It’s not just cheap labor, it’s making regular jobs into a “hustle gig.” That shit is toxic and turning ordinary people against each other.

It shifts all of the risk onto customers, all of the costs of doing business onto the employees, while the businesses running these services just take all the value for themselves. The other day, I spent $100 to sign up for Target “same day delivery” services for a year, thinking great, I love the idea.

Then I learn it’s a tipped profession. I’m paying $100 to pay someone else “whatever I feel” to bring me groceries. I’d much rather it worked like normal, shipped goods. The mailman isn’t working a “hustle” to get me gigs and then over-compensating for tips. The guy who takes my trash is paid by the city, not working for the kindness of strangers.

We need to get rid of tipping and get rid of the gig economies. If you want to start a service, here’s a novel idea: hire employees and pay them a living wage.