As robotics and machines get more and more sophisticated and more and more prevalent, those that labor with their hands and less with their sentient mind, find that their means of employment is in serious danger of being replaced or reduced significantly. The race for ever more progress is in general a good thing, but as they say, too much of a good thing may have unforeseen consequences which are not good.
Human beings are social beings, that congregate into communities by default or by design, in which, a significant part of that commonality is the interaction of that group with one another. A vibrant community consists of a give and take with other community members, so that there is something of intangible benefit from, for example, purchasing arts and crafts that are locally made, or food items that have been provided by a local farmer's market, which has little to do with "monetary savings" if there are any, but in recognition that we have an obligation to serve our neighbors by demonstrating such in an exchange of goods or experiences, which through this exchange, helps to be strengthen our ties with one another.
So too, there is always a value to accomplishing things that necessitate "sweat labor" in which your mind and body work together to produce something of merit, irrespective of whether that good could be or is mass-produced somewhere else. The reason that the hand labor and the mindfulness aspect is so important is because first and foremost, we are fellow human beings, that have an implicit need to connect with one another, which can be willfully done by creating something of merit or worth that is of value to others, which is often unique in its own aspect, and not an exact duplicate repeated again and again, ad nauseum.
Further to the point, mankind has an implicit need to work, and not simply exist in a world of endless idleness or indulgence, for those that have nothing to do and have nothing of material worth, will inevitably find wrong things to do to themselves or others, whereas those that are slothful, will lose their capacity to rise up to the occasion, when driven to circumstances that demand such.
A sweater that is hand-stitched, over a considerable amount of time, is almost always regarded by the recipient of such, superior to a machine made sweater, not because the hand-made sweater is perfectly sewn, but because it is not, as well as the fact that it was made with thoughtfulness as a specific gift or with the intention to be sold to someone that would be genuinely appreciative of a hand-made item.
It is often considered that the very best gifts in life are not the most expensive but the ones that have the most thoughtfulness and personal consideration within them, which is why a Hallmark card, as good as they can be, seldom is able to match up to a handmade card, because one has sentiment whereas the other is sentiment personified.
A man's life needs purpose and part of that purpose is performing thoughtful acts that make for a better neighborhood, best expressed through our hands, our heart, and our mind.