As the world continues to be filled with more and more sophisticated, computerized and automated machines, certain jobs have inevitably begun to fade and disappear. A few days ago, I noticed a huge Blockbuster Video store near my house had closed down. The once prosperous video/DVD rental business filed for bankruptcy due to competition from Netflix, which won over customers through enticing offers such as: “Instantly watch as many movies as you want for only $8 a month!” and “Unlimited TV episodes and movies instantly over the Internet!” The legendary film company, Kodak, is also staggering in the age of digital photos.
Technological development has also drastically reduced the number of cashiers in stores. In American retail chains such as BJ’s, Lowe’s, and Home Depot, you can find more “self check-out” counters than cashiers. Instead of hiring cashiers, business owners prefer to purchase automatic scanners which are much cheaper in the long run. Travel agencies are declining as well. Internet websites such as Expedia and Priceline have already replaced conventional travel agencies with faster, cheaper and much more convenient online service.
Telephone operators, too, are diminishing due to automatic answering and voice recognition systems. But as beneficial as they may be for business owners, the switch is often annoying for customers who find it difficult to connect to a customer service representative on the phone these days. Voice recognition creates a serious problem for foreigners as well. American systems are often unable to understand a customer if he or she has a foreign accent. Often Asians, South Americans and non-English speaking Europeans have trouble. Recently, a British professor complained to me that a voice recognition machine could not understand him despite the fact that he is a native speaker of English, just because of his British accent.
The widespread use of e-mail has slowed business for the post office. The U.S. Postal Service has been drastically downsized and has even abolished the sea mail system. Since people no longer mail letters these days except on special occasions, the post office has conjured up another way to survive: priority and express mail in the States, and special delivery and two-day parcel delivery service in Korea.
In factory assembly lines, robots have replaced human workers. It is well known that automobile assembly lines cannot be operated without robots these days, which are more precise and more effective than men. As ATM machines are everywhere and internet banking common, bank tellers also are fading. In the States, often you can find only two or three bank tellers at the counter, while a long row of cars line up outside for drive-through banking.
In addition to service jobs, there are items that have disappeared due to digitization and hi-speed technology. For example, typewriters have become completely extinct and so have typists. Due to word processors, fountain pens have largely disappeared, except for the few fancy fountain pens manufactured for old-fashioned patrons. Phonebooths, too, are on the verge of extinction due to mobile phones. Even conventional mobile phones are rapidly being replaced by smartphones. Phonographic records and cassette/video tapes are long gone too, due to CDs and DVDs. Even CDs and DVDs will vanish soon, thanks to media devices such as the iPad and iPhone that can store hundreds of movies and songs on a single device.
Small bookstores are going out of business as well, as students buy books via Amazon, the mega internet retailer with discounted prices and speedy delivery service. Meanwhile, paper books are being gradually replaced by e-books. Amazon’s e-book readers, such as the Kindle and Kindle Fire, were some of the top Christmas gifts in the States last year. In addition, credit cards have replaced paper money for the most part. In the future, money may disappear completely. Perhaps we will have barcodes embedded in our bodies that function as credit cards and ID.
People say that as long as we need schools, we need teachers. Even teachers may not be indispensable in the future, as youngsters heavily depend on Wikipedia and Google for learning. Unless they have something more than basic knowledge or information, therefore, teachers may also be doomed to perish.
Despite the electronics age, certain jobs will still persist and even prosper. People humorously say that tax collectors and morticians will survive forever. Doctors and nurses will thrive as well, as we all become sick. And we cannot do without plumbers, electricians and technicians. We need police officers too, as long as there are criminals in our society. In spite of numerous electronic weapons, we still need soldiers as well. However, it would be good if soldiers could be replaced by machines, so that we would not have human casualties at war, but just debris of broken machines.
The age of electronic goods has brought about radical change upon our occupations and professions. Under the circumstances, wisely choosing one’s profession has become quite a challenge. Whatever job you choose, you must work hard to be successful and outstanding. Then you can survive, and perhaps even prosper, despite the changing demands of the ages.
By Kim Seong-kon
Kim Seong-kon, a professor of English at Seoul National University, is editor of the literary quarterly “21st Century Literature.” ― Ed.
