Shadow of the Beautiful World

I think that with the development and progress of science and technology, the traditional production mode will inevitably be replaced by a more advanced system. Unemployment.

On the projection in front of Merlin's eyes, the bald Lex Luthor in a black suit is being interviewed by Eddie Brock, and compared to Tony's casual attitude in the interview, Luthor looks very formal , very serious.

Facing the question raised by Eddie Brock, Luthor did not choose to evade, but replied directly and straightforwardly in his signature rational tone:

My answer is that it is inevitable. No matter when, large-scale unemployment is a problem that is difficult to solve perfectly. This time, the innovation of production technology will definitely have an impact on traditional manufacturing, but it will affect businessmen and For the government, it is also a good opportunity to adjust the industrial structure.”

As for the unemployed, I don't think they need to panic.

The artificial intelligence and intelligent machinery industry is an emerging industry, and its potential is undoubtedly huge. The development of this industry and the improvement of the related industrial chain will also create a lot of jobs. Intelligent robots are not omnipotent. They undertake What is more important is more basic work, which will liberate a lot of manpower, which can be used in places where it is more needed and can create more value.”

Luther spread his hands, and he said:

Like services, blah blah blah.

Luther, you really dare to say anything.

In the office of the Trident Building, Merlin looked at Lex Luthor who was talking in the projection. This interview was almost 10 days ago, and there were several newspapers on Merlin's desk. The headline in the top newspaper is Explosive.

Lex: Cold-Blooded Merchant or Hypocrisy

Look, the Gotham Daily has already begun to criticize Luthor.

Merlin picked up the newspaper, and he said to Icarus:

I think what he said in the interview is not wrong, but obviously not everyone looks at this matter with the same view as I do. Workers who are worried about losing their jobs have begun to protest, and the unions that are about to move have also begun to connect on a large scale. Now, the days ahead for Lex Group and Stark Industries will not be easy.

Things are not as bad as they appear, Merlin.

Icarus projected two graphs in front of Merlin's eyes, and she said:

The manufacturing industry of the Lex Group itself does not have a large proportion, and if Stark Industries' factories can complete the deployment of intelligent industrial robots in a short period of time, then its profits in the next quarter will not be lost, and in the next Every quarter, Tony Stark's wealth will increase greatly. Compared with workers, the advantages of robots' work efficiency and cost are simply subversive.

And when the first batch of people who eat crabs get visible profits, more imitators will join in, especially large manufacturing companies such as General Motors that are dragged down by conservative unions. They are happy to see the trouble disappear. , Of course, the government estimates that it will be a headache, and in the foreseeable future, the unemployment rate in the manufacturing industry will inevitably continue to rise.”

Merlin nodded, he stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the city in the distance.

Victor, who was soaring in the sky, passed over the city, and saw his vision shared with Merlin. On the busiest street in New York, a parade was going on.

The marchers in blue workers' uniforms held up slogans against intelligent robots, and some radical guys painted big x marks on the portraits of Tony and Luthor. They were very angry. They shouted slogans and tried to defend themselves. jobs, not to be taken by the goddamn robots.

There have been calls from anonymous radicals on the Internet.

Icarus said to Merlin:

They are recruiting people, planning to launch a petition against the White House, and some more radical street politicians are calling on workers to go to Africa and smash the smart industrial park of the Onika Group. Several presidential candidates are also very angry these days. They are active, giving speeches in various places, promising people that they will implement a ban on intelligent industrial robots when they come to power, so as to win people's hearts.

what's the function?

Standing by the window, Merlin who looked a little silent suddenly said:

“Does it work for them to do it? Will their boss stop using a machine that will make them more money and save them worry because of protests?”

Luthor is right. This is an unstoppable trend. It is not the present, but it will be the future. It will break through all obstacles in a mighty way, and anyone who stands in front of it will be ruthlessly crushed to death. , this is not the conspiracy of unscrupulous bosses, or even the pain of technology, it is the need of civilization and progress, just like the previous two industrial revolutions.

It's never been affectionate...

Not to mention, these people don't know the meaning behind the promotion of intelligent industrial robots. They don't know that in other corners of the world, there are already millions of free omnics in a chaotic period of confusion. Still active, it will bring more instability, and that's just the beginning...

They don't know that there is already a group of outsiders in this world... A crisis that may affect the entire world is brewing.

Merlin shook his head, he stroked the glass, he sighed:

The World Security Council will also weigh the pros and cons. I would love to tell them what I really want, but I can't. At least this time, no one will support them... A lot of people will lose their jobs, a lot of people will be displaced, a lot of people will Feel the pain.

And all this...

Merlin closed his eyes:

I caused it.

Don't try to take all the blame on yourself, Merlin, this will only increase your psychological burden.

Icarus persuaded:

The situation at the time was out of your control. If Megatron took away the fire source, the situation would only be worse. Those crazy robots may choose to rebuild Cybertron on Earth, which means war, terrible war , more people will die, and you prevent that future.

It doesn't lessen my guilt.

Merlin let out a long breath, and he said:

So, let's do something more meaningful. Is the philanthropic allocation of the Future Technology Foundation in place?

Well, it's already in place, and there are still a steady stream of charity funds being collected.

Icarus projected a statistical table, and she said to Merlin:

The money will be used to improve the lives of unemployed workers, provide them with re-employment training, and job intermediary services. In addition, several raw material processing plants invested in the name of the Onika Group, as well as the production of intelligent equipment The downstream factories in the system are also on the agenda, and they will recruit new workers from the unemployed.

