Mobile phone infrastructure costs less to deploy than landlines. It's true that high end handsets are more expensive, but for many people they are also replacing a camera, PDA, MP3 player, USB stick, and Gameboy. It's also true that we have been employing about the same number of people for a long time, but much of this is simply people reducing their labor rate until people will employ them again.
I like many people on HN are at the extreme edge of the bell curve and can easily find work. My point is simply that the need for a highly skilled workforce seems to be shrinking. Starbucks could probably replace 1/2 their workforce with automation and produce better coffee. They don't do this for several reasons, but mostly because there is such little demand for their workers.
I like many people on HN are at the extreme edge of the bell curve and can easily find work. My point is simply that the need for a highly skilled workforce seems to be shrinking. Starbucks could probably replace 1/2 their workforce with automation and produce better coffee. They don't do this for several reasons, but mostly because there is such little demand for their workers.