Technology guilt

I work in technology, well in a job that is predicated on technology. Without technology, the role of online editor wouldn't exist.

I'm sitting in my living room and in the room with me is a PS3, a blu ray player, an iPad, my laptop, my iPhone and a Petcube. In my handbag through the house is a Kindle and my work mobile. 

So, as the above illustrates, I am a fan of gadgets and tech. However, I regularly wrestle with some guilt about the use of technology.

The way I see it is that the more technology we use, the less people are needed. Think about it. We have self serve checkouts in supermarkets, pay in and withdrawal machines at banks, even some GPs' surgeries you sign in for your appointment not by speaking to a receptionist, but via a touch screen. And for every machine used to carry out a transaction in our lives, we need one less person.

I understand, and take advantage of, the benefits the tech brings. Efficiency, the lack of human error, and the convenience to name but a few. But do those pros really weigh up against the con that we are putting people out of work?

Some would argue that it's not a loss of jobs, just a transference. You need less frontline staff, but you need people to create, maintain and upgrade the machines. However, I disagree. You don't switch one for one in that scenario. If you have 10 self serve tills, you only need one person to keep an eye on them, compared to 10 traditional checkouts. If you work for a chain, one or two people could cover servicing the machines of a few stores in their area. There is no like for like.

Cost-cutting is a big deal for businesses but is replacing the workforce with a computer really the answer? 

I never see people having issues with the fact they can go shopping and never speak to an actual person. They walk in, get what they need, self scan and leave. You could do it in headphones without ever taking them off.

And if it is truly about reducing the operating costs for a company, why are those costs not reflected in the price to the consumer?

Whether it's about reducing your bills or about the fact that the number of jobs overall is decreasing, why is more noise not being made about this technological dominance? If it doesn't stop, do we risk making ourselves obsolete?