[tie_]

It's a global platform for cheap human labor. I find it completely unsurprising that living off cheap labor alone would not result in a particularly good living standard, especially not in some of the most expensive locations in the world, and especially not when competing with cheap labor from across the globe.

[BoorishBears]

I'm always torn when I see stories like this. On one hand I feel for someone making less than minimum wage doing a job, but on the other I realize that these people are competing with people who come from places without a minimum wage at all.

The same thing happens on freelancer sites. Jobs for pennies on the dollar of their worth are fought over by people barely making it in the US, and people who are enjoying a rather livable stream of income in other countries.

To me the answer is to tell yourself that it's not work but a hobby that happens to pay, and at least seek out work that pays minimum wage in your area, if that applies.

But easier said than done I'm sure.

[Fnoord]

> but on the other I realize that these people are competing with people who come from places without a minimum wage at all.

"Places", or "countries" might have low minimum wage compared to US or even below the average of world. But no minimum wage at all seems unlikely.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minimum_wages_by_count...

I wonder if there is a 18+ check involved.

> To me the answer is to tell yourself that it's not work but a hobby that happens to pay, and at least seek out work that pays minimum wage in your area, if that applies.

But it isn't a hobby; it is paid; hence work.

From Wikipedia: "A Hobby is a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time."

The type of labour on Amazon Turk is extremely repetitive just like (physical) hard labour. The goal also isn't pleasure, and the income isn't a gift; it is part of one's income (I wonder if it is being tracked though).

I also find the name Amazon Turk offensive. I am aware that the word Turk has multiple meanings, but in a good part of the 90s in Europe cheap labour and Turkish people went hand in hand. It was the kind of labour the native Europeans didn't want to do (e.g. garbagemen), it paid very badly.

Now we are at the next step of globalisation and because the competition goes via the Internet the lowest common denominator becomes standard. Which is very bad for those who are unemployed, underskilled, homeless etc in higher civilized countries where the standard of living is higher, but so is things like rent. Heck, I wouldn't even be able to pay my rent with Amazon Turk.

> The same thing happens on freelancer sites. Jobs for pennies on the dollar of their worth are fought over by people barely making it in the US, and people who are enjoying a rather livable stream of income in other countries.

Yes, and fake freelance like Uber and MLM.

[BoorishBears]

I'm (oddly) glad someone else finds the name offensive. I know the history from the chess playing machine, but I found it felt more strongly tied to the meaning behind that in Turkish people. I just worried I was being overly sensitive and no one else would see it that way.

But I'd also say having a stated minimum wage, and having a relevant minimum wage are two different things. I come from a country on that list with a stated minimum wage of 1.70$ a day or about 22 cents an hour.

Not only is that incredibly low, I assure you no one is touring villages looking for hawkers with young helpers that aren't getting paid 1.79 a day, when the hawkers themselves can't ensure they're getting 1.79 every single day.

Ironically, it looks like mechanical Turk would actually meet the minimum wage in the country. And I'm sure the country is not alone there. So for someone who has no better source of income, I'm sure even after paying for an Internet cafe they'd come out making income that's livable.

I don't think that it's a bad thing that those wages aren't livable in a country where our hourly minimum wage exceeds the daily minimum wage.

That's why I'd say treat it like a hobby if you're in a country that's like the US.

I'm definitely not calling the work described as fun, but treat it as a hobby in the sense of treating it as something you do because you want to make a few dollars from the comfort of your computer (and for some reason don't want to try something that pays better in the long run like learning a skill, say... programming), not because you have to pay rent next month (again, situation permitting).

You have to remember, even in the US at minimum wage people still struggle with rent, so even if mechanical Turk did pay minimum wage per country, it'd still wouldn't guarantee financial security in many parts of the US

[Fnoord]

Thank you for your post and clarifications. They make a lot of sense to me.

I made a mistake in my post:

> in a good part of the 90s in Europe cheap labour and Turkish people went hand in hand

I meant to say the 20th century, not the 90s. It occurred from about '60s till '80s. I'm also glad I'm not the only one who finds the name offensive, and FWIW I'm not Turkish in any way. Nor do I resent being associated with Turkish people. However for it to change, two people wouldn't be enough. I also wonder if the name is a coincidence, or deliberate. If Amazon were a European company I'd expect the latter, but America doesn't have the same history with Turkey as Europe does.

As for hobby. I'd just call it what it is: "a badly paid job". One you'd replace ASAP if you could. You need to also take into account that one requires a computer which requires maintenance and is going to (partly) die at some point. Sure, internet bill is likely flat fee and paid already, but electricity is going to be higher.

[dodders]

I don't disagree with the negative connotations of the name, but it's not named after the Turkish people, but rather after The Turk, a chess-playing machine invented in the 18th century: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Mechanical_Turk#Overvie...

[dx034]

And they compete with people living in much cheaper prices. $5/hr isn't a living wage in the US, but it very well is in many parts of India. So there are many people who can well compete at these levels because they can live from it.