@Yipper took the words right out of my mouth (or keyboard, as the case may be.)
I don't consider myself the arbitrator of who should and shouldn't have a job. I'll happily push the buttons on the elevator myself, without any guilt about all the elevator operators I'm putting out of work. Nor do I worry that I use self-stick envelopes, ending the careers of sealing wax makers. That electric street light in front of my house put wick trimmers right out of work. We could go on listing obsolete jobs all day.
The point is, these "good old days" jobs weren't always so good, nor was society any better because of them. At least, not compared to today. "Saving" cashiers would make no more sense than saving any of those other jobs.
Finally, I've lost jobs before, and also survived a number of rounds of layoffs. Nobody cried for me or my co-workers. Nobody was willing to pay more at the register to save our jobs. I, and everyone else I knew who was fired or laid off, dusted ourselves off and went looking for a new job. That's even easier these days.
I don't consider myself the arbitrator of who should and shouldn't have a job. I'll happily push the buttons on the elevator myself, without any guilt about all the elevator operators I'm putting out of work. Nor do I worry that I use self-stick envelopes, ending the careers of sealing wax makers. That electric street light in front of my house put wick trimmers right out of work. We could go on listing obsolete jobs all day.
The point is, these "good old days" jobs weren't always so good, nor was society any better because of them. At least, not compared to today. "Saving" cashiers would make no more sense than saving any of those other jobs.
Finally, I've lost jobs before, and also survived a number of rounds of layoffs. Nobody cried for me or my co-workers. Nobody was willing to pay more at the register to save our jobs. I, and everyone else I knew who was fired or laid off, dusted ourselves off and went looking for a new job. That's even easier these days.