• AmericaDelendaEst [comrade/them]
    ·
    3 months ago

    ATM: push button, receive money

    Self checkout: you scan, look up, and physically manipulate and bag dozens of items

    You: these are equivalent

    • homhom9000 [she/her]
      ·
      3 months ago

      The task of the ATM used to solely be performed by bank tellars. Looking up accounts, checking balance, taking out the money, depositing checks, etc. It was all automated for self service, which is good as it frees up tellars responsibilities, but necessary labor before.

        • homhom9000 [she/her]
          ·
          3 months ago

          I'm not talking about the use of the ATM by pressing buttons, I'm talking about the functions it serves. The functions that an ATM performs were once functions only a bank tellar did but we're not against ATM because it was automates task for the better. Self checkout requires nothing but scanning a barcode for me (before self checkout, I bagged for myself and paid for myself; things I carried over).

          My point being, ATM have been around long enough that we don't even regard those task as labor anymore, which is okay and will be how self checkout looks. Bank tellars can focus on people who have other questions. Grocery workers can focus on stock, albiet most stores I go to still have checkout lanes open. The grocery owner will underpay and price gouge.