Comments on: “Insourcing” and the Assumption of Laziness http://www.silverspider.com/2009/insourcing-and-the-assumption-of-laziness/ Refresh Austin ringleader, speaker, fire starter, UX manager, community catalyst, Web technologist, barbecue acolyte & information junkie Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:15:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Alex http://www.silverspider.com/2009/insourcing-and-the-assumption-of-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-48883 Alex Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:07:08 +0000 http://www.silverspider.com/?p=1458#comment-48883 I don't think it's paranoid. I do agree that the "American Dream" is often times skewed towards ownership and wealth instead of happiness and achievement. For me the dream, and success as a whole comes down to my ability to seek that which I find interesting and have the means to access and interact with it. Monetary wealth may be an American Dream, but so is recognition for art, bringing together people to improve a community or sharing experiences with those we love. The "right to pursue happiness" is the key of it. My choosing to pay someone else to mow my lawn provides me the opportunity to find and experience that which makes me happy. I don’t think it’s paranoid. I do agree that the “American Dream” is often times skewed towards ownership and wealth instead of happiness and achievement.

For me the dream, and success as a whole comes down to my ability to seek that which I find interesting and have the means to access and interact with it. Monetary wealth may be an American Dream, but so is recognition for art, bringing together people to improve a community or sharing experiences with those we love.

The “right to pursue happiness” is the key of it. My choosing to pay someone else to mow my lawn provides me the opportunity to find and experience that which makes me happy.

]]> By: D. Hayes http://www.silverspider.com/2009/insourcing-and-the-assumption-of-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-48864 D. Hayes Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:07:30 +0000 http://www.silverspider.com/?p=1458#comment-48864 Am I being too paranoid by saying that the core assumption is tied up with the idea of the "American Dream"? That if we were "good" Americans we'd be able to purchase better stuff and sit on our laurels more often -- and, more dangerously, the converse: Lacking the ability to buy stuff means we are somehow deficient? So, yeah, 100% me too. It's simple economics, cost/benefit analysis, no weird moral overtone. Am I being too paranoid by saying that the core assumption is tied up with the idea of the “American Dream”? That if we were “good” Americans we’d be able to purchase better stuff and sit on our laurels more often — and, more dangerously, the converse: Lacking the ability to buy stuff means we are somehow deficient?

So, yeah, 100% me too. It’s simple economics, cost/benefit analysis, no weird moral overtone.

]]> By: Alex http://www.silverspider.com/2009/insourcing-and-the-assumption-of-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-48857 Alex Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:54:00 +0000 http://www.silverspider.com/?p=1458#comment-48857 Well put Natanya. You touched on something that I left out in my post, but is important - expertise. My lawn looks significantly better when a service takes care of it than when I do, which has a halo effect in that I'm happier when I'm outdoors. Sometimes we're not just trading money for time, we also get the bonus of an improved experience. Well put Natanya. You touched on something that I left out in my post, but is important – expertise. My lawn looks significantly better when a service takes care of it than when I do, which has a halo effect in that I’m happier when I’m outdoors. Sometimes we’re not just trading money for time, we also get the bonus of an improved experience.

]]> By: Natanya http://www.silverspider.com/2009/insourcing-and-the-assumption-of-laziness/comment-page-1/#comment-48855 Natanya Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:19:03 +0000 http://www.silverspider.com/?p=1458#comment-48855 I had to think for a while before simply posting a "me too" response to this post, because I'm pretty much 100% in agreement with your take on insourcing. In years past I did things like maintain my own lawn, clean my own house, and even color my own hair. The results weren't great, but they got me by. But then life became more full and I had to start contemplating the value of my time. If I have the choice to trade the 4 hours it takes to clean my house on Saturday with 4 hours of quality time with my family and the $136 fee to my house cleaners I will happily do it. That $34/hour is worth it in spades. I don't trade my time gained by outsourcing to sit around eating bon-bons - I use it for family time, learning time, and precious me time. Of course, given the current state of the world, valuation of my time is in flux, so it's important to regularly take a look at what I'm outsourcing. I've cut back in some areas and do many things less frequently, but one thing I know is clear, I don't consider myself lazy for choosing to not do some things myself in return for precious time. I consider myself smart for turning certain tasks over to those better at them than I am and that's simply the price I pay for personal growth and sanity. I had to think for a while before simply posting a “me too” response to this post, because I’m pretty much 100% in agreement with your take on insourcing. In years past I did things like maintain my own lawn, clean my own house, and even color my own hair. The results weren’t great, but they got me by. But then life became more full and I had to start contemplating the value of my time. If I have the choice to trade the 4 hours it takes to clean my house on Saturday with 4 hours of quality time with my family and the $136 fee to my house cleaners I will happily do it. That $34/hour is worth it in spades. I don’t trade my time gained by outsourcing to sit around eating bon-bons – I use it for family time, learning time, and precious me time.

Of course, given the current state of the world, valuation of my time is in flux, so it’s important to regularly take a look at what I’m outsourcing. I’ve cut back in some areas and do many things less frequently, but one thing I know is clear, I don’t consider myself lazy for choosing to not do some things myself in return for precious time. I consider myself smart for turning certain tasks over to those better at them than I am and that’s simply the price I pay for personal growth and sanity.

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