Really, if we can master it along with the energy issues (mastering cheap renewable energy), we would be in great shape as a country.

IMO the automation "crises" is much, much, much more dangerous for places like China or India where they still rely on ton of very cheap labor to win at manufacturing. More automation eliminates that advantage and leaves them with a TON more mouths to feed and find work for.

It will take some concerted effort/thought by citizens, industry, education and government to look at this as an incredibly opportunity for people to prosper instead of get pushed aside.

But people would rather point fingers - at evil businesses, lazy unions, political factions - and would rather focus on the oh so critical issue like whether some celebrity somewhere grabbed someone on the butt or said something that might be construed as being critical of another race.

We need leaders to set forth a big vision, name the challenges and call people / businesses, etc to action - instead we have people tweeting stupid videos.