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Economy The most Socially Corrosive, and Exploitative Business Models that should be Banned

650lb Sumo

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Unless you're an AnCap, in which case even the few restrictions there are should be lifted, and the Invisible Hand of the Market will ensure the best possible result for everyone. I haven't checked stats and papers, just gone with what I think or expect is true, so maybe someone can produce some contradictory arguments there. I just kept it to three and stayed (relatively) concise, so maybe people can add details, and honourable mentions to:

OnlyFans
Computer Game Microtransactions
Uber/Lyft etc.
Equipment/media/software that you can use but not (lawfully) own, alter or repair
'Smart' White Goods, Meters, E-Readers etc. that monitor you and that you do not have full control over
Planned Obsolescence, Windows 10 end of support being a good example
Pay-to-Avoid Ads, on paid channels

Edit: Unpopular opinion I actually don't think TikTok is that bad, but it possibly should be top of the list by popular vote.


1280px-Airbnb_Logo_B%C3%A9lo.svg.png


(1) AirBnB - turns communities into theme parks. Houses/flats are taken off the market for residents and rents/prices are driven up. The properties often sit vacant a lot of the time, and obviously when they are occupied, are occupied by a constantly-changing stream of tourists. AirBnBs are not subject to the same standards of regulation as licensed hotels etc., so are charging more and more, with cunning drip fees, while providing an inferior and deteriorating service. Tenants have fewer rights or recourse. Supposedly AirBnB was originally supposed to make housing more efficient, by allowing people with spare room to make use of it for travellers for a win-win, however it has quickly become predatory and is degrading the community in general for the enrichment of the landlord class, many of whom, as usual, live far away or even abroad and do not participate in the operation of the AirBnB.


Wordmark-R-Tinder-pink-RGB.png


(2) Tinder/Bumble etc. - have devastated the dating market, which is obviously one of the most fundamental aspects of society. A small minority of Chads occupy all the females in harems, and the rest of the men are incel. Instead of (something at least approaching) 1:1 long-term relationships with comparatively pure partners, there is hypercompetition and constant partner-switching with relationships debased to crude hedonism and sex, with other people reduced to the role of sex-dolls and trophies for social media display. Even if someone is in a relationship, these apps make cheating/dumping very tempting, easy and anonymous. They dehumanise the dating experience and cause addictive behaviour, depression, isolation, low self-esteem, singledom and childlessness. The 'haves' are running up astronomical body counts.

Users are also open to manipulation by algorithm. People with power might bump themselves up and their rivals down. People are pressured to pay for premium or whatever, to be seen by more and more desirable people. A powerful person could say, make people from the East End hook up with people from the West End but not the South Side (innocuous example, supply your own evil one).

In terms of safety, there are many criminals, psychos, scammers, e-prostitutes, catfish and bots on these apps. You have to contend with data harvesting on an intimate level too.


487c7a354db7b3350dd08a0f0c7b9e5f-__logo.png


(3) Deliveroo/Just Eat etc. - God knows what percentage of the delivery riders are actually in the country lawfully and working lawfully, with license, insurance, MOTed and taxed bikes, operating under their own names on lawful contracts.

A lot of problems are tied together with grey/black market work, these individuals tend to break the law, and support a criminal infrastructure across the whole spectrum - work, tax, housing, insurance, below minimum wage pay, no reasonable contract, including job security, immigration law, benefit fraud, money laundering, having their documents taken away, being adjacent to/participating in outright crime and so on. The businesses whose food they deliver will often be participating in all this as well as leaving hygiene laws in shambles. The grooming gangs have been back in the news lately. They also often send (their undertaxed and partially dirty) money abroad.

It's not really desirable to have a bunch of foreign young men from Albania or Iraq or whatever loitering in town centres on scooters at all hours and zipping around pedestrian areas and violating multiple traffic laws with impunity. It makes the area unpleasant if not unsafe.

Social areas, restaurants where families or at least adults can go in and eat, or take their food out and sit in the park and eat, 'disappear'. Hanging out outside the bars with your takeaways used to be a big part of nightlife. People now sit at home and order overpriced and unhealthy food from their sofas with no human interaction (obviously it would be better still to cook, than get a takeaway in person). This also replaces cash with online payment, except the deliverers extort their customers for tips, which they can (partially) skim if cash. Even if you go to a restaurant in person, you are having to compete with/wait behind the delivery riders, which degrades the experience and must drive in-person customers away.

The delivery riders are often given impossible schedules. They don't have adequate breaks, bearing in mind they may not be able to go to an actual toilet and wash their hands properly etc., and will probably be driving tired at night. They often get attacked/robbed/have their food and/or bikes stolen.
 
