The sharing economy isn't collaborative consumption, it's disaster capitalism

latimes.com

2 pointsmolecule3 comments

> The sharing economy isn’t about sharing. It’s about making as many quick bucks as possible.

isn't that just as true as the 'old economy'?

> And for too many people, renting out their assets is not about peer-to-peer community-building or something to do on a Friday night. It’s an act of necessity.

it's always been this way. at least now people have more flexibility in choosing to what to rent out, and when.

Perhaps the biggest problem with "the sharing economy" is the name. We need a more accurate label.

if you look at it, what uber and airbnb are doing is 'market making' in a sense. they create more of a market for transportation or lodging, in the sense that the connect buyers with sellers, allowing people holding extra housing or transportation services to more easily sell it.

in a way, this transition - from large enterprises dominating a market, to lots of small buyers and sellers - is the same transition as waterfall development to agile methodology.

you replace a big, slow, ponderous thing with limited options with something smaller, faster, and more nimble.

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