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Wednesday 18 September 2013

It’s a MAD world My Master's!

Even before the invention of the microchip, people were excited by the thought of a future transformed by automation. As this alternated with discussions of what we would do if we heard the "Four Minute Warning" (of a nuclear attack) the former discussion was usually wildly optimistic.

Robots would enable shorter working hours - and working lives. We would all enjoy more leisure and opportunities for further education and travel etc etc. In short we would lead idyllic lives while the robots performed all the unpleasant, dirty, dangerous and boring mundane tasks. Of course this begged many questions but was, at least, hopeful, and distracted attention from the cold war and MAD. Mutually Assured Destruction.

Then in the 1970’s the microchip was invented. And the world WAS transformed. As usual there were many advantages, but some disadvantages, and potential for more in the future as anyone reading science fiction will be aware. The other evening I heard part of a discussion on TV [don't know what or who it was] but one speaker was saying that increased automation had meant - and this was due to increase - that in effect the opposite to our early, utopian expectations had happened. That now the robots i.e. the computers, were taking over the skilled jobs and that humans were left with the unskilled mundane jobs. These are often low-paid and require little training so that we will see more and more people on zero hour contracts, and in temporary and casual employment.

Healthcare was one of the areas where humans would still be required but this would only be the hands-on part of the job. Many other functions and many other Healthcare jobs can, and will, be taken over by computers in the future. Now we will all agree that there have been many benefits from technology and automation in Healthcare. Diagnostic procedures and surgery are now far less invasive and more effective, for example, and we can all think of further examples. The downside is that human qualities can't be delivered by computers. If the remaining healthcare "jobs" are low-grade and untrained then no value will be placed on compassion, experience, empathy and the other non-physical needs of the patient. Wherever and whenever this happens, outcomes are poorer, this has been demonstrated time and time again. We have seen this trend for some years now.

I hear many complaints about the computer demanding the Dr's attention to the extent that he/she scarcely bothers to even glance at the patient during a consultation. In our hospitals it has been necessary to re-train nurses to treat patients with compassion and respect. A generation of nurses were recruited for their technical skills and "people skills” were not thought important. Many of us have experienced care by ‘tick box’ - delivered by disheartened and overburdened NHS staff. Financial constraints and overwhelming demand have driven the one-size-fits-all approach. Medicine is becoming de-humanised.

But why not? A chilling thought, but if computers are more useful than humans - once humans are no longer capable of servicing the computers - then what is their point? Is it worth “fixing them“ ? When machines are no longer of use do we waste time and money on preserving them?

You can see why I no longer read Sci Fi. The outcome will probably fall somewhere between the Utopian view of robots waiting on us hand and foot and of our becoming slaves to the machine. I hope, for the moment the human race still has the upper hand so we must learn to assert ourselves- stand up to the Giants - decide how far we want this to go. If nothing else we can slow the process a little to allow time for reflection and as usually happens, future events may influence matters in ways we can't even imagine.  At least we have to hope so.

See the heading. The playwright wasn't wrong. 

Kath

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kath
I like reading all articles and posts here, but yours can sometimes be that little bit different. I had to do a google search on the title, and I learnt something different today. Thank you.

Kate

Lowcarb team member said...

It's rather frightening a concept !

I remember back in 1991 as a 15 year old child watching a film called 'Terminator 2-Judgement Day' and the main plot consisted of changing the future to avoid mass destruction due to nuclear strike at the hands of an artificial intelligence digital system that was originally installed to run the logistics of the US military but as the system learned-it inevitability became 'self aware' and when the tech guys tried to shut it down the system saw this as a threat and launched an attack on Russia knowing the subsequent counter attack would eliminate the 'Enemy' who wanted to pull the plug...Science fiction? at the time I thought exactly that but over the years as I've seen Nano technology and artificial intelligence develop at an alarming rate then now I admit to being a wee bit concerned.

Let's hope it's a bridge we never have to cross.

Paul

Lowcarb team member said...

Thanks Kate. The others do what they do so well I have to try to find something different.

Hi Paul, Reading or watching Sci Fi is like reading history for me - but in reverse.Historians and Sci Fi writers {the good ones} "flesh out " the dry facts and make them relevant. Make you think of all the implications. Both can be scary. History when you see it repeating itself and Sci Fi when it suggests how the future might be.

Kath

Lowcarb team member said...

Technology can be a wonderful thing, and I can remember back to when our office got it's first computer. There were meetings galore for all staff, courses to go on, new words to learn as we entered this brave new 'techno' world.

My children and now grandchildren, have and are just growing up with it. Not a thought enters their head that it wouldn't be there for them to use.

Has it helped us at all? Well,yes, of course it has. But it can never out do the personal touch of some-one who genuinely wants to help and care, no matter what profession they are in.

My only hope is that these good carers will remain, no matter what future events unfold.

All the best Jan.

Julia said...

Yeah, a lot of people dreamed of what it would be like to have machines doing all the heavy lifting. But it seems like very few dreamed of being the one to build or control the machines.
Machines have really only taken over the mid-level skill jobs. There's still a huge demand for highly skilled workers to keep the machines running properly, ensure they're using the correct input, and interpret the output. The demand is larger than the availability of people to fill these jobs. The problem is that the majority of people lack either the aptitude or interest to do these jobs. So they are left with the low-skill jobs, and making the leap from low- to high-skill is very difficult.

Lowcarb team member said...

Interesting Julia, yes the speaker I heard was talking about the future.

The low level unskilled jobs are probably still, for the most part taken by those with other commitments, which prevent them from working full time.

We don't seem to hear much about skills shortages. We hear a lot about skilled people unable to find jobs.

A friend's son and his girlfriend both with PHd's one in nano physics, the other in nano biology are having trouble finding any suitable jobs despite being prepared to go anywhere in the world.

Kath