Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Automation and artificial intelligence promise to take away the bane of some work and make us free for more meaningful work. Do we want that?

Automation frees us from that old work that is just the same old same old. We will have time on our hands and be free for more meaningful work. This is the promise of automation. This is the promise of all that Artificial Intelligence. This is the promise of digital transformation. Really?

Consider each word: free, more, meaningful, and work.

The promise of a future “free” means I am enslaved by something. You are paying me to be your slave. I don’t want to work here if that is your attitude.

More? More more more… all you want is more more more from us. Have we ever satisfied you?

Meaningful. What I am doing now has no meaning? I like ensuring that all is in order. I like ensuring have enough sugar, flour, eggs, and cups to run the bakery. That brings me meaning and satisfaction. I am already meaningful. I am already doing meaningful work.

Work work work. All you talk about is work. I enjoy being here with these folks, and all you want to do is shape things the way you enjoy them. Please. Enough is enough.

Will automation remove the tasks that I don’t like? If so, I like automation. If automation removes the tasks that you don’t want me to do, well, let’s discuss that. Please don’t tell me what I find meaningful. Please don’t tell me that in the future I will do what you want, not what I want. If I am not doing what you want, tell me. Either I will do it or try to move to another job. Thank you.