The fear of automation and machinery is nothing new. The first fire engine in one of the US eastern cities was destroyed by the fire brigade because they didn't want their jobs replaced by a machine.

Similar thing happened in many factories during the industrial revolution.

I think it’s both. The headlines just pick the dystopian narrative instead of the optimistic one.

We should be charging a fee for the use of the sidewalks. At least the local municipality will get something back.

When your job lacks any skill/education then be scared.

> It’s amazing we live in a world where automation is a threat to livelihoods rather than an instrument to allow people to pursue more important callings.

Retraining isn't an option for many people today due to the cost of a secondary education and absolute need to find replacement work ASAP to keep the wolves at bay. Job losses in this sector will hit the poor hard, and not many of them have the credit to borrow enough to go back to school full time and cover living expenses.

Everyone has to work for food and shelter. If you try and build a society where only some people work for their food and shelter, but they have to also pay for someone else's food and shelter, that will breed resentment.

I also don't hold out much hope that if we remove all the bottom end jobs it will free people up to "persue more important callings". Your local DoorDash driver is probably never going to be an airline pilot or a computer programmer. And even if they wanted to and had the ability, there won't be enough positions open anyway.