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Is the gig economy working?

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Re: Is the gig economy working?

#11

Post by eli_gottlieb »

existencebox wrote: post #10
eli_gottlieb wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Charity from VCs to consumers isn't viable long-term.

Someone with a broader view on the long term success of VC than I have needs to chime in, but although I agree with your earlier statements, you made me think twice about this one. What if it IS a viable long term strategy? VC was always "moonshots", 9 out of 10 fail, 1 goes big. While Uber is having issues, I've been hearing the profitibility issue raised for years now. Other startups, while not doing necessarily un…

That would be, in its own way, even more messed-up for the economy as a whole. It would mean we're steadily replacing democratically-governed public services and market-governed businesses with VC's decisions about where to provide a "service" by throwing good money after bad.

I should be able to catch a ride somewhere without relying on the philanthropy and good-will of some rich dude.

Re: Is the gig economy working?

#12

Post by existencebox »

eli_gottlieb wrote: post #11
existencebox wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone with a broader view on the long term success of VC than I have needs to chime in, but although I agree with your earlier statements, you made me think twice about this one. What if it IS a viable long term strategy? VC was always "moonshots", 9 out of 10 fail, 1 goes big. While Uber is having issues, I've been hearing the profitibility issue raised for years now. Other startups, while not doing necessarily un…

That would be, in its own way, even more messed-up for the economy as a whole. It would mean we're steadily replacing democratically-governed public services and market-governed businesses with VC's decisions about where to provide a "service" by throwing good money after bad. I should be able to catch a ride somewhere without relying on the philanthropy and good-will of some rich dude.

As an observation, your dystopia sounds like the grand vision of many politicians I've heard trumpeting privatization and philanthropy replacing social programs over the years. (However, I would mete the latter part of your AND (market governed) that VC is only a small part of the grander market, and their spending habits are (potentially, although I'd say likely) probably limited to their strata. Normal businesses are by nature not in the business of making these sorts of gambles at a scale to which it starts paying off.)

Re: Is the gig economy working?

#13

Post by Apocryphon »

existencebox wrote: post #10
eli_gottlieb wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Charity from VCs to consumers isn't viable long-term.

Someone with a broader view on the long term success of VC than I have needs to chime in, but although I agree with your earlier statements, you made me think twice about this one. What if it IS a viable long term strategy? VC was always "moonshots", 9 out of 10 fail, 1 goes big. While Uber is having issues, I've been hearing the profitibility issue raised for years now. Other startups, while not doing necessarily un…

Sounds like someone should find a way to disrupt VC.

Re: Is the gig economy working?

#14

Post by asdfjlkasdf88 »

eli_gottlieb wrote: post #11
existencebox wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone with a broader view on the long term success of VC than I have needs to chime in, but although I agree with your earlier statements, you made me think twice about this one. What if it IS a viable long term strategy? VC was always "moonshots", 9 out of 10 fail, 1 goes big. While Uber is having issues, I've been hearing the profitibility issue raised for years now. Other startups, while not doing necessarily un…

That would be, in its own way, even more messed-up for the economy as a whole. It would mean we're steadily replacing democratically-governed public services and market-governed businesses with VC's decisions about where to provide a "service" by throwing good money after bad. I should be able to catch a ride somewhere without relying on the philanthropy and good-will of some rich dude.

> steadily replacing democratically-governed public services

That's exactly what politicians and wealthy are calling for, very plainly and in the open. Not JUST VC's calling the shots, but the wealthy elite in general.

They own all the IP, we focus on making products they think will do best, we vote for their candidates...

Welcome to the real world.

Re: Is the gig economy working?

#15

Post by wyqydsyq »

eli_gottlieb wrote: post #3

Absolutely not. "Working" would require at least something to go well: well-compensated workers, high profits, technical innovation, a diversified market -- something ! Instead we've got 1099 contractors making barely minimum wage, lawsuits instead of self-driving cars, local taxi companies being driven out of business. And to top it all off, the "unicorns" like Uber are not even profitable . It's just VCs spending t…

Why would anyone expect a unicorn focusing on growth to make a profit?

Once investments dry up you'll see Uber start to focus on profitability and reducing waste, until then they're 100% focused on expansion and disruption, which is pretty expensive and doesn't really make revenue.

Re: Is the gig economy working?

#16

Post by eli_gottlieb »

asdfjlkasdf88 wrote: post #14
eli_gottlieb wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would be, in its own way, even more messed-up for the economy as a whole. It would mean we're steadily replacing democratically-governed public services and market-governed businesses with VC's decisions about where to provide a "service" by throwing good money after bad. I should be able to catch a ride somewhere without relying on the philanthropy and good-will of some rich dude.

> steadily replacing democratically-governed public services That's exactly what politicians and wealthy are calling for, very plainly and in the open. Not JUST VC's calling the shots, but the wealthy elite in general. They own all the IP, we focus on making products they think will do best, we vote for their candidates... Welcome to the real world.

I realize. There's a solution I can propose, too. It starts with "s" and ends with "eizing the means of production".
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