What To Do About The Long-Term Implications of Automation

Automation is evolution and people simply need to be proactive or reactive and take personal steps to find their place in the economy.

There are no cards to play?? Business makes whatever decisions it needs to make in order to satisfy demand and shareholders...there is nothing you can do about it...

 

So what...we no longer live in 1960...since then people have had 58 years to stay ahead of the curve or react and adjust as necessary. Fact is most all of us sustain our lives in whatever fashion we have created and this vast majority of people are living much better than they did 58 years ago...

 

The fact that average earnings today buy's less than it did 58 years ago refutes your claim. The majority are worse off than 58 years ago.

 

That's a version of their plan for maximizing profit.

Maximizing profit doesn't mean that only the immedicate year is considered. Shareholders aren't going to be happy if the company goes big this year and then goes bust next year.

It appears GM believes they can achieve 9 to 10 percent margins within a decade, and they are giving a rough idea of how they are going to accomplish that.

 

Again...so what...whatever it is that exists today...I'll call it REALITY...is what we have to work with...period! Anyone today who considers themselves worse off than in 1960 have not put forth the effort to achieve their potential. Whatever it is that someone needs today that person must take steps to obtain it...no matter what the cost of living was back in 1960. There is nothing you can ever do to make 2018 exactly like 1960 so why go there? We can find all kinds of data today that is different than 1960, even data people can whine about, but in reality we need to focus on what is and not what was...

 

Why not 11-15% profits? Why not 20%? None of the numbers are 'maximized'. They are merely goals. And none of them can meet their profit goals unless they first efficiently and effectively and strategically manage the company...IMO 'maximizing profits' is a bad phrase to use...

 

Your original claim was that we are better off now than in the 60s in the context of the value of one's labor. Your claim was refuted.

Now you are moving the goal posts in some lame attempt to avoid the fact that your claim was not correct.

Obviously - reality is what reality is. You then go into some gibberish rant (those who are worse off have not in effort) ... which is 1) gibberish and 2) has nothing to do with the fact that "in this reality" the value of a person's labor is not worth as much as it was in the 60's .

Your new claim (a flawed inference) is that it is possible for all people to "realize their potential" and that the reason those who have not achieved some fairy tale potential that you have made up - is because they have not put in the effort.

I can refute this claim as well if you wish.

 

Refute all you wish...you're stuck in the 60's while reality is 2018 and into the future. You seem to think that data from the 60's compared to data today has some meaning...when it does not! I'm 10 pounds heavier today than in the 60's...so what! What can this possibly mean and how can this effect my life? You can never change 2018 into 1960 so why dwell on this? I've not moved any goal posts?? It's been 58 years since 1960...yes things have changed...some good and some not so good...but none of this can change the reality of today! It is a fact that each person makes 100% of their decisions how to manage their lives so logic dictates if someone is not happy with their life, if they feel they have not reached their potential, that person, and only that person needs to take steps to achieve whatever it is they desire. I'm not going to play your blame game since I take 100% responsibility for my life...the good and the bad...all me! Blaming and whining are not something that can be solved...

 

1) I am not stuck in the 60's
2) I did not claim nor infer that data from the 60's has the same meaning.

When you are done with the demonization and straw man fallacy let me know.

 

My position, which will never change, is that each person makes all of their decisions...so if they don't like their place in life then make better decisions. If they cannot make better decisions, then they have reached their potential.

Either prove this is wrong or stop responding to my comments...

 

The catch is that it is usually the case that more people will buy a product if the price is lower.

So for example, there ends up being a curve that shows how much product customers will buy at different price points. The corporation makes higher profit by selecting the right place on the curve.

But, they can also do better by changing the curve. Maybe a product improvement will move the curve. Maybe better support will do that. Maybe better advertising will change the currve. Maybe they can maintain the same curve while making the product more cheaply (by reducing the work force, using cheaper material, etc.) Maybe they can sell large numbers of a product and thus save sales/marketing costs. Maybe they can do better by having a chain of storefronts - like car sales. Maybe they can do better by franchising outlet stores - like McDonalds. Etc. Etc.

