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Patrick McKenzie@patio11• almost 2 years ago

Ruriko: Why do you keep using that handyman? Me: He’s honest and competent. Ruriko: He forgets half of the time he has promised to come over. Me: In America, this is a classic “pick two” situation. Ruriko: So there are no honest, competent, reliable handymen? Me: “Promoted” out.

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11/27/2023
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Patrick McKenzie@patio11• almost 2 years ago
Replying to @patio11

I’m totally with her on missing “If you say you will show up at 10:00 AM, you will be there by 10:05 AM or there will be profuse apologies, because you are capable of reading the calendar you noted that commitment on and using a phone appropriately” from home.

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Patrick McKenzie@patio11• almost 2 years ago
Replying to @patio11

(There are many factors at play, but one reason inseparable from the consumer surplus in many fields in Japan is implicit subsidization by allocating very talented people to jobs which are a bit “beneath” their talents then overutilizing/underpaying them.)

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Patrick McKenzie@patio11• almost 2 years ago
Replying to @patio11

(I use scare quotes on “beneath” because I want being a handyman to be something with purpose and dignity, but don’t want that so much that one can’t perceive economic realities of what jobs compete with it and how.)

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Patrick McKenzie@patio11• almost 2 years ago
Replying to @patio11

“What do you think a handyman who is ‘promoted’ out in America ends up doing?” I’d assume a lot of it is moving into management/capital on either services or real estate.

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Patrick McKenzie@patio11• almost 2 years ago
Replying to @patio11

Keep showing up on time and eventually you’ll need business cards because you’ll need a sales process, and your more clueful friends will say “put General Contractor as your title; thank me later.”

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Patrick McKenzie@patio11• almost 2 years ago
Replying to @patio11

Then you get to spend your days talking to people like me and your nights grousing about how finding employees is a “pick two” situation.

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Vivid Void@VividVoid_• almost 2 years ago
Replying to @patio11

@patio11 I used to be a handyman, this is dead on I often tell people if you're sober, you actually show up and you actually finish the job, you beat 90% of the competition

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