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1247 points mangoman | 4 comments | 05 Dec 16 14:57 UTC | HN request time: 0.841s | source
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delegate ◴[05 Dec 16 17:27 UTC] No.13107158[source]▶
Look, I know this might not be a popular view here on HN, but I think this is useless. And bad.

I'm not talking about the technology behind it (I think it's an amazing achievement)..

I live in Barcelona and I have at least 5 medium-sized supermarkets within 5 minutes walking distance from my home. Plus there are several smaller shops that sell fruits and vegetables.

I know all the people who work in these supermarkets. The cashier in the supermarket downstairs always sings a quiet song while she scans my products, she knows my daughter and she's always nice and friendly.

The cashier in the other store talks to the customers. She stops scanning and starts talking while the line waits. Some customers might join the conversation. I know she has an old cat that eats an unlimited amount of food if allowed to do so...

There are similar stories about other shops in the neighbourhood - they come to work, they serve the people in the neighbourhood, they go home. They do this until they retire.

These people like their jobs because we respect them for what they do, so they feel useful and they work hard.

I don't mind waiting in line for 3 minutes. Or 5. It's never longer than that, even if the cashier discusses the latest news with the old lady.

The humanity of it has value for us here and that value is greater than the time we'd save by removing the people from the shops.

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chongli ◴[05 Dec 16 18:29 UTC] No.13107851[source]▶
Please, please don't ever forget this: the people who work at your grocery store are nice because they would be fired if they were rude to you. You may think they are your friends but they really aren't. They would not be there if they weren't getting paid for it.
replies(1): >>13107978 #
1. ceedan ◴[05 Dec 16 18:39 UTC] No.13107978[source]▶
"They would not be there if they weren't getting paid for it."

That's not true. There are nice people in the world.

replies(1): >>13108042 #
2. chongli ◴[05 Dec 16 18:45 UTC] No.13108042[source]▶
I know what volunteering is: I do it myself. Every week I spend several hours helping kids with their homework at a local school. This is not at all the same thing as spending 8 hours a day working a cash register, dealing with rude customers without being rude in return, being expected to cover coworkers' shifts when they're sick, working during holiday hours instead of spending time with family, etc. etc. etc.
replies(1): >>13111258 #
3. ceedan ◴[06 Dec 16 00:34 UTC] No.13111258[source]▶
Your response seems irrelevant to mine.

Being nice is not a behavior that is only exibited when paid to do so, as you seem to believe.

replies(1): >>13111943 #
4. chongli ◴[06 Dec 16 03:11 UTC] No.13111943{3}[source]▶
as you seem to believe.

I didn't say that. I said they would be fired if they were rude. It's a selection process that favours nice people, it does not make people nice (whatever that means).