📘 Part 3: Physical activities and energy

This episode's vocabulary

Effort (noun) - physical or mental activity needed to achieve something.

To bring something to the table (idiom) - to provide something that will be a benefit.

Simplistic (adj.) - making something complicated seem simple by ignoring important parts of it.

Capable (adj.) - able to do things effectively and skilfully, and to achieve results.

Versatile (adj.) - able to change easily from one activity to another or able to be used for many different purposes.

Readily (adverb) - quickly, immediately, willingly, or without any problem.

Fine motor skills (plural noun) - activities in which you use the small muscles in your hands and wrists to make precise movements.

Pattern (noun) - a particular way in which something is done, is organized, or happens.

Diagnostics (plural noun) - methods or systems for discovering the cause of a problem, illness, etc.

Productive (adj.) - having positive results.

Theoretically (adverb) - in a way that obeys some rules but is not likely.

Repetitive (adj.) - involving doing or saying the same thing several times, especially in a way that is boring.

Questions and Answers

M: Rory, do you think people need more energy nowadays?

R: I mean, can you ever have enough of it? There never seems enough time in the day and the fuel to get everything done that needs doing. Admittedly, though, that might be a sign we all need to slow down and learn to manage our time better, rather than pack more into our lives.

M: What kinds of jobs require more physical energy?

R: Well, I suppose anything to do with manual labour, like construction work. You have to move around a lot in such roles. So it makes sense that you need more energy. Personal trainers and anything connected to exercise would also likely require a great deal of effort just to keep up with multiple sessions with clients too.

M: Should jobs that require physical work be more highly paid?

R: Well, people in those jobs might certainly make that case, but I don't think that's how the job market works. You get paid in relation to how much value you bring to the table, and value is determined by all kinds of factors, not just the physical labour you do. If it was just that, that seems a bit simplistic.

M: Will physical workers receive higher salaries in the future?

R: Well, the rate of inflation is going up, so we will probably all have higher salaries in the future regardless of what we do. However, just because the number goes up does not mean the value goes up.

M: And why not?

R: Because inflation is a reflection of the numbers that go up, so you could be paid more, but if the value of goods also increases, then just having a bigger salary doesn't necessarily mean that the work you do has more value or that you've earned more value for yourself.

M: Could machines replace all human workers in the future?

R: Well, the potential is certainly there as they become ever more capable and versatile. However, there are still lots of jobs that people can do more readily and, actually, with better results. I mean, even something like breaking an egg and cooking effectively is something machines struggle with, since they have, well, just poor fine motor skills compared to humans. So it could happen, but I think that's a long way off yet.

M: And what jobs are going to be replaced by robots?

R: Well, ultimately, it's easy to imagine all of them being replaced as the technology improves and machines become more capable. Actually, I was reading a book recently that talked about jobs requiring a lot of knowledge and pattern recognition, like diagnostics, being easier to replace than those requiring some emotional or physical skill. So it looks like these knowledge-based jobs will be the first to go, though they might not be the last.

M: And what are the benefits of replacing human workers with robots?

R: Well, on the face of it, it seems like they would be cheaper and potentially more productive. A robot theoretically doesn't need to sleep. So I think those are the most obvious ones. However, I have a feeling that the actual situation, once you get them, is a lot more complex than just those benefits, and I think they might not actually have those benefits consistently.

M: And why are so many processes controlled by robots instead of people?

R: Well, it's easier. If we talk about, well, if it's like a repetitive pattern, for example. If you're a human being, even though the pattern is repetitive, you might make mistakes. So even something as simple as screwing lids onto toothpaste tubes, people could make mistakes in that, whereas with machines, that's extremely unlikely, because the parts always slot into same places all the time. So there's one example.

M: Thank you, Rory, for your answers!