4 ms·

Does anyone else find this whole "outsource your life" movement a little disturbing?

• modoc 18y ago
  When taken too far, sure. But honestly if you can't use your money to spend more time doing things you love, and less time doing things you hate, then what's the point?
• Timothee 18y ago
  In a way, I think I would feel uncomfortable because having people doing your menial tasks sounds a little like having servants. However, I think it can make sense. If it makes you happier, more relaxed, or gives you more time to work on something you enjoy... the money spent can be worth it (or even more). As far as I'm concerned, I know that I'm wasting too much time in general to be able to say that I need to outsource parts of my life because I don't have enough time for myself.
  • colinplamondon 18y ago
    What's wrong with having servants as long as you can afford it and are paying a living wage?
• Timothee 18y ago
  In a way, I think I would feel uncomfortable because having people doing your menial tasks sounds a little like having servants. However, I think it can make sense. If it makes you happier, more relaxed, or gives you more time to work on something you enjoy... the money spent can be worth it (or even more). As far as I'm concerned, I know that I'm wasting too much time in general to be able to say that I need to outsource parts of my life because I don't have enough time for myself.
• llimllib 18y ago
  Why does it disturb you?
• icey 18y ago
  How is this any different than hiring a personal chef? Or a housekeeper? I mean; people have been doing this for centuries, it's just becoming more accessible now.
  • netcan 18y ago
    Is it? A full time servant is common in poorer parts of the world. I assume that accessibility has to do with wage differences. If you make 5X ph what a maid charges, you can afford it easily & it makes good sense. If you make 1.5X, not so easily. Wage inequality will make this accessible.
    • sidsavara 18y ago
      I think part of it is not just wage inequality, it's efficiency: I estimate she is actually making $30-40 an hour by batching it, and because she is likely faster than I am (since I am relatively poor at cooking). On my end, it's costing me relatively little per hour for how much time I am saving I would classify it more as recognizing the comparative advantage she has. Even though I cost a lot to hire for a web project, even someone earning less than me would be better off hiring me than trying to build their own plugins for their CMS - it might take me an hour, and they can pay me with lets say 2 hours of their work. Or, they can struggle and spend 20 hours of their time trying to get it working. This is a real life example - they hired me for their second project, and were very happy based on the time they saved versus having their inexperienced guy do it. Of course, there is an argument to be made that having their inexperienced guy do the work builds knowledge capital, but I'm talking about strict efficiency here.
      • netcan 18y ago
        That is true. You also claimed to be saving 10 hours per week while paying for only four. I think that'd be an expected gain. but all that's very theoretical.. In reality, you're not taking out time from web designing to cook, are you? This kind of resource allocation exists in B2B, no brainer. You get hired for web design. You hire a bookkeeper. But in our personal lives, it doesn't happen as often. You get to spend more time watching TV or painting in exchange for money. You will rarely find someone willing to pay their hourly wage to save an hour of non-work chores. People are willing to pay for time but only at a much discounted rate. Take yourself as an example. Assuming you earn $45ph web designing. You are 'saving' $450 (10 hrs) by not cooking. You are paying $60 for this - bargain. Would you pay $449 for this service? How about $225. Generally speaking businesses would probably say yes while individuals would say no.