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“Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

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Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#101

Post by PhasmaFelis »

whack wrote: post #11

Call me a crank, but personally, I'm getting annoyed by people who love to blame tech companies for everything. "This unending hamster wheel of capitalism and technology is driving us all to the brink of insanity" Maybe that's true, but instead of blaming tech companies and brogrammers, maybe try taking a look in the mirror. You want to escape the rat race? Pack up your bags, move to bumfuck nowhere, and spend all yo…

> Or if that sounds too drastic, just sit at home for the holidays, take the subway, cook your own meals, and clean your own house.

The problem is that many people are doing all of that and still hustling frantically just to afford meals to cook and a house to clean.

They more I look at your post, the more it seems like you're genuinely unaware that poor people exist.

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#102

Post by marisa_kirisame »

The author of this piece seems to be blaming tech companies for things that have existed for far longer than the Internet has.

>Mommy used to pick me up from soccer practice. A: Uber.

>Mommy used to do my laundry. A: Flycleaners.

>Mommy used to clean my room. A: Handy.

>Mommy used to buy me groceries. A: Blue Apron.

>Mommy used to cook me food. A: Seamless.

Uber did not invent taxis. Seamless did not invent food delivery.

Laundry service has been available for centuries. Cleaning services likewise. Grocery stores have offered delivery service for ages. Restaurant delivery service has probably existed since shortly after the restaurant itself was created.

I don't even understand the argument that we should hate "brogrammers" who create apps to do "what mommy used to do". I use Uber because I don't have a car. I use Seamless because I'm not much of a cook. I drop my laundry off at the local laundromat because it's convenient. Should I buy a car, a washer/dryer, and culinary classes instead?

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#103

Post by ugh_seriously_ »

dsfyu404ed wrote: post #46

The author needs to get outside of the SV bubble. The proletariat generally don't need two jobs to eek out an existence except in handful of expensive cities on the coast.

!!

Have you ever worked out how many hours you need to support more than zero children at minimum wage and also pay rent in even rural areas?

Any time asking cashiers or retail workers---even in rural areas---what their lives are like is likely to reveal multiple jobs to just make ends meet.

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#104

Post by tmuir »

strken wrote: post #74
bsder wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I like The point isn't preventing YOU , the consumer, from doing this. The point is that most people as the supplier aren't doing Uber, AirBnB, etc because they like it. They're doing it because they don't have any other good alternatives. Most of the people on the supply side of the serfdom economy are gaining very little benefit. This is a real problem.

>The point is that most people as the supplier aren't doing Uber, AirBnB, etc because they like it. They're doing it because they don't have any other good alternatives. How do you know this? The last five uber drivers I've had have been - a bloke on the way home from the gym - the owner of a small accountancy firm, also on the way home - an IT student from China who talked about PHP with me - a Korean migrant who re…

1. 5 day old account

2. Wide array of feel-good details to check lots of boxes

3. Completely anecdotal and therefore unverifiable

4. Facebook-level knowledge of people you likely spent 10 minutes with

5. Glowing review of Uber

Isn't Fear Uncertainty and Doubt great?

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#105

Post by [deleted] »

l33tbro wrote: post #85
branchless wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uber is getting a lot of its "efficiency" over regular cab companies by side-stepping regulatory burdens. People are riding uber because it's cheaper or they can deliver a better service at the same price point because they have the comparative advantage of lower regulatory burdens. You can't infer from this that people are voting with their heart. They are voting with their wallet, which is to say they are existing…

To add to your points, Uber is currently operating at a loss (1) due having so much runway. Once they've smited your local cab company, do you really think they're going to maintain bargain fares? (1) http://www.businessinsider.com.au/uber-2016-losses-2016-8

[deleted]

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#106

Post by dlss »

branchless wrote: post #100
dlss wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If we all worked 3 days a week it would be enough to pay the rent. If we all worked 7 days a week it would be enough to pay the rent. This is wrong. The reason rent is going up is because there's more demand than supply. Reducing the amount of money everyone has by a constant factor (in this case 3/5) will not change the supply/demand imbalance, so it won't solve the problem. Put another way: the reason rent is so…

Rents are set by wages, prices by credit. http://i.imgur.com/oWxV1po.jpg People live in one home, whether we work 3 or 7 days. You are confusing cheaper products garnering more demand with a flat need. This is why we should tax land: the supply is constant. Demand is up due to financialization of housing by the banks and greedy landlords are their foot soldiers. Edit can submit no more due to the usual HN censorship…

> Rents are set by wages, prices by credit.

NO. Prices are set by supply and demand. No one is being forced to take out a loan, and if they could buy a given home with a lower loan, they would. Hence the loan is only enabling demand. You could say the same thing about employment, or inheritance, or tax breaks. The only reason prices change is because supply or demand changes.

You are basically saying that you'd like everyone to just accept their lot in life, and not compete with you for your current house. And in exchange you'll not compete with those in houses you'd prefer. And you're blaming the banks because they're helping those who don't agree that you deserve the hose more than they do.

