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/323/ Tasty Frictionless Convenience (Patreon)

Published:
2023-02-21 07:00:02
Imported:
2024-07
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On the app economy.

[Patreon Exclusive]

Delivery apps have taken the world by storm, and the pandemic only deepened our dependence on them. What is the price of convenience – and is there anything wrong with wanting ease? Capitalist keep propping up these money-losing enterprises – why? And can they survive the end of cheap money?

Is the app economy just a battering ram against labour rights? Are delivery apps out to kill off traditional restaurants? And should we defend the petite bourgeoisie and independent bars and pubs?

And does the dream of freedom sold by apps to workers, of being your own boss, work as a legitimating ideology?

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Jonas Halléhn

You talked about the workers who work in the gig economy and their poor conditions. But it is so much more than just wages. There are hardly any unions in the gig economy. Another perspective I missed is how surveilled they are by others - all the time! The companies always see where the workers are. And as soon as they have picked up the food, the customer can see exactly where the order is. This creates incredible stress for the workers and there are many cases where they have collided with or been hit by cars. Surveillance capitalism at its finest! These are factors that make me unable to support such an industry, although it would be convenient to order home a pizza when I'm hangover...

Paul Brewer

Phil blew up in both this episode and the preceding one. Has he got anger management issues? More seriously, my impression is that the big appeal for joining the app economy as a worker is the chance to manage your own hours. If a better-paying job is not available, this option arises least gives one some control. I don’t think investors have the same rational justification. It’s more about waging an ideological war on the administrative state and an unfounded belief that sooner or later apps WILL make money.