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>Ride-sharing, like a fry cook, was never meant to be a life’s career ambition. Jeez people. Folks are complaining that a fry cook can’t afford to buy a house a

>Ride-sharing, like a fry cook, was never meant to be a life’s career ambition. Jeez people. Folks are complaining that a fry cook can’t afford to buy a house and an Uber driver doesn’t get a 401(k). Wake up and smell the coffee. Wouldn't it be nice if you could make a living being a 'fry cook?' When you leave work you could just kiss off and go have dinner, go bowling or whatever. Each day would be self contained. There wouldn't be bad dreams tossing and tuning you because your project isn't going well at work. Why do we celebrate this race to the bottom? There have been such stunning increases in productivity, so in theory we could all work a few hours a week and enjoy 1950s living standards. Would that be so bad?

throwaway2048 9y ago
it would be bad for the profit margins of the 1%
prostoalex 9y ago
> Wouldn't it be nice if you could make a living being a 'fry cook?' There's no law preventing you (or anyone else) from opening (or co-investing in) a food establishment that pays high salaries and provides benefits to fry cooks.
- Namrog84 9y ago
  Exactly. It's a nice thing to say until someone proposes it being done. I think most people don't realize how thin the margins really are on food services stuff. Or even most services. To increase salary of fry cooks and drivers to be better. You need to charge more. But if everyone else is already on tight budgets then they also need increases in salary as well. And now it becomes a bigger economical issue. I know it's not a zero sum game and I'd like to see everyone's wages increase. But it's a hard bigger problem.
  - prostoalex 9y ago
    If society was interested in maximizing the sheer quantity of fried cooks, society would’ve created those incentives. Instead three sets of incentives exist nowadays: 1) Improve your skill set and move up within restaurant industry, hopefully towards high-end cuisine or managerial position. 2) Get out of the industry altogether and acquire some specialization like a plumber’s or electrician’s license. 3) Use the paid gig to acquire skills, remain in the industry but readjust your stake to equity instead of salary, by running a food truck, a burger stand or a pop-up taco spot. All venues pretty much scream “Get out of this fry cook gig as soon as you can. There’s no outcome where you’re guaranteed a happy retirement and a golden watch”.

throwaway2048 9y ago

it would be bad for the profit margins of the 1%

prostoalex 9y ago

> Wouldn't it be nice if you could make a living being a 'fry cook?' There's no law preventing you (or anyone else) from opening (or co-investing in) a food establishment that pays high salaries and provides benefits to fry cooks.

Namrog84 9y ago
Exactly. It's a nice thing to say until someone proposes it being done. I think most people don't realize how thin the margins really are on food services stuff. Or even most services. To increase salary of fry cooks and drivers to be better. You need to charge more. But if everyone else is already on tight budgets then they also need increases in salary as well. And now it becomes a bigger economical issue. I know it's not a zero sum game and I'd like to see everyone's wages increase. But it's a hard bigger problem.
- prostoalex 9y ago
  If society was interested in maximizing the sheer quantity of fried cooks, society would’ve created those incentives. Instead three sets of incentives exist nowadays: 1) Improve your skill set and move up within restaurant industry, hopefully towards high-end cuisine or managerial position. 2) Get out of the industry altogether and acquire some specialization like a plumber’s or electrician’s license. 3) Use the paid gig to acquire skills, remain in the industry but readjust your stake to equity instead of salary, by running a food truck, a burger stand or a pop-up taco spot. All venues pretty much scream “Get out of this fry cook gig as soon as you can. There’s no outcome where you’re guaranteed a happy retirement and a golden watch”.