BFTP: What human ability makes you irreplaceable?

The question each of us has to ask is simple (but difficult): What can I become quite good at that's really difficult for a computer to do one day soon? How can I become so resilient, so human and such a linchpin that shifts in technology won't be able to catch up? It was always important, but now it's urgent. - 23 things artificially intelligent computers can do better/faster/cheaper than you can Seth Godin

Robots are people too! Or at least they will be someday. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Robots

There are a number of workers I just don’t see much of anymore…

• I don’t see parking lot attendants when entering or leaving the airport anymore. My credit card talks to a machine on the way in and again on the way out.
• I don’t talk to check-in people at the airline counters anymore. My credit card talks to a terminal that prints out my boarding pass. That is if I’ve not already checked in online and printed my pass at home.
• I am seeing fewer bank tellers and grocery clerks. My cash card talks to the ATM and to the cash register at the supermarket after I have scanned my own groceries.
• I don’t hear the voice of a human telephone operator, tech support, or reservation clerks until I’ve waded through a half dozen phone menus.
• My children think I am telling tall tales when I tell them that I once had “people” who pumped my gas, washed my car windows, filled my tires and sometimes gave me a free tumbler as a gift when I went to a service station. Gone Missing, LMC, May/June 2010

Automating a subset of a position’s tasks doesn’t make the other ones unnecessary — in fact, it makes them more important. David Autor Will automation take away all our jobs?

What do I do that a robot cannot? We should all have been asking ourselves that question for at least the past 10 years.

Below is a chart labeled with the sexy title “Trends in Tasks Done by the U.S. Workforce 1969-1998 (1969=0)” that appeared way, way back in 2004. ⁽Levy. Frank and Richard J. Murnane. “Education and the Changing Job Market” Educational Leadership, October 2004.)

We've known the need for humans in the workforce has been evolving for some time. As this chart indicates, eventually the remaining jobs will be those that require a high level of complex communication and expert thinking. And, I would add, creativity.

Personally, I am happy to have a robot fix my teeth or book a flight for me. There is a reason we have the term "human error" and I know from personal experience that my robot built car of today is a heck of a lot more reliable and long-lasting than my human built car of the 1970s.

It's only when I have a problem with my teeth that standard procedures won't fix that I would like the human dentist to intervene. And while a computer can get me on a plane from point A to point B efficiently, I'd just as soon a human travel agent would recommend a nice hotel at my destination.

I had a too-often occurring conversation a few years ago with my home Internet provider. An email revealed that my CenturyLink bill somehow went from the normal $33 a month to $67 a month in April. Hmmmm, worth a call. I punch in the 1-800 and find that automation, of course, gives me lots of choices, identifies me, and gives me simple information like my account balance. All "routine cognitive work."

Finally, I found the right number to push and a human (I think) gets on the line. "Jim" was jovial and chatty and told me that my special introductory rate had expired which was why my bill doubled. So, old friend, how do I get this rate extended? Oh, sir, I do not have the tools to do that, Jim from Boise lamented. Then I will cancel my service agreement since I know I have other, lower cost providers available. "Let me transfer you to the agent who handles cancellations. And have a nice day."

I was quickly connected to Randy, who while not quite so chummy, quickly realized that I was serious about canceling my plan and quickly found the correct "tool" to continue my plan for another two years with only a five dollar a month increase in cost. Randy works in the realm of expert thinking. While he, I am sure, has guidelines to follow, he intuits and finds the solution to the problem of losing a customer.

You have entered the realm of expert thinking and complex communications as soon as you utter the words, "May I talk to your supervisor, please."

I suspect artificial intelligence will increasingly have the ability to make judgement calls. Solve problems. Figure stuff out. Robots will eventually trouble-shoot and repair or re-engineer robots. We may find our only value in life is to be amusing to our computer overlords.

If your job requires you act or respond in a single correct way based on pre-defined criteria, start thinking about finding another line of work.

Oh, and if your kid's tests call for a single right answer, start looking for another school.

