Can we all stop using the expression sharing economy?
I see this phrase abused every single day and it's driving me nuts.
Just stop.
You're not sharing.
If you give someone a ride and you charge them, I don't care if you call yourself Uber or Lift or Sidecar or whatever.
Basically, you're a taxi service.
And if you rent a room out of your house using Airbnb, you're a landlord Or a hotel, or a Bed and Breakfast.
But, you're not sharing your home.
You're renting it.
If you let a friend crash on your couch for awhile and the friend makes dinner and kindly stocks the fridge with beer, that's sharing.
Here's another example.
Let's say you're a kid and your mom tells you to share your candy with your brother.
She does not want you to charge him $10 for the candy, she wants you to give it to him.
For free.
Free is sharing.
Again for review, if you're going to the same place as your friend or colleague and you carpool, and they kick down a couple bucks for gas, yes that is sharing.
But when you charge someone money for a ride or a place to stay, that's not sharing.
That's your business.
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