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I upvoted this article even though I don't agree with "outsourcing life." I would rather learn and do things myself rather than pay someone else to do it for m

by mattm 17y ago

I upvoted this article even though I don't agree with "outsourcing life." I would rather learn and do things myself rather than pay someone else to do it for me. Take cooking, for example. The author doesn't like to cook but if she invested in cooking classes for 6 months, I bet she would start developing an interest in it and then she would have that skill for the rest of her life. If you pay someone to do work for you (and you don't know how to do it yourself), you will have to keep paying them forever. It will also cause you to become a one-dimensional person. She does have a million dollar windfall, but a million isn't really enough to last the rest of her life since she is only in her 20s.

mattchew 17y ago
It is clear that she is not just sitting around on the couch watching soap operas with the time she frees up via outsourcing. She's hustling and making money (and presumably having fun). She can always learn to cook later if it strikes her fancy. The idea of outsourcing your life makes a lot of sense if you spend a lot of time on petty outsourceable tasks and are a driven sort of person who can use every extra minute. A lot of us don't fit that profile, and outsourcing more of our lives would just mean more time spent sitting on the couch or parked in front of the computer. I'm probably better off mowing my own lawn and only watching five episodes of Breaking Bad this week instead of six.
- mattm 17y ago
  I understand the reasoning and she at least gives the impression that she is busy with other things. However I've also learned that some people just like to talk about how "busy" they are to make themselves feel more important. Some of my best ideas or solutions to problems come to me when I'm doing "petty, outsourceable" work like washing the dishes or making dinner.
  - ericabiz 17y ago
    Interestingly enough, I found that the ideas come either way--whether you're outsourcing or not. So, if you want to outsource things, don't worry that the ideas will stop coming. They just show up when you're taking a shower, driving, or doing any number of other things.

by mattm 17y ago

mattchew 17y ago

It is clear that she is not just sitting around on the couch watching soap operas with the time she frees up via outsourcing. She's hustling and making money (and presumably having fun). She can always learn to cook later if it strikes her fancy. The idea of outsourcing your life makes a lot of sense if you spend a lot of time on petty outsourceable tasks and are a driven sort of person who can use every extra minute. A lot of us don't fit that profile, and outsourcing more of our lives would just mean more time spent sitting on the couch or parked in front of the computer. I'm probably better off mowing my own lawn and only watching five episodes of Breaking Bad this week instead of six.

mattm 17y ago
I understand the reasoning and she at least gives the impression that she is busy with other things. However I've also learned that some people just like to talk about how "busy" they are to make themselves feel more important. Some of my best ideas or solutions to problems come to me when I'm doing "petty, outsourceable" work like washing the dishes or making dinner.
- ericabiz 17y ago
  Interestingly enough, I found that the ideas come either way--whether you're outsourcing or not. So, if you want to outsource things, don't worry that the ideas will stop coming. They just show up when you're taking a shower, driving, or doing any number of other things.