Now they begin to respond to the problem, the NY Post let's us in

[CK_John]

on Amazon Seattle new food store that has no cashiers, just grab it off the shelve and leave.

Post cover:

?quality=90&strip=all&w=780

[LisaM]

1. It won't work if people won't shop there.

I live in Seattle and there's no way I'd shop here.

[CK_John]

3. I think they are testing with Amazon employees until public openning in Jan.

[LisaM]

4. Yes, I know.

I plan to walk over and stare at it with my arms folded.

[Kilgore]

2. Have to admit there are days

When i dont want to deal with lines, chatty checkers, and people in general.

Grab and go would be nice.

[LisaM]

5. But at the expense of others' livelihood?

I have a friend who used to be a music buyer at a large company that folded (national company). He had a terrible time rebounding and finding a full time job. He worked part time as a teacher aide, but he's got three kids, including a very severely autistic son who just turned 18.

About four years ago, he finally landed a full time job at a grocery store and has worked his way up to being a manager. He needs this job and the benefits, because he's got two girls on the verge of college and an autistic son who will be living with them indefinitely. His wife works too, but they need both incomes.

He is absolutely stone-petrified by this story, as he should be. I personally like engaging with cashiers (I used to be one myself at a bookstore, and loved the customer interaction), but even if I didn't, I hope that I would care that many people really need these jobs. He had a hard enough time finding another job after the Great Recession. Trump's economy will probably tank deeper, and if we abandon our fellow citizens who needs jobs at places like groceries and pharmacies (yes, automated pharmacies seem to be on the horizon, too), we are all in deep shit.

[rurallib]

7. I will never go to a self checkout

nor would I ever go to a store without checkers.

Those jobs are too important. I can wait in a line.

[greymattermom]

8. sometimes I go to the self checkout

and on purpose look like I don't know what I'm doing, and require someone to basically do it for me. YEP

[marybourg]

6. Has there ever been an instance of technological

progress being blocked for the sake of retaining jobs which would be make obsolete?

I can't think of one.

I remember going to a union meeting with my father when I was about 6 (in the 1940's) to protest the loss of the jobs of fishermen who fished with poles -the way leisure fishers do today - to the technologically superior long lines reeled out from boats.