When supply is scarce, prices go up. The value of the good does not go up. What is that extra price doing? That's you bribing the owner of the good to sell to you, and not to some other guy. You're paying to make the price so high that the next guy in line would rather live somewhere else, share a room, or go homeless.

> http://i.imgur.com/oWxV1po.jpg

The image, though interesting looking, is missing context. What units is the Y-axis in, and why does the X-axis only go to (what I assume is) 2012?

> People live in one home, whether we work 3 or 7 days.

People aren't born with homes. If you lost yours, someone would move in. Where do you think this other person is currently living? Why do you deserve your home more than they do? How should homes be allocated if not by whoever is willing and able to pay the most? Who will make new homes in this new system of yours? (an especially worrying problem since I think you suggested all the construction workers only need to work 3 days per week, and housing is already scarce)

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#107

Post by merkp »

crazy1van wrote: post #98
ithinkinstereo wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't see how vilifying Uber or AirBNB is going to help accomplish any of the above. These companies are part of a greater force eroding the role and rights of labor. I think it's right to vilify the "sharing" company - especially with the type of "this is great for the world" propaganda that they spew out. If we accept these conditions as the norm, they will only continue to slide. We have laws and regulations f…

> If we accept these conditions as the norm What conditions are you referring to? The ability to work when you want for as long as you want? The ability to take an otherwise idle asset like your car or your house and make extra money with it? Anecdotally, I've taken dozens of Uber rides and never once heard the driver complain about Uber. I have, however, heard many drivers complain about proposed legislation that wi…

Then you're not a lawyer. Tell an Uber driver that you're a lawyer, and you're nearly guaranteed a conversation about their rights, and ability to sue Uber.

This isn't true for all sharing economy companies, but it's true for Uber.

They might not complain if all they think it'll do is ding their star rating, but many of them are very upset with Uber. Most of these folks feel trapped by what they perceive to be an abusive monopsony buyer of labor.

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#108

Post by yummyfajitas »

tmuir wrote: post #104
strken wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The point is that most people as the supplier aren't doing Uber, AirBnB, etc because they like it. They're doing it because they don't have any other good alternatives. How do you know this? The last five uber drivers I've had have been - a bloke on the way home from the gym - the owner of a small accountancy firm, also on the way home - an IT student from China who talked about PHP with me - a Korean migrant who re…

1. 5 day old account 2. Wide array of feel-good details to check lots of boxes 3. Completely anecdotal and therefore unverifiable 4. Facebook-level knowledge of people you likely spent 10 minutes with 5. Glowing review of Uber Isn't Fear Uncertainty and Doubt great?

Here's another anecdote from a very old account. A boy from Bihar, moved to the big city, wanted to drive an auto rickshaw but the Marathis have all the licenses on lockdown.

All Uber cares about is that he has a rating > 4.3 stars - ethnicity is irrelevant.

(This is also why the racist political party is trying to get Uber shut down.)

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#109

Post by jlebar »

bsder wrote: post #40
whack wrote: post #11

Call me a crank, but personally, I'm getting annoyed by people who love to blame tech companies for everything. "This unending hamster wheel of capitalism and technology is driving us all to the brink of insanity" Maybe that's true, but instead of blaming tech companies and brogrammers, maybe try taking a look in the mirror. You want to escape the rat race? Pack up your bags, move to bumfuck nowhere, and spend all yo…

> I like The point isn't preventing YOU , the consumer, from doing this. The point is that most people as the supplier aren't doing Uber, AirBnB, etc because they like it. They're doing it because they don't have any other good alternatives. Most of the people on the supply side of the serfdom economy are gaining very little benefit. This is a real problem.

> The point is that most people as the supplier aren't doing Uber, AirBnB, etc because they like it. They're doing it because they don't have any other good alternatives.

Well, sure.

Why is it the fault of Uber/AirBnB/Seamless/TaskRabbit/DishDash/Handy/whatever that they don't have better alternatives?

And moreover, how exactly would these people's lives be better if they couldn't work for Uber etc.? Aren't they choosing to work for Uber etc. because it's better than the alternative (namely, not working for Uber etc.)?

There are lots of fucked up things about our economic policy. I won't give my top ten because HN is trying not to be a place for political debates, but I'm sure you can name a few off the top of your head. We just had a long discussion about the importance of the ACA on HN -- taking that away hits the poor the hardest. We can go on.

The governmental policies that perpetuate income inequality should be the target of your ire, not the fact that someone deigned to create yet another company that doesn't pay its employees "enough" money.

Edited for formatting.

Re: “Side Hustle” as a Sign of the Apocalypse

#110

Post by _andromeda_ »

>This unending hamster wheel of capitalism and technology is driving us all to the brink of insanity

Things have gotten so much better over the years because of capitalism and more so because of technology. Without capitalism and technology, I dare say that majority of the 7 billion of us who are alive now would be dead. No jokes. Dead.

There'd be no antibiotics, sufficient food production, infrastructure to move produce efficiently, and the list is unending.

This article leaves a lot to be desired.

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