The Vanishing Professions:
Today's Hindu carries an article on the vanishing profession of "Post Man". That is right. One does not get to see the venerable post men anymore these days. I remember my college days at TNAU Coimbatore, in the period 1988 - 92. I used to get at least a couple of letters everyday, from my family and friends. I used to wait eagerly to go through all of them. I used to spend at least half an hour every day drafting replies to those letters.
Now, I think I write even more, but those are typically one liners. On the computer. Mailed and they reach instantly the other party. Somehow, the old charm of letters are lost.
The onward march of technology! How many professions have gone under it!
I remember seeing a number of horse driven carriages in the stretch of Pazhavanthaangal railway station to Madippakkam. I used to come to chennai for my annual holidays to visit my uncle, who used to live in madippakkam - who still lives there. One did not have so many busses. And, for a child, the horse rides from the station to home were absolutely thrilling.
But, now, one does not see those horse driven carriages anymore.
What else will go down under?
1) Teachers : With the technology of the net coming in, with 3G and 4G etc, it becomes possible to learn at one's own pace. There are lessons available, which can be paced at the speed to suit the child's requirements. Also, the pay that the teachers - at any level - get is peanuts. So, slowly, slowly, one may see this most wonderful of the professions, going down under. It will get replaced by instructors - who introduce the computer based lessons and do nothing more than that. And, even they as a breed would vanish over a period of time.
2) Electricity consumption level readers : One sees these people at home. Every month or every other month, they come home, check the meter, write down on that piece of paper where the meter measurements are written and go to the next home. Now, with technology, the meters would start becoming more and more inteligent. One need not 'write down' the meter reading. It would record the month end level reading on a pre defined date and time all by itself.
3) Umpires in cricket : It has all started with the UDRS - Umpire Decision Review System. Even with India opposing it, even with a couple of decisions not going well, I think the technology is here to stay. The only area of dispute is going to be the LBW decision. But, I think we will find a way out of that too. Then, slowly, the umpires will become coat stands for the bolwers, they will become people who ensure the conduct of the match rather than giving out decisions for and against the batsmen.
4) Housewife : I think the terminology will vanish in the next 20 years. With almost all the people wanting to get educated, wanting to work rather than stay home and cook, one may not have housewives any more.
There could be other professions as well which might vanish. Please do let me know, in your opinion, which of the professions which we see today, may not be around in the next decade or two!
Today's Hindu carries an article on the vanishing profession of "Post Man". That is right. One does not get to see the venerable post men anymore these days. I remember my college days at TNAU Coimbatore, in the period 1988 - 92. I used to get at least a couple of letters everyday, from my family and friends. I used to wait eagerly to go through all of them. I used to spend at least half an hour every day drafting replies to those letters.
Now, I think I write even more, but those are typically one liners. On the computer. Mailed and they reach instantly the other party. Somehow, the old charm of letters are lost.
The onward march of technology! How many professions have gone under it!
I remember seeing a number of horse driven carriages in the stretch of Pazhavanthaangal railway station to Madippakkam. I used to come to chennai for my annual holidays to visit my uncle, who used to live in madippakkam - who still lives there. One did not have so many busses. And, for a child, the horse rides from the station to home were absolutely thrilling.
But, now, one does not see those horse driven carriages anymore.
What else will go down under?
1) Teachers : With the technology of the net coming in, with 3G and 4G etc, it becomes possible to learn at one's own pace. There are lessons available, which can be paced at the speed to suit the child's requirements. Also, the pay that the teachers - at any level - get is peanuts. So, slowly, slowly, one may see this most wonderful of the professions, going down under. It will get replaced by instructors - who introduce the computer based lessons and do nothing more than that. And, even they as a breed would vanish over a period of time.
2) Electricity consumption level readers : One sees these people at home. Every month or every other month, they come home, check the meter, write down on that piece of paper where the meter measurements are written and go to the next home. Now, with technology, the meters would start becoming more and more inteligent. One need not 'write down' the meter reading. It would record the month end level reading on a pre defined date and time all by itself.
3) Umpires in cricket : It has all started with the UDRS - Umpire Decision Review System. Even with India opposing it, even with a couple of decisions not going well, I think the technology is here to stay. The only area of dispute is going to be the LBW decision. But, I think we will find a way out of that too. Then, slowly, the umpires will become coat stands for the bolwers, they will become people who ensure the conduct of the match rather than giving out decisions for and against the batsmen.
4) Housewife : I think the terminology will vanish in the next 20 years. With almost all the people wanting to get educated, wanting to work rather than stay home and cook, one may not have housewives any more.
There could be other professions as well which might vanish. Please do let me know, in your opinion, which of the professions which we see today, may not be around in the next decade or two!
1 comments:
Some other examples of professions:
1: Standalone software developers with the onset of cloud computing
2: The Kirana shop owners, in the very long run, after technology makes online transactions a way of life
Technology does not impact professions alone but also the way we think. For example, with information being readily available through the internet, the paradigm of memorizing will slowly be eroded. We will move into a more reasoning based society where rather than knowing the answers readily, it would be about where to find the answers.
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