Don't kid yourself. The whole management task involves coming up with how to maximize profits. Companies are constantly evaluating their strategies and moving toward strategies that their analysis suggests will show higher profit.

 

1) this was not your original comment
2) I did respond to your comment - even though you moved the goalposts
3) You did not respond to my comments on your comment - other than to repeat your premise
4) Repetition of premise is not an argument for anything.

5) your inferred claim that making better decisions will necessarily change ones place in life is 1) false and 2 beyond simplistic.

 

We have a $350 billion deficit with china alone

China has no intention of buying more from America because their goal is to dominate the world economically and bringing all the manufacturing under chinese control

And globalists in America are all for moving all the factories to china

 

Some of the changes that have taken place have disproportionate impact on different citizens. We CAN and DO make changes that cause things to be harder or easier for a particular portion of our citizenry.

I respect your self determination ethic. But, suggesting that the system within which you work is outside of our control is something I don't agree with.

We decided that the rich and corporations should be given huge tax cuts. That leaves all of us with issues such as higher national debt that we all pay for as well as having less opportunity to invest in infrastructure in ways that create jobs, make commuting easier, making shipping easier, etc., etc.

We decided the collective bargaining gave workers too much power. So, we pretty much ended that, leaviing more workers with buying power that has actually decreased over time due to inflation.

Etc.

 

Demand pretty much determines the price point. Whatever it is the consumer is willing to pay for a certain product determines if a business model can be designed to satisfy the demand. No matter which part of your curves a business chooses to operate, those points must have acceptable demand at prices that allow reasonable and sustained profits.

'Maximizing profits' is not an appropriate phrase. 'Higher profits' is an appropriate goal...

 

So...China sells more to the US than the US sells to China...how is this a problem?

How much of the imports that we buy from China are considered anything other than non-essential?

China does not and cannot control where and what their citizens consume. As China continues to develop their consumers will be consuming from all over the world...including the USA. It is the sole job of the US to figure out how to compete in the global markets. If the US cannot compete for this $350 billion in imports then it's all a moot point...right? What is the US doing to export an additional $350 billion to China? US manufacturers make 100% the decisions where and what to produce. Stupid tariffs is not an answer to trade imbalances.

The REALITY of this issue is that the US cost of living and other factors prevent US manufacturing from competing in some global markets...

 

Since when is something being 'harder' a problem? It is what it is! Whatever it takes to overcome something is what it takes!

In bold above I said the opposite...we make 100% of our decisions how we manage our lives. We are in total control of ourselves.

If you don't like your politician's laws and policy then vote differently.

Like I said, you can never change my position that each of us are 100% responsible for ourselves! Are you going to blame me for your problems? You own your problems 100% and whatever it is you wish to change is 100% up to you...and the same goes for me...

 

Its a problem because solid middle class jobs are lost

Our industrial base is eroded

Wealth is transfered to china that is used to build up their military

 

Why do we have to sell to nigeria if it means American workers become homeless?

Make things and sell them to other Americans if we are are only people with enough money to afford what we make

 

So if the US exports another $350 billion to China is it still a problem?

My point is the $350 billion trade deficit with China is not necessarily the problem that needs to be resolved...how about resolving higher exports...something the US has 100% control over doing?

 

Don't you think after 125 years of US industrial revolution/evolution that if US companies can make and sell into US markets everything that people demand that it would happen? Don't you think US companies have this capability? Of course they do, HOWEVER, they CHOOSE not to compete in areas where they will fail. Why will they fail? The answer to this question will tell you why we have imports...

 

You mean its not a problem that bothers you

China is practicing mercantilism against their number one enemy the US with the goal of total economic, political and military domination

And they are making steady progress

 

Without tariff protection US workers cannot survive

 

You're trying to pretend that business strategy is simple.

If that were the case, it wouldn't be so seriously studied nor so significant a part of the business operations of a larger corporation.

Corporations are NOT stupiid.

 

Wow...you've gone from talking about trade imbalances to 'total economic, political and military domination'??

The trade imbalance with China does not bother me at all...China wins...US consumers win.
There is nothing you can do about China so why go there? But you can put forth whatever effort to increase US exports...so why not go here?