Agriculture is a process of cultivation the soils, raising livestock, growing cereals, and preparing animal and plant products for enhancing and sustaining humans’ lives. It is one of the most ancient areas of human occupation dating back to the rise of civilization. However, throughout history, agriculture has undergone radical changes. Modern agriculture is innovative, sustainable, safe, and full of new technologies. Technological progress allows farmers to increase amount of producing materials and at the same time minimize a negative influence on the environment. This, of course, is a great stride forward, but it also has negative results. Uncontrolled and fast technological development produces new workplaces, but at the same can easily replace ones. In the modern world, people never know when and how soon their occupation can become outdated. Can it be somehow foreseen? And can people adapt to that?
According to Sunding and Zilberman, all innovations are divided into two groups: the ones embodied in production of goods (tractors, seeds, fertilizers, etc.), and the disembodied ones (Sunding 210). Another one classification of innovations is classification by form, and it includes mechanical, biological, chemical, agronomic, biotechnical, and informational innovations (Sunding 211). Sunding and Zilberman also provide a number of other categorizations by different peculiar to innovations parameters (Sunding 211-212). In other words, innovations, and also innovative technologies, have a wide range of variety, which constantly spreads and refills. Innovations appear and replace themselves so fast that sometimes it is really hard to keep up with them. And the same can be said about their consequences and impact on people and their lives.
I work as a delivery driver for an agricultural supply company. This occupation dates back to the beginning of the nineteenth century and invention of the first automobiles and transport vehicles. It can be said that the profession of a driver appeared namely due to technological development that took place about two centuries ago. However, the technological progress does not stay in one place, and for these two centuries life has been changed significantly, including the area of my occupation. For ages, people of my profession have provided goods delivery to shops and malls and have eased and accelerated access of potential consumers to commodities. Delivery drivers have always been a connecting link between manufacturers, warehouses, and retail stores. But in the modern world, their importance starts to get out of date.
Nowadays, the occupation of a driver, including a delivery one, is threatened with extinction. In the measurable future, it can disappear as useless: driverless trucks are not a myth any more. Daimler AG started to test first autonomous trucks on the highways of the Nevada last May (“Driverless trucks could mean 'game over' for thousands of jobs”). Driverless trucks have already been tested on the German autobahn also; the new truck presented by Mercedes-Benz is operated by “highway pilot” system that works under the rubric of autopilot and includes stereo camera and radar (“Driverless truck is tested on the German autobahn for the first time using radar and cameras to stop it crashing into other motorists”). Computer and GPS system directions operate the whole work of a truck. Such autonomic vehicles have a significant number of advantages over the ones operated by humans. According to studies, about 90% of motor vehicle accidents happen due to human errors, and expulsion of them can reduce caused by these accidents death rates, inconveniences, and financial losses (“Will Technology Make Truck Drivers Obsolete In 10 Years?”). Also, computer operation guarantees higher mobility; computer does not need any rest and can work continuously. Full automation of driving process will allow escaping various unpredictable situations on the roads.
According to predictions, driverless cars will be in common use by 2023-2025; if they come to mass production, the occupation of a driver will become unnecessary. Quoting Ted Scott, who works as a director of engineering of the American Trucking Associations, Christ states, "If I have to spend $150,000 to autonomize a truck, why would I put a driver in it? It doesn't make sense to put a driver we're paying $50,000 to $100,000 in a truck" (“Will Driverless Trucks Take Over the Industry?”). It is hard not to agree with him; even if automation of a truck is an expensive process, in some years it can pay its way. Automation means continuity of traffic, reliability, safety, deficiency in paying wages to drivers, and economy on fuel costs. According to Godsmark, removing the human driver cuts operating costs by almost 40 per cent, and driverless trucks can go more than 20 hours per day, while the ones driven by people are limited to less than 14 hours (“Driverless trucks could mean 'game over' for thousands of jobs”). That is to say, in compare with human operation, the computer one definitely wins; soon there will be no need in human drivers any more.
However, the profession of a driver is not the one encountering difficulties in the face of technological progress. Nowadays, it is hard to foresee how actual one or another job will be in, for example, twenty years. Of course, technological progress often creates new innovational jobs, but the question of correlation between creating and destroying is still not studied well enough. Technological progress and appearing of innovations boost growth and productivity of our society, but at the same time eliminate the need for lots types of jobs that were in demand as early as yesterday. Talking about this problem, Brynjolfsson says,
“It’s the great paradox of our era. Productivity is at record levels, innovation has never been faster, and yet at the same time, we have a falling median income and we have fewer jobs. People are falling behind because technology is advancing so fast and our skills and organizations aren’t keeping up” (“How Technology Is Destroying Jobs”).
Basically, it is impossible to stop speeds and scales of the technological progress; it develops on its own. The only way for people to adapt to such conditions is being ready for possible changes and becoming multifunctional. Even watching the way of the technological progress, we cannot be sure that keeping the path, it suddenly will not turn in completely different direction. People live in the society that changes everyday, and sooner or later can get used to that. In the modern world, the human’s skill of finding a use to his or her abilities in different areas of life becomes essential for achieving success, and even just for simple living. Significant changes always have their presages, obvious or imperceptible, and it is important to snatch a moment and to get ready to them.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that technological progress has become an essential part of the modern society. It develops rapidly and in a big way, regardless of people’s desires. Technological progress influences on different areas of human’s life including his or her occupation, and it is almost impossible to foresee this influence. It is necessary for people to be ready for changes and properly adapt to them. Despite destroying significant amount of jobs, technological innovations also create lots of them, and everybody can find appliance to his or her particular set of skills and abilities in different areas.
Works Cited
Christ, J. “Will Driverless Trucks Take Over the Industry?” Mh&L. EHS Today, 11 Dec 2015. Web. 22 Feb 2016.
Grant, T. “Driverless trucks could mean 'game over' for thousands of jobs.” The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail, 26 Jul 2015. Web. 22 Feb 2016.
Guerrini, F. “Will Technology Make Truck Drivers Obsolete In 10 Years?” Forbes. Forbes, 31 Jan 2015. Web. 22 Feb 2016.
Rotman, D. “How Technology Is Destroying Jobs.” MIT Technology Review. MIT Technology Review, 12 Jun 2013. Web. 22 Feb 2016.
Sunding, D., and Zilberman D. “The Agricultural Innovation Process: Research and Technology Adoption in a Changing Agricultural Sector.” Handbook of Agricultural Economics 1.A (2001): 207-261. PDF version.
Wyke, T. “Driverless truck is tested on the German autobahn for the first time using radar and cameras to stop it crashing into other motorists.” Daily Mail Online. Daily Mail Online, 3 Oct 2015. Web. 22 Feb 2016.
