Nostalgic “competition with machine”

 I have read the book, “Competition with Machine” written by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee. It is a theory on information economy by professors from MIT School of Business, ‘Sloan’. 
 The book warns that computer will continue eroding into human areas. In particular, employment in the middle-skill level will be reduced, with employment divided into two distinct polarities, that is, physical low wage labor and creative high income labor. 
 Computers will also cover driving and translation. White-collar jobs will be taken over by machine, with work humans excelling in relegated to creative occupations such as those in the music, software and sports industry, and occupations which involve physical labour. 

  The first impression will be feelings of nostalgia. There have been discussions on these since 15 years ago. 
  The spread of Internet and PC is being advanced due to this. The general feeling in the United States is to permeate the spread of Internet in order to get rid of unnecessary white-colour and middle-management jobs. In particular, in the East Coast where I resided and where MIT is, such actions have been praised to be valid. 
  This old theme which is currently brought up by professors in business schools can now finally be argued based on empirical data that is available today.
  Professor Erik Brynjolfsson actually launched eBiz Centre in MIT in 2000. At that time, I was based in MIT Media Lab and I persuaded a company called CSK and participated as a sponsor in the founding of the centre. 
  The period before the collapse of the Dot Com bubble was the roughest within the American IT field. Ten years past the difficult period, we now possess data to show that IT is indeed a scary thing. 

While this book is issuing a warning, it also makes several citations in reference to the Luddite Movement of 1811, and advocates the economic teaching that new work will be created even if old ones are lost. Both the first stage of the Industrial Revolution=steam engine and second stage=electrical power, gave rise to many jobs. The third stage of the Industrial Revolution=Internet and computer seems to be like that too in the long-term. The book basically adopts an optimistic perspective. The underlying tone is that digital technology will enrich the human race. 

 Rather than viewing the computer and Internet as an Industrial Revolution in terms of 300 years, I personally viewed it as a Cultural Revolution of 1000 years, and that both steam engine and electricity have different layers. However, in terms of the economy in the long-run, I share the same opinion with the author.