I have graduated from the secondary school 25 years ago. The most popular professions that time were in economic and legal spheres. I was totally bad at math. The formulas in algebra, geometry, and physics were like Japanese symbols for me. The only one thing I could tell about them was calligraphy because I could only copy them. There was nothing I could say of the meaning. So I had no choice but to choose a legal profession.
It was 25 years ago. Nowadays these two oldest professions are hardly at the top. But what will be the next 25 years?
Some researches show that a half of jobs will disappear. According to these researches, in the next 25 years computers and robots will be able to drive, deliver, teach, diagnose, make surgeries and worst of all - solve the legal matters!
Can you imagine this?! They will do the legal work.
Fellow Toastmasters and guests, the robots are coming, the robots are coming! Run and hide!
But wait a moment. Sounds like Judgment Day in The Terminator film. We can't stop the clock. We can't stop the progress. What if it is true?
Not happy. But it is always better to face the reality. Seems I'm not the only one who will be unemployed in 25 years. Of cause I can be a reasonable person who does what other reasonable people do in this situation. It is good reflected in the statement byJerome K. Jerome: "I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours."
But no, thanks for sitting and looking. I prefer to seek and build my new career. In 25 years I will be only before my 70. Young eagle. How much I can do in another field. But in what field can I use my legal experience and knowledge else?
The simplest way is to open a laundry. Why not? I am accustomed to work with dirty laundry. Don't get me wrong. I am not a fetishist. I am a lawyer. I represent my clients in the courts and know how dirty laundry smells. People will get their clothes dirty always. So, this job will be safe from the robots forever. But it's a very messy job. I need a little bit nobler occupation.
I think I'd be good confectioner, a man who cooks marzipans. I understood this after visiting the Marzipan Museum in Hungary. There were amazing handmade marzipan candies and the figures of Michael Jackson, Princess Diana, Superman, and other well-known historical persons and fictional heroes in this museum. Every figure had a label with the accurate description of the figure's name, weight and the numbers of work hours. As a lawyer I would call it a birth certificate. The numbers of work hours reminded my profession because lawyers bill clients for their work hours. For instance, I can bill my client for average writing claim preparation 10 work hours. Give or take 15 minutes.
The figure of Michel Jackson in the Marzipan Museum was so realistic. Its weight was 62 kgs. It was written in the birth certificate "336 workhours". I loved this figure, I loved this number. 336 work hours. This is not a game, my friends. It is not 10 hours for writing claim preparation. If I could convert 336 work hours in one case into legal bill I would be a rich man.
As I said, there was a marzipan figure of Superman in the museum also. A handsome man in a blue shirt and red boots was performed in a proud pose. According to the birth certificate Superman was bearing during 42 hours. As you see Superman was not so labor consuming and expensive as Michael Jackson was. But this result is not bad also. 42 hours. Not in every case I can bill 42 work hours for my work in the district and appeal courts.
I don't know the average fee per hour of a worker in this sector but I like the numbers of work hours. I dream about such numbers. I confess that I didn't like the math in the secondary school. But I felt like Superman then I saw his birth certificates. I don't mention Michal Jackson. Looking at his birth certificate I was going to do even moonwalk as Jackson did.
I love marzipans! I love confectionery! I love math! Thank you, dear researchers, for your happy prediction for the next 25 years.
Probably I need to start to cook marzipan, not only calculate the work hours. But as American writerDon Herold once said, "Work is the greatest thing in the world. So we should always save some of it for tomorrow." I agree. I have 25 years to practice new skills for my future job.