The introduction of automation in the workplace, particularly among industrial settings, has escalated at an astonishing pace. For the factory worker, it has been both a blessing and a curse. While automation has made many dangerous and tedious tasks obsolete, its implementation has also eliminated some jobs entirely.

One of the earliest examples of industrial automation was introduced with the invention of mechanized weaving machines in the 1700s. The many intricate designs and patterns popular at the time caused weavers to spend many frustrating hours creating and often re-working designs. With the use of mechanical weaving machines, weavers increased their output and saved themselves from many tedious hours of labor. In 1801, Joseph Jacquard took the idea a step further, developing a weaving loom programmed and operated entirely by punched cards, an important concept adapted for use in early digital computers.

One group that protested the loss of their...