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The sharing economy was always a scam

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Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#131

Post by addicted »

jeffbax wrote: post #12

Articles like this ignore the impact on individuals. For every group that is trying to full time Uber/Lyft or turn an AirBNB into a hotel, there's also tons of people who are doing in the spare time to make some extra or work the better allocation of resources into something beneficial for them. See threads like: https://twitter.com/RantyAmyCurtis/status/110272136190510694... That's what sharing is about, more optima…

All those individuals are doing is picking up jobs without job protections. Further, they are taking on a lot of costs that taxi services would do in the past, that further erode the actual money they are making.

It’s not a sharing economy. It’s a temp economy. And highly underpaid and unprotected temp economy.

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#132

Post by benj111 »

neonate wrote: post #109
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a lot that I agree with in your post and in that thread, but this in particular I take issue with: > One poinI have no idea what orifice @AOC pulled the$3.37 number from, but it’s wrong at best or intentionally deceptive at worst. I never made less than $10/hour and usually made $15-$45 an hour. And this was BEFORE Uber allowed tipping via the app. This woman is clearly not taking her expenses into account wh…

> taking advantage of people's poor ability to do math Are you sure you're not being patronizing there? i.e. underestimating people's ability to choose what works for them? I talk to most Uber/Lyft drivers I ride with, every one of them has said they're happy with it, and most have given specific reasons why.

I don't think its patronising, some (many?) people just aren't good at maths.

I know a couple of intelligent people that have a real blind spot when it comes to dealing with figures. So this isn't a 'stupid people' thing.

Have you never had a conversation with someone about their new car/phone. They say it's cheap because it only costs them X per month. You ask them what the total cost is, and they have no idea? Because I seem to have that kind of conversation with a wide variety of people.

It's not about choosing what works for them, its about making sure that choice is informed. If you're earning $10/hr great, if you spend $5 of that on other costs, you should really be deciding if $5/hr is worth it.

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#133

Post by Y_Y »

antpls wrote: post #84
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a lot that I agree with in your post and in that thread, but this in particular I take issue with: > One poinI have no idea what orifice @AOC pulled the$3.37 number from, but it’s wrong at best or intentionally deceptive at worst. I never made less than $10/hour and usually made $15-$45 an hour. And this was BEFORE Uber allowed tipping via the app. This woman is clearly not taking her expenses into account wh…

Well, if you were better at math, you wouldn't give your free time to post content on HN, would you ? As soon as you talk about future costs, different people have different believes and different bets, because they have different risk profiles Edit : why is my comment flagged?

I think you make a good point, but got flagged for snark. It's not a totally bad thing that people try to enforce politeness here.

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#134

Post by neokantian »

ggm wrote: post #76
neokantian wrote: post #11

If you do not like the sharing economy, then do not participate in it. "Other people should not be doing this, and should not be doing that, ..." is one bridge too far. For heaven's sake, who the hell are you, to tell other people what to do?

For heaven's sake, who the hell are you, to tell other people what to do? I'm a voting tax-payer: thats how government of the people, by the people works. We pay the taxes so that our representatives stop this kind of "shitting in the commons" nonsense. The ubers and airbnb are avoiding paying community costs, avoiding compliance with safety laws, avoiding all kinds of things, while simultaneously exporting the profi…

"Other people must to do this. Other people must do that." Forcing other people is a form of spam, which naturally leads to anti-spam measures. Your form of spam will work until it doesn't anymore. Seriously, I do not care about your voting circus. There will always come a point at which you will have to prove that you are willing to risk your life and die for what you believe in.

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#135

Post by walterstucco »

orangecat wrote: post #41
door5 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who is "us"? Maybe upper middle class consumers, but not the workers at these companies.

Maybe upper middle class consumers, but not the workers at these companies. That is not at all clear: https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/workforce/uber-comp... . It turns out that flexible hours are a large benefit for many people.

