Ask HN: Why Are People Staying in More?
People are increasingly working, consuming entertainment and ordering food from home. Why is this happening? Have there been other times in history when people have spent most of their time at home?
It's constructed, accidentally, an age of self-centred loneliness. Towns, bars, shops are increasingly struggling. Yes, going out is expensive, and it's cheaper to buy a few bottles of beer and Netflix, but few of our social networks (those used to be real not online) are based in the local pub or weekly club any more. Now they're all around the personalised, I'm the centre of the world, app.
Don't agree about the depression - When my parents went through the depression, everyone was in everyone else's pockets. They'd spend time in each other's houses for ad hoc childcare, meals, help from debt, hiding from the rent man etc. A lot of their stories were of a world I don't recognise at all. Everyone knew everyone in the street and did things together; it was almost disturbingly social. Maybe that was because they were in a city, I don't know.
I suspect the right balance is somewhere in between.
That being said, for me, the number one and two reasons I stay home are cold and traffic. I go out a LOT more when it's warmer. But anything I can go out for is weighed against the time I'm going to end up sitting in my car. I tend to do a lot of stops or whatever on the way home, but tend to stay home once I am there.
Also, note that tipping significantly increases the cost of food, which you don't escape with delivery, but do escape if you get takeout/to-go. And with an often 30-40 minute wait time to be seated at a restaurant some nights, not waiting to not have to tip sounds mighty worthwhile.
Going out is expensive. The middle class has less disposable income now. I am not middle class (because I am a web developer) but though I can afford to go out, I don't go out that often.
I prefer to cook at home, for cost and health. I have a great tv, the movie theatre is expensive, so it has to be a movie I really want to see. Working from home is awesome. I do it as much I can. My cat misses me when I am away.
People spend a lot of their time "virtually socializing" with their phones. So, being at home alone.. isn't as alone as it used to be,