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What's weird to me is the addictive qualities of "gig economy" jobs. I have friends who had real jobs and could have them again, but continue to drive full time

What's weird to me is the addictive qualities of "gig economy" jobs. I have friends who had real jobs and could have them again, but continue to drive full time for uber/lyft/postmates/whatever because they insist it's better. They're working 80+ hour weeks and still never have money for anything, but that's okay because they don't have time to go out either. Being able to set which hours you work is meaningless if all you can do with your time off is sleep.

FilterSweep 10y ago
Have you asked them over other intangibles that may be driving them to choose 80 hours of lower pay over 40? Some may find the corporate environment so emotionally taxing that the alternative is still a better solution.
- gutnor 10y ago
  Being your own boss and not a wage slave anymore, having the chance to make it big. The 9-5 worker has been demonised in the media - but in the Gig Economy you can be proud to be a hard worker. You are part of the next revolution, you are the future of work, pioneers, ...
  - xanderstrike 10y ago
    Yeah but there's no chance to make it big driving for Uber/Lyft. You're just letting other skills you might have wilt while you wait for your job to be automated out of existence.
carsongross 10y ago
Work stimulates the reward regions of the brain for many people, as it gives a sense of purpose and progress towards a goal. Jordan Peterson says that one of his first recommendations to depressed people who are unemployed is to get a job, any job.
rhapsodic 10y ago
> What's weird to me is the addictive qualities of "gig economy" jobs. I have friends who had real jobs and could have them again, but continue to drive full time for uber/lyft/postmates/whatever because they insist it's better. Maybe "addictive" is more apt than you realize. Just spitballing, but maybe driving for Uber has the same reward mechanism that makes gambling addictive. Each big win, no matter how infrequently it might occur, keeps the gambler chasing the next one through loss after loss. Perhaps an Uber driver gets such a rush when he makes $60 for a short trip during peak demand that he can't help but endure long slow hours behind the wheel waiting for the next big score.

FilterSweep 10y ago

Have you asked them over other intangibles that may be driving them to choose 80 hours of lower pay over 40? Some may find the corporate environment so emotionally taxing that the alternative is still a better solution.

gutnor 10y ago
Being your own boss and not a wage slave anymore, having the chance to make it big. The 9-5 worker has been demonised in the media - but in the Gig Economy you can be proud to be a hard worker. You are part of the next revolution, you are the future of work, pioneers, ...
- xanderstrike 10y ago
  Yeah but there's no chance to make it big driving for Uber/Lyft. You're just letting other skills you might have wilt while you wait for your job to be automated out of existence.

carsongross 10y ago

Work stimulates the reward regions of the brain for many people, as it gives a sense of purpose and progress towards a goal. Jordan Peterson says that one of his first recommendations to depressed people who are unemployed is to get a job, any job.

rhapsodic 10y ago

> What's weird to me is the addictive qualities of "gig economy" jobs. I have friends who had real jobs and could have them again, but continue to drive full time for uber/lyft/postmates/whatever because they insist it's better. Maybe "addictive" is more apt than you realize. Just spitballing, but maybe driving for Uber has the same reward mechanism that makes gambling addictive. Each big win, no matter how infrequently it might occur, keeps the gambler chasing the next one through loss after loss. Perhaps an Uber driver gets such a rush when he makes $60 for a short trip during peak demand that he can't help but endure long slow hours behind the wheel waiting for the next big score.