Automation: The immorality of it keeps going and going

Re: “Robot pizza,” (TNT business page, 9/16).

Imagine a room of millionaires, corporate CEOs, software designers, engineers and accountants. Can you see them celebrating the newest magic that will eliminate another employee?

They celebrate because they now have no obligation to or for human workers and their needs or expectations. Almost weekly, another news report appears about staff reduction because of automation.

I wonder if any of them understand these three things: 1. just because you can does not mean you should; 2. cutting off your nose

to spite your face; and 3. the meaning of having a personal moral compass.

Do they not foresee the end game? The human worker — excuse me, the human being — they eliminate will not be able to rent, borrow, buy or use their newest magic. So in 30 or 50 years when millions are starving, perhaps the wealthy magic makers living on their private island will ask: Gee, did I help bring the downfall of the United States?

This story was originally published September 20, 2016 at 10:17 AM with the headline "Automation: The immorality of it keeps going and going."