You don't need Uber or Airbnb to do what they do and work flexible hours

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#136

Post by walterstucco »

razorbladeknife wrote: post #129

People forget that sharing economy always existed in some form You ask your friend to drop you off at the work or your sister to babysit your son, it's all sharing. I can argue such kind of sharing (without cash) puts other people at disadvantages who don't have friends or family maybe due to some disability. Now even those people can hail a ride on Uber. What's wrong with it? I don't need to maintain a list of frien…

Your vision of social bonding is really sad...

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#137

Post by Pristina »

arcturus17 wrote: post #104
jeffbax wrote: post #12

Articles like this ignore the impact on individuals. For every group that is trying to full time Uber/Lyft or turn an AirBNB into a hotel, there's also tons of people who are doing in the spare time to make some extra or work the better allocation of resources into something beneficial for them. See threads like: https://twitter.com/RantyAmyCurtis/status/110272136190510694... That's what sharing is about, more optima…

What about those of us who do not wish to take in any of this and still pay the consequences? In Madrid rent is up a staggering 17% YoY, mostly due to AirBnB. That affects anyone looking for an apartment and I’m sure if renters were to pick between having AirBnB available for their travels - which is eye-wateringly expensive anyway! - or cheaper rent, they will invariably pick the latter.

You are not entitled to live in a particular city at a particular price.

If a property owner can make 17% more, why should they make 17% less so YOU are more convenieced?

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#138

Post by Pristina »

benj111 wrote: post #132
neonate wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> taking advantage of people's poor ability to do math Are you sure you're not being patronizing there? i.e. underestimating people's ability to choose what works for them? I talk to most Uber/Lyft drivers I ride with, every one of them has said they're happy with it, and most have given specific reasons why.

I don't think its patronising, some (many?) people just aren't good at maths. I know a couple of intelligent people that have a real blind spot when it comes to dealing with figures. So this isn't a 'stupid people' thing. Have you never had a conversation with someone about their new car/phone. They say it's cheap because it only costs them X per month. You ask them what the total cost is, and they have no idea? Beca…

the fool and his money are soon parted.

I have no sympathy for people who cannot use sixth grade maths.

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#139

Post by neonate »

benj111 wrote: post #132
neonate wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> taking advantage of people's poor ability to do math Are you sure you're not being patronizing there? i.e. underestimating people's ability to choose what works for them? I talk to most Uber/Lyft drivers I ride with, every one of them has said they're happy with it, and most have given specific reasons why.

I don't think its patronising, some (many?) people just aren't good at maths. I know a couple of intelligent people that have a real blind spot when it comes to dealing with figures. So this isn't a 'stupid people' thing. Have you never had a conversation with someone about their new car/phone. They say it's cheap because it only costs them X per month. You ask them what the total cost is, and they have no idea? Beca…

Sure, but why assume that Uber and Lyft drivers all fall into that category? That's what seems patronizing to me. They'd have to be dumb to take that gig for very long if it wasn't economic for them, and many of the ones I've talked to have stuck with it for a long time now. To me it seems disrespectful to assume that they don't know their own interests, and it fits with a meme of poorer people being dumber, which I dislike.

Re: The sharing economy was always a scam

#140

Post by Pristina »

smadge wrote: post #61
jeffbax wrote: post #12

Articles like this ignore the impact on individuals. For every group that is trying to full time Uber/Lyft or turn an AirBNB into a hotel, there's also tons of people who are doing in the spare time to make some extra or work the better allocation of resources into something beneficial for them. See threads like: https://twitter.com/RantyAmyCurtis/status/110272136190510694... That's what sharing is about, more optima…

I think that twitter story is an example of the financially precarious position many workers are in. It only supports the idea that our economy is fundamentally unfair to working people. How is it acceptable that a mother of three going to nursing school has to support herself and her family through contributions from friends and family, multiple part time jobs, and driving for Uber? Going to school and raising a fam…

It is acceptable because the woman chose to be a mother of three. She chose to do it without financial stability.

If you jump into a river, other people should not be liable to bail you out if the water is faster than you thought (or never thought).

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