If The Future Is Now, Where Are The Robots ?

When I was younger I dreamed of a time when I could roam around the moon in a buggy.
I'm sure I read somewhere (probably in  Look and Learn) that by the year 2010, robots would dominate the workplace, and automation would allow humans greater freedom and 'leisure' time.
Quality time, free from drudgery.
Hurrah, I thought.
The world will be such a great place when I grow up.

So...no flying cars either...

People, they lied.
THEY LIED.
Whoever they are (cue footage from Invasion of the Bodysnatchers).


Or perhaps they didn't lie, but are quietly making it happen, just very slowly...
Of course, the whole idea implies that there is cohesive global structure in place regarding work / life balance.
Which is a palpable nonsense.
Unless we really are the subjects of a New World Order ruling elite, who are probably alien lizards (cue footage from Invasion etc...)
So let's not go there...

Robotic Vacuum of the future (available now)

My point is that whilst we now have industrial mechanisation (certainly widespread in the automotive industry), where are the humans enjoying all those leisure pursuits instead of being engaged in dull, repetitive labour, hmm?
Are they writing blogs like this ?
Or watching endless videos of cats ?
Or logging into social media sites to see what everyone else is doing ?
Or having a life instead of writing blogs like this ?
You get my drift...


SPOILER ALERT: look at the diagram on the next link, or the following paragraph will be meaningless (more so than usual,anyway)...

Apparently the best countries for work / life balance  are Denmark,  Spain and the Netherlands, with Belgium and  Norway as close runners...
Unfortunately, I live in the U.K. which is number 23 on the list : all those other countries (often demonised in our tabloids) are ahead of us... the U.S.A . is even lower at 29 , with  Australia lurking down there, grafting away, and as for Japan :
Have a day off, guys !
Shocking stuff then.
Now don't forget this is a work/ life balance thing, so on the one hand you could say the hard working economies are in better shape than the others, but are they ?
Purely in terms of GDP, it seems to be the case - but then surely a better quality of life is an intangible variable which cannot be measured ?

Who are the OECD anyway ?
By the way, if you clicked that link, you got a scary looking energy statistic.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is based in France, has 2500 employees and has existed since 1961.
I got that from their home page.
They must have poor PA, because who ever heard of them ?
They certainly don't crop up in everyday conversation:
Did you see that awful statistic from the OECD ?
I know, terrible, isn't it.
Shouldn't be allowed
No, but then they are a neutral organisation who only exist to impart advice to businesses and governments based on ...
(Sounds of disgruntlement continue as our everyman stereotypes wander offstage)

My point is that regardless of work / life balance , we are sadly low on the domestic robotic front , unless you happen to own a Roomba™ , in which case, bully for you and all that, but I say where is all the leisure time we were promised ? 

Of Monks And Mindfulness

It's a strange world we inhabit now, where we can be so attuned to our inner selves.
Yet we're also in denial.
Science and the quest for factual evidence leaves many people disenfranchised and quite distant from their roots, both geographically and spiritually.
The other day, a friend posted a Guardian piece about a monk known as the 'happiest man in the world '.
The article talked of no possessions and being mindful and in the 'now' and all that populist stuff.
I read that the monk had created an app to teach meditation.
Despite my inner cynic, I found myself  thinking yes, here is a remedy for 21st Century anxiety and the relentless pace of modern life.
I clicked on the link, and was dismayed to find that the app was only for Apple phones (and ipad, natch ).
So much for global consciousness, I thought, my inner cynic rushing gleefully to the fore.

To me, this embodies the whole dilemma.
Spiritual longing married to material limitations.
Coupled with an over-riding sense that the spiritual is somehow wrong.

I cannot be a part of awakening consciousness as there is no empirical evidence for any such state 
Besides,  I don't subscribe to all things Apple.

Disenfranchised by my own thoughts based on an encounter with an online article.
In other words defeated by Maya, the veil of illusion .

Now, before I get deep and meaningless again, let me say this:

I am not a 'hater'- this is new-speak .

However,
I am cynical
I am bitter
I am twisted.

I put it down to my pragmatic, stoic Scots heritage, mixed with an everlasting horror at the excesses of the human race.
Possibly why I need to learn to meditate...
Because I'm also eternally hopeful.

Like supporters of the Scotland football team.
Or the England team...
...or any team you love who lose regularly but you always have hope.

I'm doing it again.
Losing focus.
'Switchbait' I think is what they call it
Switchbait is what is happening in my brain.
Neurons bored of a train of thought.
Looking for a shiny, new toy.

So yes, meditation would be good to learn.
But then I found myself meditating whilst ironing this morning.
That counts doesn't it ?
Hang on whilst I consult my guru...
Oh, I haven't got one.
It must be me.
Phew, glad that's sorted then.
Except, that makes me a Humanist.
And I hate labels...