What About the Working Class?

“A human person is infinitely precious and must be unconditionally protected.”

–Hans Kung

Throughout history every nation, civilization and colony has depended on the working class for primary labor. Primary sectors such as farming, factory production and civil workers (sewer, roads, electricity etc.) employ millions, and in certain developing countries they employ the majority. This may seem trivial, but the reality is that the working class, employed in primary labor, is under threat from the production of robots and machines. From the very beginning of technology there has been a competition of man vs. machine. From John Henry to Kasparov humans have competed with machines, and while the few hero stories live on, man has often lost.

The unfortunate truth is that robots are simply better than any human at primary labor. They are cheaper over the long run, much more efficient, they don't go on strike, and no labor laws exist (meaning that they can work through the night and on weekends). All logic leads one to replace the inefficient human with a robot. The wheel is already in motion; robots are taking human jobs as we speak. In factories, robots are beginning to do work previously done by humans. Traffic lights have replaced traffic wardens; work done by 100 men in a mine or on a farm can now be done by one machine. The problem is that for every human a machine replaces, one job is lost.

If we can make robots as advanced as certain governments plan to, they will be able to fully maintain the primary labor sector, without human labor. If every primary job is taken, there will be billions around the world unemployed by creations made to better life. Even if humans keep their jobs, the possibility of robots will give more power to the company to lower wages and increase working hours. Do these robots help the common man, the working class, or are they just a way to get the rich richer? With robots the rich CEO and company pay less for labor and a few men get richer while extreme poverty strikes millions. Without robots the working class keep their jobs and the rich lose a little of their fortune. Is it no wonder than, why it is the rich that are so intent on the funding of robot research? Robots may seem like a genius invention bettering our world, but they may simply become the upper class’s personal anti-Robin Hood, taking from the poor and giving to the rich.

That brings me to my conclusion. If employment is poor enough that people resort to working in sweatshops, imagine the impact of even less available jobs. With robots we are taking away from the little that the working class have. Robots might be better, but if all the working class are unemployed, there will be an international crisis concerning unemployment and poverty. There is already a gross imbalance of wealth in the world; with robots we will be simply tipping the scale the wrong way.

The Double-Edged Sword

Gene Doping, a person’s genetic makeup modified so that the body produces more hormones and other natural substances that boost the body…and athletic performance. Gene Doping is set to become a completely undetectable, unstoppable steroid.

Gene Doping was created with innocent, charitable intent; however, there are unintended consequences that could destroy the integrity of international sport. Biotech companies are already developing gene therapies to increase red blood cell production, which raises the amount of oxygen delivered to cells; these treatments are intended to help people with severe anemia. The athletes can, and potentially will, use this to bolster their aerobic capacity. Other gene therapy is in the works for patients with degenerative muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy. Researchers have successfully beefed-up the muscles of mice and baboons with new genes. This therapy can quite obviously be used by athletes to strengthen one specific muscle. These are potential medical breakthroughs in the right way, but the consequences are just as much a breakthrough, in the wrong way. This creates a great moral question? What do we value more, sports or the sick?

Despite some people labeling sports as “useless” and “games”, sports today is a cornerstone in society. It celebrates the greatness of man, and our striving for excellence. If Gene Doping works and is used by athletes, we will not be watching champions. We will be let down, watching mere experiments and lies. We have thieves now, but if we could never find them the world will be in chaos; it is no different in sports, without a way to catch the criminals, it will become a contest of doctors.

Gene Doping does also have benefits, and this creates an already discussed moral question: What is more important to us, sports or the sick? Despite sport’s importance in society, we can have no integrity in the Olympics and still live. The sick can’t. They need the Gene Doping more than we spectators need integrity in professional sports. Their lives are on the line.

Therefore, Gene Doping should be continued for the sake of those who it was created for. What the Anti Doping Agency should, and is currently doing, is desperately try to find a way to detect Gene Doping. Until then, the sports world will be in the hands of our athletes.