Last edited:
Unless you're an AnCap, in which case even the few restrictions there are should be lifted, and the Invisible Hand of the Market will ensure the best possible result for everyone. I haven't checked stats and papers, just gone with what I think or expect is true, so maybe someone can produce some contradictory arguments there. I just kept it to three and stayed (relatively) concise, so maybe people can add details, and honourable mentions to:

OnlyFans
Computer Game Microtransactions
Uber/Lyft etc.
Equipment/media/software that you can use but not (lawfully) own or alter
'Smart' White Goods, Meters, E-Readers etc. that monitor you and that you do not have full control over
Planned Obsolescence, Windows 10 end of support being a good example
Pay-to-Avoid Ads, on paid channels


1280px-Airbnb_Logo_B%C3%A9lo.svg.png


(1) AirBnB - turns communities into theme parks. Houses/flats are taken off the market for residents and rents/prices are driven up. The properties often sit vacant a lot of the time, and obviously when they are occupied, are occupied by a constantly-changing stream of tourists. AirBnBs are not subject to the same standards of regulation as licensed hotels etc., so are charging more and more, with cunning drip fees, while providing an inferior and deteriorating service. Tenants have fewer rights or recourse. Supposedly AirBnB was originally supposed to make housing more efficient, by allowing people with spare room to make use of it for travellers for a win-win, however it has quickly become predatory and is degrading the community in general for the enrichment of the landlord class, many of whom, as usual, live far away or even abroad and do not participate in the operation of the AirBnB.


Wordmark-R-Tinder-pink-RGB.png


(2) Tinder/Bumble etc. - have devastated the dating market, which is obviously one of the most fundamental aspects of society. A small minority of Chads occupy all the females in harems, and the rest of the men are incel. Instead of (something at least approaching) 1:1 long-term relationships with comparatively pure partners, there is hypercompetition and constant partner-switching with relationships debased to crude hedonism and sex, with other people reduced to the role of sex-dolls and trophies for social media display. Even if someone is in a relationship, these apps make cheating/dumping very tempting, easy and anonymous. They dehumanise the dating experience and cause addictive behaviour, depression, isolation, low self-esteem, singledom and childlessness. The 'haves' are running up astronomical body counts.

Users are also open to manipulation by algorithm. People with power might bump themselves up and their rivals down. People are pressured to pay for premium or whatever, to be seen by more and more desirable people. A powerful person could say, make people from the East End hook up with people from the West End but not the South Side (innocuous example, supply your own evil one).

In terms of safety, there are many criminals, psychos, scammers, e-prostitutes, catfish and bots on these apps. You have to contend with data harvesting on an intimate level too.


487c7a354db7b3350dd08a0f0c7b9e5f-__logo.png


(3) Deliveroo/Just Eat etc. - God knows what percentage of the delivery riders are actually in the country lawfully and working lawfully, with license, insurance, MOTed and taxed bikes, operating under their own names on lawful contracts.

A lot of problems are tied together with grey/black market work, these individuals tend to break the law, and support a criminal infrastructure across the whole spectrum - work, tax, housing, insurance, below minimum wage pay, no reasonable contract, including job security, immigration law, benefit fraud, money laundering, having their documents taken away, being adjacent to/participating in outright crime and so on. The businesses whose food they deliver will often be participating in all this as well as leaving hygiene laws in shambles. The grooming gangs have been back in the news lately. They also often send (their undertaxed and partially dirty) money abroad.

It's not really desirable to have a bunch of foreign young men from Albania or Iraq or whatever loitering in town centres on scooters at all hours and zipping around pedestrian areas and violating multiple traffic laws with impunity. It makes the area unpleasant if not unsafe.

Social areas, restaurants where families or at least adults can go in and eat, or take their food out and sit in the park and eat, 'disappear'. Hanging out outside the bars with your takeaways used to be a big part of nightlife. People now sit at home and order overpriced and unhealthy food from their sofas with no human interaction (obviously it would be better still to cook, than get a takeaway in person). This also replaces cash with online payment, except the deliverers extort their customers for tips, which they can (partially) skim if cash. Even if you go to a restaurant in person, you are having to compete with/wait behind the delivery riders, which degrades the experience and must drive in-person customers away.

The delivery riders are often given impossible schedules. They don't have adequate breaks, bearing in mind they may not be able to go to an actual toilet and wash their hands properly etc., and will probably be driving tired at night. They often get attacked/robbed/have their food and/or bikes stolen.


How long do you think Microsoft should be forced to continue to update Windows 10?
 
I love airbnb.

I own houses that I rent and I live in other airbnbs.

It is awesome.

Hotels suck if you have a family and travel frequently.
 
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