I guess we're getting a little off topic but what the heck... it's very difficult to forecast how new technology will affect the workforce. In the past, it's been proven that technology creates jobs rather than replacing jobs and operations become more efficient. The world will still need truck drivers and concrete layers but the process will become more efficient. Undoubtedly, many people will have to be retrained and many others will fall through the cracks but generally speaking, advances in technology lead to advances in economies. The part that I find concerning about technological developments is what governments can do when they get their hands on them but I suppose that creates jobs as well.
And I bet you 10 bucks there were Nanobots in each dose of that damn swine flu
And I bet you 10 bucks there were Nanobots in each dose of that damn swine flu

Quote from sumfuka:
I agree to a certain extent. Tech revolution 'should' pull the economy back up. But the unemployed are mostly un-trainable people. Most of the jobs in those sectors requires years of training. And the truck driver that got laid off is going to have a tough time feeding his family while going back to school to learn about nano-robots or whatever.
2.) The problem with this world economy is there is too many people. So a world war is inevitable.
3.) No matter what kind of economic driver you toss in; unless you can control human greed and fear, the same problems would occur again and again until the end of time.
. But lets say sears, walmart, starbucks, mcdonalds, etc.. decide to replace all their cashiers with those automatic checkouts. What would happen to those in-efficient jobs that could feed a family (even if its barely scraping by). All these 100's of thousands of jobs would be replaced by a 1000 or so smart engineer tech supports servicing these machines.