Image source

Original post 4/7/17

BFTP: Directing our anger

I once followed a fellow through security at the Minneapolis airport. He looked to be in his mid-50s, but seems to have never flown before. Despite being in the TSA-Pre approved line, he struggled removing his wallet, phone, and keys from his pants pockets. He had trouble putting his bag on the belt. He was admonished for reaching into the scanner before his bag was completely through. The process that takes experienced air travelers about 30 seconds seemed to take him five minutes. And I was forced to wait.

I may have some virtues, but patience is not one of them. My thoughts toward the gentlemen ahead of me were not kind. But then my anger changed direction and I started asking myself why I could not be automatically compassionate instead of peeved and frustrated. There are plenty of things I would do in ways that would drive others insane. Yet I would expect understanding.

The philosophers tell us that about the only thing in the world we can control is our reaction to things we cannot control. Political news is a great test of one's ability to do this. If nothing else, this election has given me a lot of practice working very diligently to see if I can understand the POV of those who wish to cut health care, funding for the environment, and the provision of food those who are in need, yet spend millions to provide a billionaire and his family security for weekend trips and his family overseas business trips. It's tough.

Patience, empathy, the drive for self-improvement - are all critical for both the well-being of others and for our own. But perhaps if we are aware of the importance of those assets, there may be hope for us yet.

Left lane drivers are the next target of my conscious compassion efforts.

Original post 3/21/17

I am a single issue voter

 

Thanks to Dave Warlick for sharing this graphic on Facebook

Trump came into office promising to rid the nation of what he called unnecessary and burdensome rules on the fossil fuel industry and others. Environmental regulation trackers like those run by Harvard and Columbia law schools find that he’s made good on that promise, so far dismantling or in the process of dismantling 100 major climate and environmental policies.

The Trump administration has weakened efforts to reduce climate-changing carbon emissions from power plants, rolled back mileage standards on cars and trucks, reduced Clean Water Act protections, and shrunk the size of two national monuments by millions of acres. Amy Grant, Tracking Trumps 100 Environmental Rollbacks Allegheny Front, June 18, 2020

The first two years of the Trump administration had a 70% decrease in criminal prosecutions under the Clean Water Act and a decrease of more than 50% under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Crimes Project at the University of Michigan law school found. Minneapolis Star-Tribune, October 14, 2020.

I hope all people vote this year. And not just vote, but vote out of informed passion for a belief, an injustice, a cause, a hope, or an issue.

There are plenty of issues, of course, to be passionate about: racial and gender equity, gun control, abortion, health of the economy, police reform, health insurance, Social Security funding, education, and the list goes on...

One can also vote on personalities: Is the candidate a "uniter" or a "divider"? Is the candidate moral? Whose best interest does the candidate represent? What is the candidate's "vision" for the future? Who is the best looking or has the best hairstyle? Who can speak in complete sentences?

While I recognize that there are plenty of issues around which to have informed opinions (and I have an opinion on just about everything), this year a single issue was the deciding factor in my choice of what little circles to blacken on my mail-in ballot.

I voted for the individuals who believe as I do in the importance of protecting the environment. 

I have always called politics values in action. I value this planet and its ability to sustain quality human life. I believe humans can and do have an impact on climate change. I believe we have a responsibility to at times make choices that are not in the immediate best interest of our financial investments, but will have a long-term impact on how well we and our children live.

The natural world is of special interest to me. Are we protecting our wilderness areas, our wetlands, our lakes, our oceans, and our rivers? Will there be forests and prairies through which our grandchildren and their grandchildren can hike? Will a kid with a fishing pole be able to catch an edible walleye or swim in a lake's cool waters? Will she be able to identify the constellations and see the Northern Lights? Will my children's children's children be able to put on scuba gear and see the brilliant corals and parrot fish of healthy reefs as I have been able to do?

There is a practical side to environmental action as well. Much strife with refugees has been a resutlt of migrations forced by one arable lands no longer being able to support the native population. Rising oceans and hotter atmospheres have caused great damage to human habitation. And on the flip side, the manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of sustainable, less polluting engergy sources have sky-rocketed, providing jobs and economic stimulus.

That's my issue and my rationale for it. Be sure you can state yours as well when you vote.