Driverless vehicles, unmanned restaurants, unmanned supermarkets...... In recent years, these "unmanned" novelties have swept in, which is eye-opening and at the same time, it also raises a worrying question: is the development of science and technology serving mankind, or is it depriving human beings of living space? In the face of the surging "unmanned wave", how should we respond?
Friend, do you have such a feeling: from the door of the house to the company, all the way is a driverless car shuttle back and forth; When you go to a restaurant to eat, you will no longer be greeted by a smiling waiter, but a cold ordering machine; Even to buy daily necessities, you have to "battle" with the self-service cash register...... This is the "unmanned society" we are facing.
At first glance, this seems to be an inevitable consequence of technological progress. Machines replace labor, higher efficiency, lower cost, isn't this the perfect solution that enterprises dream of? The capital predators are happy to see this, and the government departments have also frequently praised it, as if this is the secret of economic take-off and the only way for the development of the times.
Behind these high-sounding reasons, however, are the wails of countless ordinary laborers. Before the delivery boys could catch their breath from the brutal competition, they found themselves under the threat of unemployment; The brothers and masters finally survived the cold winter of online car-hailing, but they had to compete with unmanned driving; Even waiters, who have long been considered "irreplaceable by machines", have begun to feel the "malice" from technology. In the face of the surging "unmanned wave", the laborers were like frightened birds, panicking.
If you think about it, this concern is not unfounded. With the development of artificial intelligence, big data and other technologies, more and more jobs are being or will be replaced by machines. The service industry, once seen as a reservoir of employment, is now "unmanned". According to a study, nearly 400 million jobs in China are at risk of being replaced by automation over the next 20 years, accounting for more than 50% of all existing jobs. At such a juncture, who will support the livelihood of the workers?
Some might argue that the emergence of new technologies will inevitably be accompanied by the disappearance of old jobs and the creation of new ones, and that workers need not be alarmist. It is true that historical experience shows that every round of technological revolution has brought about a restructuring of employment, but the transition from coachman to automobile worker did not happen overnight. What's more, in the face of a wave of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, the road to reemployment for low-skilled workers will only become more bumpy.
In fact, the advent of the unmanned era reflects a deeper social contradiction - the game between capital and labor. It is the norm for capital to chase profits and for workers to survive. However, when capital continues to seize the living space of workers with the help of advanced technology, "war" becomes silent but ubiquitous. Takeaway platforms replace manual dispatch with intelligent scheduling, restaurant owners replace waiters with robots, and every attack of capital means every fall in the livelihood of workers.
How to break the game? Subsidies alone are obviously not a good solution. We need to embrace technological progress, but we need to put people first. While promoting the development of science and technology, we should pay more attention to the rights and interests of ordinary workers, increase re-employment training, improve the social security system, and promote inclusive growth. Only in this way can the fruits of scientific and technological development benefit everyone, instead of becoming a tool for accumulating wealth in the hands of capitalists.
Of course, for individuals, learning to live in harmony with technology is also a compulsory course. Rather than resisting, it may be wiser to take the initiative to learn new skills and enhance one's self-worth. In the rapidly changing era, instead of complaining, it is better to take precautions and practice a skill to be invincible.
The footsteps of the unmanned era have been advanced, but no one is not the same as no intention. In the face of unprecedented challenges, we need not only the government's efforts, the good deeds of enterprises, but also everyone's awakening. Perhaps, under the consensus of everyone for me and for everyone, we can create a more inclusive and warmer future. After all, no matter how advanced technology is, it cannot replace the temperature of human nature. Those simplest and most sincere emotions will always be the most precious wealth of this era.
So in the end, I would like to ask: under the impact of the "unmanned wave", do we choose to sit still, or take the initiative to seek change and embrace the future? Does the future belong to science and technology, or does it belong to everyone who struggles? What do you think about this?