3 ms·

What Moneyball-for-Everything Has Done to American Culture

51 points by dopylitty 4y ago

octokatt 4y ago
I appreciate the Moneyball reference, but the term you're looking for is Taylorism, or Scientific Management [1]. If you're looking for someone to curse for managers always wanting a unit of measurement or a KPI, or race-to-the-bottom tactics like what we're seeing everywhere, you're looking for Fredrick Taylor. It's morphed since then, but he's worth knowing about so you know the deeper problem. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management
- m463 4y ago
  What I've noticed is sort of "take it all away and sell it back" behavior. I think of the airlines, after 9/11 and the pandemic and how they made everything an extra-cost option. Luggage. food. snacks. every form of waiting in line (at the gate, getting to your seat, the security line, etc) seats you fit in. Now good service has been replaced with mediocre service, and you buy back convenience (or even common decency) bit by bit.
  - NoboruWataya 4y ago
    I'm not sure 9/11 or the pandemic are to blame for that. It's more likely the rise of low-cost airlines, which did this so as to be able to sell cheaper base fares. They have been quite successful (or some of them have at least, eg, Ryanair) which has forced the traditional carriers to react accordingly. Flying is less comfortable for most of us now, sure. But it's also much cheaper than it was, and therefore more accessible. (Which itself gives rise to an issue of negative externalities, but that's a separate issue, kind of.)
garren 4y ago
https://archive.ph/VIYE7 https://archive.ph/VIYE7
slang800 4y ago
A similar idea is discussed in this article about "refinement culture" https://archive.ph/BRgJA https://archive.ph/BRgJA. Only the archive exists right now. HN discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27483207 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27483207
- saurik 4y ago
  Part 2: https://archive.ph/WVp6m https://archive.ph/WVp6m

51 points by dopylitty 4y ago

I appreciate the Moneyball reference, but the term you're looking for is Taylorism, or Scientific Management [1]. If you're looking for someone to curse for managers always wanting a unit of measurement or a KPI, or race-to-the-bottom tactics like what we're seeing everywhere, you're looking for Fredrick Taylor. It's morphed since then, but he's worth knowing about so you know the deeper problem. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management

m463 4y ago
What I've noticed is sort of "take it all away and sell it back" behavior. I think of the airlines, after 9/11 and the pandemic and how they made everything an extra-cost option. Luggage. food. snacks. every form of waiting in line (at the gate, getting to your seat, the security line, etc) seats you fit in. Now good service has been replaced with mediocre service, and you buy back convenience (or even common decency) bit by bit.
- NoboruWataya 4y ago
  I'm not sure 9/11 or the pandemic are to blame for that. It's more likely the rise of low-cost airlines, which did this so as to be able to sell cheaper base fares. They have been quite successful (or some of them have at least, eg, Ryanair) which has forced the traditional carriers to react accordingly. Flying is less comfortable for most of us now, sure. But it's also much cheaper than it was, and therefore more accessible. (Which itself gives rise to an issue of negative externalities, but that's a separate issue, kind of.)

garren 4y ago

https://archive.ph/VIYE7 https://archive.ph/VIYE7

slang800 4y ago

A similar idea is discussed in this article about "refinement culture" https://archive.ph/BRgJA https://archive.ph/BRgJA. Only the archive exists right now. HN discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27483207 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27483207

saurik 4y ago
Part 2: https://archive.ph/WVp6m https://archive.ph/WVp6m