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> If you want to see the canary in the coal mine, try befriending someone who works in the service industry. I have a couple of very close friends in the servi
by alphabettsy 4y ago
> If you want to see the canary in the coal mine, try befriending someone who works in the service industry.
I have a couple of very close friends in the service industry.
They are less well off than others I know and it’s reflected in their lives (still renting, fewer vacations), but no signs of societal collapse (have families and community relationships) there either.
What am I supposed to be noticing?
- kortilla 4y agoHow do they support a family on a service industry income? Living paycheck to paycheck just hoping nothing bad happens?
- alphabettsy 4y agoService industry doesn’t necessarily mean poverty wages. For hotel housekeeping and similar it probably is though. Had a friend making about $50k waiting tables depending on the year in a city you’d likely never heard of before switching to sales. Another working in a kitchen planning to buy a home soon. I know a couple local bartenders who do much better than I expected for a neighborhood bar. Met a guy years ago who was a school janitor and for whatever reason I always thought they would be poor. Turns out that’s a pretty good job. That said, none of these people work as a cashier at McDonald’s or hotel room cleaner either. The one making $50k worked at a national steakhouse chain, not a fancy one but a step up from Applebees.
- notwokeno 4y agoYeah, you didn't mention their families though. And regardless divorce rates are way up. If the incentive to work is "yeah you can show up and nothing will go wrong." Great. The same thing happens if you don't leave your parent's basement/subsidized housing/your friend's couch and you won't have to put up with as much crap or pay for a car. Do you see why people aren't bothering?