jobs of the NEAR future...

<p>computers can perform what they're told. robots/machines physically do what the computer thinks.</p>

<p>i'm guessing that computers will eventually take over jobs where one doesn't have to think. so, where does this leave your child? computers can add, subtract, or perform complex formulas in...well, faster than anyone can think. </p>

<p>this being the case, what jobs are left to humans? if you ask me, it's the humanities or arts. they can't create novels, music, art, or even other programs. all they can do is respond to whatever they've been programmed to respond to. all these things require imagination...something a computer lacks.</p>

<p>change is already happening...HR deptartments are already hiring people who are literature, art, or music majors. anyone can program a computer to compute 2+2, but can a programmer program a computer to figure out the different interpretations of "i shot an elephant in my pajamas", can a person program a computer to conceive of e=mc^2. a programmer can program a computer to create random words and, possibly, a computer may eventually randomly generate shakespeare, but would it even realize it or would it continue on as if it was nothing but another sentence?</p>

<p>so what is your kid majoring in?</p>

<p>Become a speech pathologist. There is a huge shortage, and the variety of job options within the field are HUGE. Computers cannot do human service types of jobs like nursing, teaching, social work, any medical field, law. To be honest, computers can't totally replace ANY job...but they can reduce the need for some personnel.</p>

<p>I've had this discussion at some length with my son, the CS major, and my daughter, the theater/lit major. My argument is that you can't outsource live theater and that lots of things are live theater besides the theater itself: big parties like weddings and retirement parties, company events, etc. A popular writer can live anywhere---as witness Arthur C Clarke's long residence in Sri Lanka. My daughter responds that she simply is happiest in the theater and will work there if she can.</p>

<p>My son responds that computers can't even recognize porn yet (there was a long article a few days ago in the WSJ about how Photobucket has to have human checkers to look for porn) and that as computers get more and more complex, better and better computer science will be required, and that he plans to surf THAT wave.</p>

<p>As a parent, I can't help noticing that the most successful people I know LOVE their work, and that I am fortunate to have children who are passionate and present their passions well.</p>

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<p>Holy cow! I do hope my D doesn't come home and tell me this is the job she's taken after college graduation.</p>