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dkf

(37,305 posts)

19. Labor is also being replaced by technology, which is how it has always been.

Reply to kentuck (Reply #11)

Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:42 PM

Jul 2012

I was just watching a special on Amazon's warehouse process, where robots retrieve items and glide on tracks that are programmed for efficient flows. The robots go on their path and barely miss each other but never crash. Moreover they are amazingly accurate in their retrieval of products.

Soon they won't need to go to China. They will have robots that can operate more efficiently 24/7.

I have no idea how things need to be reordered but we are fooling ourselves that compelling businesses to move these jobs back is a long term solution.

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The way the economy works at its most basic level... [View all] kentuck Jul 2012 OP

but where does the profit come from? if the 'entrepreneur' 'invests' $1000 in production, & HiPointDem Jul 2012 #1

The profit is in the pricing of the product. kentuck Jul 2012 #3

you don't get my point. in a closed loop system like our hypothetical small town, profit is not HiPointDem Jul 2012 #8

Yes, in a "closed loop" if there is a fixed amount of money in the town, hughee99 Jul 2012 #24

There is no profit margin. There is no profit unless you kill off the other people one by one. HiPointDem Jul 2012 #25

There could be a temporary margin, depending on the amount of money in the loop. hughee99 Jul 2012 #26

"The only way to operate a SUSTAINING business in this scenario is to operate at no profit" HiPointDem Jul 2012 #27

If you move inventory to keep the business running you don't need profit. geckosfeet Jul 2012 #4

Many businesses today do not operate with large inventories... kentuck Jul 2012 #6

you don't understand what i'm saying. if the only consumers of the products are the entrepreneur HiPointDem Jul 2012 #7

But... kentuck Jul 2012 #9

two things belcffub Jul 2012 #12

the earth isn't basically a closed loop? HiPointDem Jul 2012 #14

But a thousand new customers ... kentuck Jul 2012 #15

a thousand new customers from where? in a closed loop small town you just have normal HiPointDem Jul 2012 #16

It's a very interesting concept... kentuck Jul 2012 #17

imo the global economy has always been a closed loop. that's how the rich get richer -- by HiPointDem Jul 2012 #18

it assumes a closed loop with no black box "outside". you can make the example more complicated HiPointDem Jul 2012 #13

Well said, and sadly modern capitalism wants customers with no jobs RKP5637 Jul 2012 #2

It's a historical method of theft. A bubble builds up, people feel like they're doing well -- then HiPointDem Jul 2012 #28

And the Lemmings worship the system falling for all of the political RKP5637 Jul 2012 #30

Working at CPA firms I've worked on the books and taxes of many small business owners. upaloopa Jul 2012 #5

Most consumer goods are produced overseas; the small business doesn't need workers to produce. Romulox Jul 2012 #10

Now we are moving beyond the most basic level... kentuck Jul 2012 #11

Labor is also being replaced by technology, which is how it has always been. dkf Jul 2012 #19

What if we only needed 1 millon people to work? Our economic system has no way to handle this. reformist2 Jul 2012 #20

I agree. kentuck Jul 2012 #21

Or, instead of giving everybody jobs....dare I say it... reformist2 Jul 2012 #22

Because jobs will still need to be done... kentuck Jul 2012 #23

The final goal of technology is likely the automation of almost all vital operations needed to live. Selatius Jul 2012 #29