workers are treated. Meanwhile in the manufacturing world robots are taking over from real people. And the jobs a robot can undertake are increasing. I read a story in the Observer a few weeks back about a robot that was designed to fold sheets. Apparently the machine took about 40 minutes to undertake this task (this is slow so I'm told - they've obviously not seen me folding sheets). The article implied this was proof that robots aren't taking over. However this is obviously an early version of the technology. I remember trying to give a meter reading to an automated telephone system back in the 90s. The system couldn't deal with my Yorkshire accent and I resorted to a post card and stamp in the end. Fast forward to now and I have used similar automated systems to do fairly complicated financial transactions and book cinema tickets with no problem. To be honest I doubt there is much that can be done. Technology marches on and from the Luddites onwards we find it very hard to put the genie back in the bottle once its out there. My concern is less with technological advances that are inevitable and often necessary. Its more the firms that are using the technology to create monopolies and make themselves very powerful in the process. The obvious example is Amazon who are singlehandedly attempting to put the entire retail world out of business. But others such as iTunes & Spotify (in conjunction with the aforementioned Amazon) are getting a stranglehold on the popular music world. Replacing the old major record labels with a new set of tin eared types. Am I alone in finding it all quite sinister? These companies are determined to destroy all competition; squeeze their suppliers and work their employees for as low a wage as possible whilst micro managing their every movement. And don't forget the way they avoid tax. The problem these companies are going to find though is that eventually they will start to find that they are destroying their own environment. By putting everybody else out of business; underpaying their employees; and not fulfilling their social obligations they will inevitably torpedo their own customer base. Basically they make their money by selling stuff. If nobody can afford to buy this stuff then how will they make money? Maybe they are hoping that the robots will be advanced enough to become consumers! **
Since my last Windbag I've seen a whole host of great bands particularly Tweedy, King Creosote, Elbow, Slow Club, the Wave Pictures & Seize the Chair. However one band that I won't be seeing any time soon are Ellen & the Escapades. Sadly they've decided to call it a day. Anybody who never saw them as missed a real treat. Beyond their musical talents it was always a pleasure to meet such a centred friendly bunch of people. Hopefully I'll still see them about. Click here for the video to their last single |
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