17 ms·

I urge you to look into the history of company towns. What happens when they fire you and kick you out of company housing? What happens when unpaid overtime is

by atroyn 10y ago

I urge you to look into the history of company towns. What happens when they fire you and kick you out of company housing? What happens when unpaid overtime is the norm because you're not really 'at work' despite being in the same building? Campuses like Facebook's already creep me out with the whole potemkin village vibe.

gaius 10y ago
And what happens when they pay you in scrip that can only be spent in the company store? They did it back in the day but now it is more subtle: company food, company laundry/dry cleaning, company healthcare, all the other company perks are both carrot and stick.
- atroyn 10y ago
  Not to mention the lengths companies go to to make sure your whole social life is with people you work with.
WalterBright 10y ago
> What happens when they fire you and kick you out of company housing? That would depend on what your contract with the landlord says. Anyway, consider that universities offer student housing. Nobody makes students live in that housing, and students don't expect to continue living in it when they are no longer enrolled. Nobody seems to think that is a problem.
- CardenB 10y ago
  That's vastly different. 1. You aren't living with authority figures. The RA's that you live with are also students. So minimal conflict of interest in living your life. 2. You don't expect to live there indefinitely 3. You aren't relying on the school to provide means for living. You're paying the school for the privilege to be there. That means you aren't screwed if they fire you.
  - sjg007 10y ago
    Students do get kicked out and if they don't graduate have to leave even if they could afford the 'rent'
  - WalterBright 10y ago
    > You aren't living with authority figures. The RA's that you live with are also students. So minimal conflict of interest in living your life. You're living under the university's code of conduct, and the RA is there to keep tabs that you do. Many students do move off campus for that reason, and for privacy reasons.
- duaneb 10y ago
  Actually, students are often forced to live on campus.
  - WalterBright 10y ago
    Where? I've never heard of that. It's not terribly relevant, anyway, because nobody makes you go to college in the US, nobody makes you work for a certain employer, and no employer can make you live anywhere.
    - duaneb 10y ago
      Anecdotally, my state school had an "on-campus" policy for 2/4 years, which appears to be the norm in schools attempting the liberal arts model. The housing is truly part of what they're trying to sell you in the "college" experience. I didn't intend to comment on your broader implications.

by atroyn 10y ago

gaius 10y ago

And what happens when they pay you in scrip that can only be spent in the company store? They did it back in the day but now it is more subtle: company food, company laundry/dry cleaning, company healthcare, all the other company perks are both carrot and stick.

atroyn 10y ago
Not to mention the lengths companies go to to make sure your whole social life is with people you work with.

WalterBright 10y ago

> What happens when they fire you and kick you out of company housing? That would depend on what your contract with the landlord says. Anyway, consider that universities offer student housing. Nobody makes students live in that housing, and students don't expect to continue living in it when they are no longer enrolled. Nobody seems to think that is a problem.

CardenB 10y ago
That's vastly different. 1. You aren't living with authority figures. The RA's that you live with are also students. So minimal conflict of interest in living your life. 2. You don't expect to live there indefinitely 3. You aren't relying on the school to provide means for living. You're paying the school for the privilege to be there. That means you aren't screwed if they fire you.
- sjg007 10y ago
  Students do get kicked out and if they don't graduate have to leave even if they could afford the 'rent'
- WalterBright 10y ago
  > You aren't living with authority figures. The RA's that you live with are also students. So minimal conflict of interest in living your life. You're living under the university's code of conduct, and the RA is there to keep tabs that you do. Many students do move off campus for that reason, and for privacy reasons.
duaneb 10y ago
Actually, students are often forced to live on campus.
- WalterBright 10y ago
  Where? I've never heard of that. It's not terribly relevant, anyway, because nobody makes you go to college in the US, nobody makes you work for a certain employer, and no employer can make you live anywhere.
  - duaneb 10y ago
    Anecdotally, my state school had an "on-campus" policy for 2/4 years, which appears to be the norm in schools attempting the liberal arts model. The housing is truly part of what they're trying to sell you in the "college" experience. I didn't intend to comment on your broader implications.