Article Title: As robots take our jobs, we need something else. I know what that is

Article Summary

This article deals with how we humans have turned into machines; how we give work more priority than our lives and the environment and tries to make us realise that voluntary unpaid work is atleast as important than the paid work we do.

The author firstly gives us the example of Amazon, who patented wristbands that monitor hand movement of the workers; which leaves him worried that if such technology is developed it would just reduce humans to robots for companies. Today workers feel that their work is so repetitive, antisocial and alienating that somewhere they have lost their identity.

The author suggests that volunteering is the solution for the problem of identity crisis, meaning and purpose, a sense of autonomy, pride and utility which is lost today in paid work . The author as well volunteered and shared his observation and thinking about NHS ( National Health System). He feels that without volunteering services (support group) the official system would fall apart .Some fascinating research papers suggest that positive interactions with other people promote physical healing , reduce physical pain , and minimise anxiety and stress for patients about to have an operation.

The author suggests that one should replace career advice with volunteering advice as here is little chance of finding jobs that match students’ hopes and personalities and engage their capabilities, there is every chance of connecting them with good opportunities to volunteer and also that we should see volunteering as something we have to do, but which no longer defines us . In the end he concludes that we should keep fighting for better jobs and better working conditions. But the battle against workplace technology is an unequal one. The real economic struggle now is for the redistribution of wealth generated by labour and machines . Until we achieve this, most people will have to take whatever work is on offer but the most important aspect is that we cannot let it own us and change us.

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Words to Learn from this article:

Patent: a government authority or licence conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention

Alienating: make (someone) feel isolated or estranged

Fazes: disturb or disconcert

Outrageous: shockingly bad or excessive