[notliketherest]

I love it. They're literally trying things that have never been done before. Look, at the end of the day, these drivers can just as easily 1) go to lyft, or 2) get a "real" job. And Uber can't afford for either to happen. This is pure capitalism, pure economics, pure financial calculations. We'll see how it works out, and they'll probably drop it at some point, but hell, let's give it a shot. If it's as "terrible" as everyone is bitching about, it won't hold up. What's your problem?

[peatmoss]

> What's your problem?

My problem is that Uber has a bunch of venture capital that it can use to entice and entrap vulnerable populations into an exploitative relationship.

It's only "pure capitalism" if one has a shockingly naive view of economics that ignores all of the preconditions that are required for a free market. For example, information symmetry, which is laughably not true given that Uber controls the dispatching with algorithms that are opaque to drivers.

As time approaches infinity, yes, I believe the market will sort out many issues with Uber. In the meantime, I think they have the potential to grind up and spit out many people.

[ryanmarsh]

"Capitalism" and "free markets" are not the same thing, in fact they are in contention with each other. The natural end of pure capitalism is monopoly and exploitation of labor. I think you might have an idealistic view of what these words mean. Currently, both are on display in all their glory. You think Uber drivers don't know what the other apps pay?

[vixen99]

Patronizing! Don't we produce adults who can make their own rational choices anymore? On second thoughts, perhaps not and I'm wrong. [ In 2010, a UK government study concluded that 1 in 5 people between the ages of 16 and 19 (some of the voters of today), were functionally illiterate and innumerate. This in one of the richest countries in the world. I doubt the figures look any better now ]

[alex_hitchins]

What choices do these people really have though?

[ehnto]

Your two assumptions are that it is easy to change your job, and that if it's exploitive and "terrible" Uber will stop. Neither of those are good assumptions.

Although I think I am on board with this being a really interesting experiment, even if it might become a morbid fascination it is definitely interesting.

[sidcool]

That is a typical Silicon valley attitude. That's a part of the problem.

[thisisit]

> Look, at the end of the day, these drivers can just as easily 1) go to lyft,

But does lyft have the capacity to take on huge number of uber drivers? Given the gap in revenue numbers it looks unlikely.

[PhasmaFelis]

The "market will fix everything eventually" crowd never seem to think much about all the people who get steamrolled before "eventually".

[notzorbo3]

Thinking the "market will fix everything eventually" is like thinking democracy will eventually fix a dictatorship.

[ewjordan]

Do you think removing the option of working for Uber would make things better for the steamrolled?

If so, then why are they choosing to work for Uber instead of doing whatever they'd be doing if Uber wasn't around? Are you saying that they're stupid or being tricked?

If not, then isn't the world a better place for those people with Uber as an option?

[kuschku]

Simply because of the tragedy of the commons.

These people would have worked as taxi driver before, often with better compensation and job security.

But as soon as one person offers rates that are cheaper, all of them have to, or they won't get anything.

Uber drives competition between the employees, and as result, they all get less.

Simple economics. And also the reason that only unions and government regulation can ensure acceptable work conditions

[malandrew]

No, they wouldn't have worked as taxi drivers. Maybe 1/10 of them would have ponied up the money for a medallion (assuming some corporations didn't already purchase many of the medallions in the market to be able to extract rent). The rest however would have one fewer option.

Taxi drivers have earn like 30% less relative to before Uber, but there are 10 times more drivers that now earn about the same as the taxi drivers. That's a massive net growth of opportunities to earn money.

[walshemj]

Actually #2 get a real job for a lot of the people that work for uber is not that easy as they are probably recent immigrants with no qualifications and probably poor English skils