But it's just a drop in the bucket...

I know.

Merlin looked at the charts and said:

But it's better than nothing, Pierce also said he would lobby the government to adopt some tax cuts for the unemployed ... how much money do I have?

are you crazy?

Icarus' tone became weird:

You still need to support a family... Gugu's cat food, Frank's dog food, and the food and clothing of your sisters, the materials you need to study magic, and some maintenance materials I need , these are considerable expenses.”

Keep a little and donate it all.

Merlin waved his hand and said:

I'm a wizard, and I have plenty of ways to make money.

Icarus was silent for a few seconds. On the projection in front of Merlin's eyes, his deposits dropped from a considerable amount to a precarious level.

Frankly speaking, it hurts a little.

Ah, headache.

Merlin rubbed his forehead, he took out his pocket watch to check the time, he said:

I'm going to see Elsa tomorrow, and I have to prepare a gift, um... In order to save money, let's go to my sister's house for dinner today.

Actor!

Icarus made a merciless comment, but Merlin didn't care.

A few hours later, Mei Lin drove the three younger sisters to Queens. Mei had already prepared dinner, and the family sat together, eating and talking.

Oh, the company's situation is not good recently.

Ben, who has gained weight in recent years, picked up the tablecloth and wiped his mouth. He said to Mei with some sadness:

Our boss is going to purchase a batch of Onika's intelligent industrial robots to replace some of the workshop staff, but everyone is very upset. When I got off work today, I heard that some people were planning to strike.

You don't want to be with them.

While wiping the food from the corners of Peter's mouth, May said:

Go to your class well, you are an engineer, even if you are laid off, you won't be able to cut off your head.

It's hard to say.

Ben laughed and placed a piece of meat on the plate of the silent Laura, and said:

Our boss is going crazy thinking about cost control all day long. He might take this opportunity to severely suppress our wages. Anyway, there are already robots, so it doesn't matter if we employees have them or not. .”

Don't be so pessimistic, Ben.

Merlin sipped the soup with a spoon and said:

Robots are not omnipotent. The intelligent industrial robots produced by Aonica Group this time can only do some basic industrial processing, and they still require the cooperation of skilled workers.

Speaking of which, if you don't enjoy your stay there, maybe I can find some friends and offer you a new job.

Merlin said to his brother-in-law:

Onika Group is currently recruiting experienced engineers to perform routine maintenance and repairs on their intelligent industrial robots. I heard that the salary is pretty good.

Merlin!

Mei looked at her younger brother nervously. She knew her brother's true identity. What happened to Richard and Mary made May not like the secret agency. She was worried that her younger brother would pull her husband into that system.

Don't worry, the Onika Group has nothing to do with us.

Merlin patted his sister's hand, indicating that she could rest assured, and he looked at Ben again, who was obviously hesitant.

Ben is a very emotional person. The passing of Richard and Mary once caused Ben to collapse. He also has feelings for the place where he has worked for more than ten years. It is still difficult for him to make a decision to resign.

Let me think about it again.

In the end, Ben didn't make up his mind, and the mild-mannered brother-in-law was occasionally indecisive, but he was a genuinely nice guy.

it does not matter.

Merlin smiled at Ben and said:

Call me anytime you need it, Ben, we are all a family, so you don't need to be too polite.

After dinner, Merlin was washing the dishes in the kitchen, and Ben took little Peter and a few children out for a walk to clear up food and do some shopping along the way.

You look in a bad mood, brother.

Mei leaned against the kitchen door, she looked at the silent Merlin who was washing dishes, and she said:

Is something wrong?

No...

Merlin instinctively denied it, but he thought again that the people around him were the people he trusted the most, so after a while, he sighed, put the washed dishes aside, and said:

Well, there are things, things that I can't tell you, sister... I've made decisions in the past that I don't know are right or wrong, and now, that decision has had consequences, it's going to have consequences, okay Good and bad, one after another.

Merlin turned, and he said to May:

It even has the potential to change the world, forever.

If someone else had said that to me, I'd have thought they were bragging.

Mei smiled, walked to her younger brother, stretched out her hand to caress Mei Lin's face, and said softly:

But if you say it, then I will believe it, because I know that my brother is a great person, and even if I don't know what you did, I know that you certainly didn't do it for a bad purpose.

Why do you trust me so much?

Merlin looked at his sister, a smile appeared on his face, and he said:

Look, I have a lot of secrets, maybe on the other side you don't know, I'm a bad guy who arranges a lot of plots every day?

You will lay out conspiracies, but you are not a bad person.

Mei took a step back, and she said to Merlin seriously:

Although I can't help you, I will always trust you and support you, brother.

Even if I'm a bad guy?

Mei Lin asked with a smile, Mei kept a serious face, and said to her younger brother:

You better not, or I'll be very sad.

Okay, don't think about these bad things, come and help me clean up the room, little Peter is getting more and more mischievous now, and always makes a mess of the room, the child is too active now, so he and a cat Monkeys are always restless.

Mei complained, and then instructed Merlin to clean up every house with a cleaning spell.

For Mei, the biggest gain after knowing that her younger brother can do magic is that she finally doesn't need to clean the room by herself...

Magic, so convenient.

After helping his sister tidy up the room, the children hadn't come back yet. Merlin checked the time and decided to wait. He leaned on the sofa, picked up a magic book, and flipped through a few pages. Merlin suddenly felt When the almost irresistible sleepiness hits...

Why is this dream again...

He said something in a daze, then tilted his head, leaned on the sofa, and fell into a deep sleep.