Article:		The Blacksmith and the Bookkeeper, Part 1
Subject:		Appropriate Analogies
Date:		2004-09-09 12:39:25
From:		cajo
There is more than one way to interpret that analogy: The era of the blacksmith gave birth to the tool & die machinists. One could say he is the modern day equivalent. While the original profession died, the people with the same skills simply adopted the new technology role. Now let's consider bookkeeping. Until recently is required painstaking data recording, and financial statements required copious pouring over the data. It would seem to me that the computer is rapidly ending the profession of the bookkeeper! Take modern grocery stores for example; people scan their own items, and pay by card. The central computer tracks purchases, collects money, orders new supplies, and may even one day discount products dynamically; to encourage maximum profit as a function of a product's shelf life, and the store's current sales volume. So what new profession does a bookkeeper move in to? It may well be stocking store shelves. That is, until robots make that profession unnecessary. Be like the blacksmith; stay current with the new technologies!