Sociology
The Impact of Automation on Occupational Prestige Hierarchies
Quick fact
The decline of bank tellers is a striking example: in 1970, being a bank teller carried modest prestige; today, despite being a 'knowledge' job, automated tellers and ATMs have reduced its status and numbers, while tech roles like data scientists have risen in prestige.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a job that was once a symbol of middle-class success—like a bank teller—now seen as a shrinking, low-prestige role. What makes automation quietly rewrite the social status of entire professions?