General Prepare for shortages and price increases

[vad]

My oldest daughter earlier this year was working 3 jobs to stay above water and even then I was tossing her and $100 here and there to go out and share a meal with friends or buy some video game or whatever. One full time job, two part time jobs, and finishing her associates degree. Renting an apartment in any major city that isnt condemnable is $1200+ easily. Groceries for one person for a full week is roughly $80, give or take. Then you have utilities. Then you add in transportation costs, we have all seen what cars today cost. There is nothing left at the end of the day. She is trying to make a path for herself but its harder than any generation since the depression era to do so.

The kids who graduated HS in the last 4 years and for the foreseeable future will need to net $2500 a month just to live a decent life where an emergency brake job on their car (or a dental/doctor visit) doesnt completely fuck them over for the next 3-6 months.

I dont understand how I read all these threads here about costs rising, a job market in the fuckin shitter, politicians robbing us blind, medical insurance is broken, and then have their minds blown when a union steps in to force a correction. Which is it? Is the world getting worse for our children than we had it or better? Has leadership at all levels failed this country or are your children and mine just all pussies? It makes no sense what gets said from thread to thread.

 

[Hauler]

I get paid near that to sit in a chair and tell people how to build software that almost no one uses and those that do, it does nothing for the greater good of society.

Some of you old timers have grown out of touch with the job market and the overall cost of living in the modern day it seems like.

I would agree that 143k is high. But for the most part, 100k is the new 40k. Its baseline to support a family to make at least 100k, end of story.

That doesn't change the simple fact that if it's cheaper to do it with a robot then that's what will happen.

Life costs don't dictate the value you bring to a market.

And (long term) neither does organizing a strike to put pressure on management. Short term results may feel like a win - but long term results are unemployment because you were replaced by the latest robo-worker.

I don't recommend going there in person because it isn't safe, but do a google street view of Detroit. Then do some historical research on union strikes and wage demands in the 60s/70s.

 

[Hauler]

Is the world getting worse for our children than we had it or better? Has leadership at all levels failed this country

Worse.
And yes. This country hasn't had solid leadership for a long, long time.

I don't discount your complaints or statements. But forcing companies to pay more in wages fixes nothing. Their margin target won't change, so it either causes inflation through higher prices or unemployment because automation is a better (cheaper) option.

 

[vad]

That doesn't change the simple fact that if it's cheaper to do it with a robot then that's what will happen.

Life costs don't dictate the value you bring to a market.

And (long term) neither does organizing a strike to put pressure on management. Short term results may feel like a win - but long term results are unemployment because you were replaced by the latest robo-worker.

I don't recommend going there in person because it isn't safe, but do a google street view of Detroit. Then do some historical research on union strikes and wage demands in the 60s/70s.

Give me one complete breakdown of a single robot that does the work of a human and I will take this seriously. Research and development, material and build cost, maintenance cost, and its projected rate of error and the cost of those errors and the money lost while the robot is down for repair, and then we can talk robots and how they are so much better than a human being. Until then this is just some talking point you heard somewhere, thought it sounded good, and are now sharing it broadly.

Value to the market is still there, its that people arent getting paid for it. Wages are down and have not been keeping up with inflation. Ive been hearing this since I was a kid from my dad, and I am not exactly young anymore. Leadership both in government and in the workforce has been fleecing their underlings with increased vigor for too goddamn long. Just above these posts someone shared this union leader has a yacht. While that might seem like some gotcha moment, it just perfectly illustrates what Ive been saying. The people should be paid for the service they provide in a way that is in line with the broader economic landscape of the current day AND cocksuckers who buy yachts while their employees and constituents go without should be fucking hunted for sport.

 

[kvr28]

I would agree that 143k is high. But for the most part, 100k is the new 40k

I remember sitting with my guidance counselor in 87 looking at different career paths. My goal was to make 25 an hour, 50,000 a year. I thought I would be living high on the hog, I agree times have changed, especially since covid.

 

[Hauler]

Give me one complete breakdown of a single robot that does the work of a human and I will take this seriously. Research and development, material and build cost, maintenance cost, and its projected rate of error and the cost of those errors and the money lost while the robot is down for repair, and then we can talk robots and how they are so much better than a human being. Until then this is just some talking point you heard somewhere, thought it sounded good, and are now sharing it broadly.

Not sure if you are serious.

Machines require zero health care. No 401k match. No WC insurance. They don't call in sick or take vacations. They don't get hurt and they don't get tired. They don't need HR, a breakroom or pizza every other Friday so they feel appreciated.

They require a large upfront monetary commitment that you can depreciate over x amount of time and get a nice tax break.

The automotive industry is already largely automated. Has been for years. What triggered that move was human wages.

I'm not arguing that what you are saying is wrong. Our system is jacked. It's all about companies getting bigger and bigger and always making more and more money. Given the choice between robots and human labor, they don't give a fuck. They'll do whatever gives them the better bottom line. Strikes and minimum wage increases only speed up that conversion.

I was in a restaurant last week and a fucking robot brought me my food order. Not even joking. And that robot probably worked a 16 hour shift that day. And it's fine to do it 7 days a week. 52 weeks a year.

 

[Wild]

View: https://twitter.com/TestDummy04/status/1841145622386057649

 

[Hauler]

View: https://twitter.com/TestDummy04/status/1841145622386057649

LMAO.
I wonder if that dude is fired yet.

 

[Thuglife13]

View: https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1841273316868227265