Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I feel like im talking to the borg

twitter.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

191–200 of 387 posts

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#191

Post by TheBranca18 »

Accacin wrote: post #143
scrozart wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I also doubt that the warehouse jobs are bad jobs I agree that these folks are probably real people, but you must have missed the last several month's worth of very public information about the conditions in their warehouses. https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-employees-describe-pe... https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/3/11/18260472/amazon-ware... https://www.newsweek.com/amazon-drivers-warehouse-conditions...…

If the conditions are so bad, why are there more complaints? I'm very distrustful of the media in general and feel like they're pushing an agenda more than anything. I know people personally that work in distribution centres and they find it a perfectly fine job. It'd hard work, yes, but you see complaints like "boiling hot in summer and freezing in winter", and it's like.. yeah.. Which loading bay isn't like that?

The media absolutely pushes an agenda, they are paid to do so. Not many would question that. The difference is, reporting on these things is their job and Amazon is treating their employees like trash. You have to be purposefully ignorant to miss this stuff. It's everywhere! Last Week Tonight broke it down pretty well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9m7d07k22A. The fact you think your anecdotal evidence means anything is puzzling though.

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#192

Post by brodie78382 »

cat199 wrote: post #167

umm... from the thread: https://twitter.com/SvetaPinto/status/1161889174808596481 "Žižek - Amazon FC Ambassador ‏ @SvetaPinto Replying to @rulesObeyer @curry_nyc @AmazonFCCarol We are happy to work at the glory hole of capitalism."

This was my favorite response in the whole Twitter thread.

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#193

Post by duxup »

Barrin92 wrote: post #168
duxup wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> and if these combatative tweets bring attention to their PR campaigns than that's a plus I'm not convinced that's a thing. I see a lot of twitter styled activism and I'm not sure what the impact is outside of maybe some anecdotal events.

of course a single young person can't do much other than speak (which is after all supposed to be the point of twitter), but on the aggregate it does shift the conservation. Over the last few years people have become more aware of amazon's business practises and it is starting to be reflected in politics, on both sides of the isle. Sure, a tweet chain like this isn't going to change the world, but it's better than no…

I get how how an individual might feel they can't do much more or better than nothing. I would argue though that if they choose just to tweet and so forth, they're not doing much at all.

I'm still not sure that there really is much of a change with twitter style activism.

I suspect everyone who is inclined to belive a thing already are in their own protected circles (to use a google+ term ) and they're not changing much. The bots are the only crossover I suspect.

Personally when I am on Twitter, I unfollow a lot of the higher activity activist types (even the folks I know), because honestly even when I agree i don't care to see folks yell at each other.

I suspect "there's nothing else I can do" is still a net 0 in the end as far as change goes, well other than the aggravation of a twitter spat.

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#194

Post by rtkwe »

umvi wrote: post #184

Well when you come out of the gate swinging, what do you expect? She didn't seem reasonable either. Her mind was set on Amazon warehouse conditions = universally bad, and wouldn't take any other answer.

I think her response would be the existence of some people who haven't experienced the issues other people have come forward with, different locations will have different conditions, and enjoy (or are willing to say so to get paid to tweet instead of walking 10-20 miles a day) doesn't address the actual concerns and issues that have been reported. @rulesObeyer basically says exactly that "you don't speak for those who have been wronged."

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#195

Post by projektfu »

solotronics wrote: post #124

I want to play the devils advocate here. If these jobs were gotten rid of with automation would these workers be better or worse off? I know the essential argument is that the job should pay more and also not be automated away but due to the competitive nature of capitalism there is a tipping point where it becomes cheaper to have robots do the work. Should all these jobs be replaced by robots? What would society loo…

This is a relative of the “lump of work” fallacy. These workers are currently hired by amazon and its contractors because amazon has already displaced other forms of work (retail, logistics, call centers). Experience shows that increases in productivity caused increases in living standards and work conditions across the board. So, usually, one would expect people to be better off with automation even if there’s some “friction” in reducing an automated workforce.

