Essay/Term paper: People and machines

Essay, term paper, research paper:  College Essays

People and Machines


The problem is not with the machine: it is with the man who allows
himself to become mechanical. People work on machines all day long. Many of
these people have worked on a single machine for some years. The longer the
people have worked on a single machine, the more they become adept in the use of
the machine. When the time comes for a more advanced machine to be installed,
such as a computer, the worker may not be able to cope with the massive change.
The computer is an example of a new machine that has created new jobs while
driving out workers who were either unwilling or unable to deal with the new
technology. Computers have drastically changed many of the jobs on the market.
Twenty years ago you could leave high school and become a car mechanic without
any knowledge of computers, but now you must have a college degree to do any
car work. The workers need to be able to change and adapt to the new
technology they are confronted with. What would have happened if the early
sailors would not have learned how to use a steam engine? Airplane pilots had
to learn how to fly with jet engines instead of propellers. Navigation, engine
control, oil pressure, and various other components of the vehicle rely on the
computer. Workers can become so mechanical in their job process that they
could do it with their eyes closed, and have actually become a machine
themselves. As technology increases at a rapid pace, workers will not be able
to become mechanical machines at a job.