The Amazon trap and rhetorical props

The Amazon trap

“Amazon has no plans to use the technology it developed for AmazonGo to automate the jobs of cashiers at Whole Foods. No job reductions are planned as a result of the deal.” – Amazon Spokesperson

Reverse engineering Amazon’s statement

And here again is Amazon’s statement, broken into small pieces for our forensics:

“Amazon has no plans to use the technology it developed for Amazon Go to automate the jobs of cashiers at Whole Foods.

No job reductions are planned as a result of the deal. Amazon ‘has no plans’. I had no plans to get root canal either, but these things do happen

“…no plans to use the technology it developed for AmazonGo to automate the jobs of cashiers…”

This is not the generosity of spirit of Amazon. AmazonGo, in its own words is a ” The technology lets people pay with smartphones without seeing a cashier or going to a checkout kiosk…”

But, AmazonGo has met technological hurdles, it can’t handle significant volume.

The fix will happen, and when it does, cashiers get fired

“to automate the jobs of cashiers…”

This is specific that there is ‘no plans‘ to substitute cashiers for a specific technology. Will cashiers be fired and robot’ized when our short term memories are exhausted.

“No job reductions are planned as a result of the deal…”

What job reductions are planned that are not ‘part of the deal’?

It is a popular idea and well-reasoned by the UN-employERS, banks, bankers and other assorted capitalist brands.

Amazon’s statement is a rhetorical prop meant to lessen, if not eliminate, political resistance to automation.

The end?