It’s worth pointing out that productivity growth has been low for years and shows no sign of rapid acceleration in the Information Age.

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#196

Post by imgabe »

What's the endgame here? What is this person hoping to accomplish by harassing the Twitter-jockeys at Amazon?

Is Amazon supposed to say "Oh, someone was snarky to our employees on Twitter, now all warehouse employees make six figures and only work 20 minutes a day"?

Instead of wasting time by publicly mocking someone who either A. is actually having a good experience working at Amazon B. isn't but doesn't want to lose the job that pays their rent and allows them to eat how about:

- harassing your Congressional representative on Twitter, so they pass labor laws that might actually improve working conditions

- organizing a union so Amazon workers can collectively bargain for better conditions

- start a competing logistics company, increasing the demand for warehouse employees so that wages and working conditions have to improve to attract more workers

Unless of course this is just about scoring retweets and fake Internet points and isn't an attempt to produce any real meaningful change

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#197

Post by rtkwe »

all_factz wrote: post #80
castlecrasher2 wrote: post #55

This is a striking example of someone being so concerned about a group that they don't listen to members of that group.

Is it? I think the concern is that the members of the group are paid to share a certain message. They’re not allowed to share how they really feel, since they’re tweeting on the clock.

And the tweeting about loving your job is a pretty cushy job compared to warehouse picking and packing so they're 100% disincentivized to share anything even slightly negative or 'off script.'

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#198

Post by manigandham »

asark wrote: post #173
manigandham wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I expected another definition in the context of that comment, but fine. According to that, it's anyone who owns the means to production, and is thus the most open class possible. Rather strange to say they're dividing and conquering when anyone can join.

Owning a few shares isn't really what's meant. If your way of life still depends on earning wages for the bulk of your adult life, that's usually not what people mean by the term "capitalist" (or "capitalist class"), since it'd be a pretty useless definition.

Anyone can buy shares or start a business and own their means. It's only become easier now with the internet.

And yes, I agree that it's a useless definition. I've never seen it used outside of esoteric political debates.

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#199

Post by citilife »

Frankly, I find it appalling that this person is being aggressive towards the people she is supposidly trying to "help". This isn't a "let's fight the man" kind of mentality, but a "You're not getting what you deserve, and I'll tell you what you need" kind of mentality - quite pretentious".

Having worked for a far lower minimum wage at 10 hours a day, I can understand Amazon employees plight. I also know two people working at the fulfillment centers and they were and are insanely grateful for the job(s).

It was the first time in their lives they had real, solid employment and took advantage of trainings, saved, etc. After seeing this and living my own experiences, honestly $15 / hour is probably overpaying for their labor. They are happy to have the job over paying them.

I think really only the employees should have a voice here. I don't think people from the outside really understand the situation. Unless you've lived that kind of life, it's difficult to relate. Same for the ultra-rich, I have no ability to empathize or comprehend their lives, living in the rat-race.

Re: I feel like im talking to the borg

#200

Post by stickfigure »

purple_ducks wrote: post #140
runn1ng wrote: post #115

The “ambassadors” are so bad it’s embarrassing. Which leads me to think they are not actually PR professionals (they would actually not talk in such a robotic way), but really low level employees that are paid extra to talk good on social media, and are repeating from some officially sanctioned book of “what you should and shouldn’t say” they don’t sound like Borg, they sound like McDonald’s cashiers, just doing thei…

Quoting one of the ambassadors: > Sure some dont like it here, but they may just dont like to work. Ignoring the grammar.. How stupid or naive do you have to be to a) believe that and b) repeat it. A not so subtle attempt at saying anyone who has a problem here is actually themselves the problem.

This sentiment is quite common in blue collar sectors. Calling them stupid and naive is, at best, out of touch with at least half the voting block of the United States.
Post reply on HN