In many ways, social
class can be defined by the chores you don’t do. The rich have personal
assistants, butlers, cooks, drivers. The middle class largely do their
own errands — with the occasional babysitter, pizza boy, maybe a
cleaner. The poor do their own chores, and the chores of other people.
class can be defined by the chores you don’t do. The rich have personal
assistants, butlers, cooks, drivers. The middle class largely do their
own errands — with the occasional babysitter, pizza boy, maybe a
cleaner. The poor do their own chores, and the chores of other people.
Then
came on-demand’s disruptive influence. The luxuries usually afforded to
one-percenters now stretch to the urban upper-middle class, or so the
technology industry cheers. But can you democratize the province of the
rich without getting a new class acting, well, entitled? My parents made
me put away the dishes not to “outsource” their workload — they could
have done it faster. They did it so I wouldn’t turn out to be a brat.
came on-demand’s disruptive influence. The luxuries usually afforded to
one-percenters now stretch to the urban upper-middle class, or so the
technology industry cheers. But can you democratize the province of the
rich without getting a new class acting, well, entitled? My parents made
me put away the dishes not to “outsource” their workload — they could
have done it faster. They did it so I wouldn’t turn out to be a brat.
Now an entire generation is not just being served: It’s having to work out what it means when you buy someone to do it for you.