Herman by Jim Unger for August 20, 2020

Fine. But can it brown-nose and be a sycophant like I can? I doubt it.

With luck, maybe Mr. Boss can install it.

That is more responsible for job loss in the USA then “exporting” jobs ever was. The USA has the technology and it is cheaper then labor. But how to fight this?

Wilson might just suggest where the boss can insert that chip.

Where has Herman been all week?

“Y’no, boss, the computer isn’t the only ting here with memory. ‘member the Johnson deal? It’d be a shame if Johnson found out the rest a’ the story”

Glad to see that the last four days worth of the missing Herman comics have been dropped into place today.

become a technician, computer geek, solar / wind installer

“And, Wilson? This microchip figures to be far more interesting at company parties, if you know what I’m saying. And will most likely drink considerably less.”

The first rule for survival in the corporate graveyard is to know where the bodies are buried and who buried them!

I’ve known a few people who could be replaced by a paperclip.

Anyone who complains that “automation is costing us jobs” doesn’t understand how it all works.

Let’s just take food as an example and we’ll say that everyone works on a farm to grow it. 500 years ago, it may have taken everyone working 10 hours a day in the field to grow the food needed for a day. Fast-forward to the 21st century and automated tractors, etc (yeah, yeah, I know. “Who makes the tractors if everyone’s working in the fields?” Just work with me a bit on this and quit worrying about such petty details.) Now it may take 1 hour labor to grow enough food for the day. Do we fire 9 people and have the 10th work 10 hours a day just so he can say “hey, look how rich I am. I can afford to stockpile food that I’ll never eat and I can afford to throw away food and I can use food to lay on, make my bath smell nice, insulate my walls, etc, etc, etc. Too bad you guys lost your jobs but at least I have mine.” (rhetorical question. And the answer is “unfortunately, yes, we do.”)

What would be better would be if we gave everyone the chance to work and we’d all have the same standard of living that we had 500 years ago but we’d all have more leisure time available. Instead, we structure it so that one group has all the wealth and another has none. I’m not advocating a communist system here but simply pointing out that labor-saving devices should be either increasing the standard of living for all people (even if not exactly equally) or increasing the leisure time and shortening the work week for all people. Instead some people are in the same or worse situation they were 20 years ago and others have increased their wealth immensely.

I’d like to be replaced by a microchip. Can it handle my Honey Do List?

This reminds me of Allan Sherman’s song, Automation.