What’s the real cost of convenience?

A raging pandemic, supply chain issues, and worker shortages have turned what were once quick jaunts to the grocery store or a favorite lunch spot into lengthy, anxiety-inducing excursions. Those new obstacles may be part of why so many Americans now turn to online shopping or apps for food and grocery delivery—but these conveniences come with a price, writes Vox’s Terry Nguyen—both for workers and consumers. Consumer behavior scholars say the “Amazonification of business” has led consumers to have high and impractical expectations for “frictionless convenience,” leading to feelings of entitlement and rage at the mere hint of inconvenience. In turn, the meanness of the public puts pressure on low-wage workers to take on additional duties well beyond their pay grade, like acting as conflict resolution negotiators. Who are the real winners in all of this? The tech companies that are not only raking in millions of dollars, but gaining influence over our lives. —Tina Vasquez