I dont think TechCrunch is right on this one. Automation is not putting people out of work. The failure of future reward for a lifetime of effort is turning careerism on its head regardless of your career field.

Ive been a software engineer for 15 years, I have chosen to not work for almost 2 years.

I could get a job tomorrow, but I would quit in a couple months because the working conditions in software shops is pretty bad and the economic reward that looks good on paper doesn't really translate into anything I need or want.

And its not that I cant get a GOOD job. The working conditions at big company X, Y, Z are frankly terrible. Ive been there.

I may not represent the average unemployed person (and no I dont collect unemployment) but I can see where people are coming from, and I empathize.

Economic motivation will always trump automation.