The entire system is caught in a vicious cycle. Restrictions on businesses left them in zombie half-open/half-closed states that destroyed their staffing for the last 18 months. Employees and employers adapted to the reality that aimless government mandates would almost arbitrarily change their staffing requirements on a week by week basis. Employee behavior changed to diversify their exposure to this risk, spreading a handful of hours across a large number of businesses. Inability to reliably staff means businesses are significantly reducing opening hours, which means that employees that do want regular 40 hours are having a harder time getting them even though businesses have few restrictions now. Because it is too difficult to coordinate across multiple part-time jobs, most limit it to a manageable subset that pay enough to pay the bills; even though they are making less than before they've learned to live in this new reality somewhat comfortably. Also, many service workers left the city and moved back home during this time to save money, and it still doesn't make much sense for them to move back.
At least in my city, the various business closures and restrictions over 18 months broke a metastable economic equilibrium and we are now stuck in a new equilibrium where even well-paid workers have their hours fragmented over multiple jobs. Everyone is finding it difficult to reverse this situation because it doesn't make economic sense for anyone individually because it exposes them to a lot of risk -- everyone would have to change their behavior together. I expect things to return to normal eventually, the current situation profits neither employers nor employees, but it will take a while. There is an interesting economic lesson here.
I had a good friend of mine brag about getting a some SNAP to get chips , combine that with parents who don't mind you doing nothing, and why work. Theirs's an entire anti-work sub on Reddit dedicated to this mindset. I've become rather grateful for my childhood instability now, it taught me to stand on my own two.
/r/NEET and I recommend everyone spend an hour there, it's fascinating.
though, I'd rather maybe start a tiny house community, w/ some shared spaces, and a glamping site that pays the bills so we can at least not be destitute... self-sustainable-neet'ism... if you will...
Maybe we'd build tiny homes from earth bags, and be very eco-friendly like earthship homes.... that'd be nice... we could also have an outdoor movie theater, and lots of outdoor activities...
I've known many people like that who had high incomes. They simply spent all that was in their pocket. If they had less in their pocket, they spent less. If they got a bonus, they'd buy a ski boat. If they needed some cash, they'd sell the boat.
[raises hand]
DoorDash went from 850ish million to 2.6Billion dollars in 2020 with over a million dashers and they account for about 45% of food delivery in the US.
Professionally constructed homes for 400k, or for 200k you can get homes for 5 families (maybe a lot more depending on the land deal).
Then each family can easily live the 50's lifestyle w/ one parent working one taking care of kids... I hope more people start doing this, and as much as "tiny homes" are trending on youtube, etc I don't think it's a stretch to think it might take off and maybe even lift up renters, and bring down rental empires.