How's the Future of Your Job Looking?

While we are pretty much retired (hubby makes some money playing poker and I make some money doing freelance work but we don's need to work as we have a few sources of retirement income coming in each month), I fear for the occupational future of people, especially those just starting out in their careers.  Consider what the following articles mean for the world of work in the future...

• 65% of Las Vegas jobs could be automated within the next 20 years
• A self-driving semi truck just made its first cross-country trip
• A driver-less future threatens the laws of real estate
• How artificial intelligence will impact jobs
• How automation will affect you

All of this stuff sounds pretty scary!  The idea of a basic income has been floated without much success so far (I mean we can't even get basic universal healthcare so there's that...) but the future of jobs--getting paid for actual work--seems to be in flux right now.  This graph shows the dramatic drop in people working over the past decade and this graph of economic inequality over the past decades--I think people have good cause to be concerned.

I think the best thing everyone can do right now is to become debt free (credit cards, house, student loans, vehicles) and stay that way.  Having multiple sources of income would be another cushion (if one source dries up you will still have other money coming in) as well as continually upgrading your job skills.  Less tangible skills like bartering, growing your own food, and even thrifting/dumpster diving have a place in the uncertain economics of the future.