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AftyOfTheUK t1_iz58wkz wrote

Reply to comment by Gimminy in Orders delivered sized by subtotal and my earnings in 2022 [OC] by Altruistic_Olives

>I have tried to explain that he could make more money literally working at McDonald’s, but he likes the “freedom” of gig driving work.

This is what annoys me about people who attack these jobs. Some people just hate routine, drudgery, or having a boss who tells them what to do and when. They accept a lower wage for delivering things or people because they feel better about life than if they had a higher wage with someone shouting at them because their tie isn't straight, or they didn't scrub the pan hard enough, or they want to take 90 minutes off to watch the game in the middle of the day.

Society seems to have no problem with people saying "I'm going to quit my corporate job and become a baker because even though it only pays one third as much, I feel better doing it" yet the second somebody decides to make a similar choice but going to the gig economy, suddenly it's seen as a problem.

Many of these people couldn't get a "regular" job so having their gig economy job may be better for them than not having it, and many more of them prefer the flexibility and conditions of the gig economy job. Everyone's different.

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Gimminy t1_iz5cpij wrote

Cool. Here’s the difference. The gig economy is exploitative, he is literally being abused. He has no health insurance, no benefits, is applying no real skill of any kind, and he ends up making roughly six dollars an hour. That is one third of minimum wage where I am at. This necessitates that he works insane hours without any forward progress in his life. It is difficult to watch. The freedom is an illusion.

I would love it if he were to work at a bakery, walk dogs, or became yoga a instructor and taught a couple lessons at various studios as a contractor. At least then he would be learning a skill (not to mention he would be making at least three times as much per hour than he does currently).

I get it that some people just can’t handle normal employment. But there are so many other options that are both fulfilling and provide for the basic necessities of life, even outside the traditional employment context. The gig economy is shit and needs to be regulated. I refuse to use any of them.

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AftyOfTheUK t1_iz5h141 wrote

>The gig economy is exploitative, he is literally being abused.

That's a strong statement. Got any proof of abuse? Some people like the gig economy because of the flexibility of hours, are they choosing to be abused?

>He has no health insurance, no benefits

Most contractors don't, either.

>is applying no real skill of any kind

Neither are most people working in retail.

>That is one third of minimum wage where I am at.

Yet he chooses to do it, instead of getting a minimum wage job.

>I would love it if he were to work at a bakery, walk dogs, or became yoga a instructor and taught a couple lessons at various studios as a contractor.

Other than (possibly) the bakery, none of those jobs would give him health insurance, or any benefits. Walking dogs is applying no real skill of any kind. Same for yoga instructor, I would argue.

>I get it that some people just can’t handle normal employment.

Exactly. When I was younger, the people who couldn't handle normal employment just didn't have any income of their own. They had no job, and were just a burden on those people around them, or on society. Now many of those people can work (long hours) and make enough money to scrape by. That's an improvement.

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