I went down the rabbit hole of the internet today, searching for news about the 7.1 earthquake in California. I think I was on CNN.com when I came across an article about pod sharing and a new-ish company that created podshare.com. You can stay for a day or for months. The pod (basically a tricked out bunk bed) is yours, however, everything else is shared. I’m always fascinated about living spaces, especially small, unique ones so I was sucked in and all I’m left with are questions. Nay, more like concerns.
As many of you suffer through 8 hour work days in cubicles with oblivious, annoying people, imagine actually living with them. I strongly believe that the people who invented and are proponents of cubicles, never really have had to work in a cubicle, long-term. There are times I can’t hear myself think in my cubicle and forced to put earplugs in with white noise.
My Communal Experience
In the early 2000’s, I had my first taste of “communal” on a business trip to San Francisco. My mother came along for the trip and we stayed at The Cliff in downtown. We went to the hotel restaurant to find communal tables. Basically, it was long bar like tables and we would be sat with complete strangers. I didn’t want to socialize with complete strangers however being the lady that I am, I made small talk. I vowed 48 minutes later to never be put in that situation again.
The New Communal
I’ve been reading that experts (whoever that may be) think that millenials want more of a social, personalized experience when traveling. For example, Hilton started a hotel recently called Tru by Hilton a.k.a, my worst nightmare. Rooms are around 275 square feet, there are games and craft beer in the lobby and lastly, no coffee makers in the rooms. This is done on purpose to force people out of their rooms to socialize. You know what? Maybe they don’t want to socialize. What are we? 5-years-old and wanting to make friends? So if you’re alone on a business trip (a situation I found myself in once a month for several years in my late twenties, early thirties), Hilton thinks I want to go down to the lobby (by myself) and just strike up a conversation with a stranger. I don’t think so Linda.
Questions for Podshares
Ok, ok. they say that there is a screening process before and after you stay and there are rules. Despite all of this, here are all the worst case scenarios that went through my head and should go through anyone’s head when thinking about staying at one of these:
- There’s a rule that you can’t have pod sex but you are allowed to share a bed with your spouse. So though they say no pod sex, you can’t tell me it’s never happened. In the articles I’ve read, they said they police themselves but let’s be real, are you going to be the one to yell across the room, “GET A ROOM!” Because that’s gonna be pretty hard to do.
- What if a bum has a really good day begging and pulls together the $50 to stay in one of these things. He hasn’t showered in days, smells like piss and he’s sleeping right above you.
- To piggyback on #2, what happens if someone is very “natural” and doesn’t take showers as frequently as they should. Again, your stuck smelling this person, ALL NIGHT LONG.
- What if you get a pervert that has a clean record (passed the background check). 3 a.m. rolls around and everyone’s asleep, including you but you know who’s not asleep? The pervert. He’s made his way over to your pod and is now touching you.
- On one of the YouTube videos, they showed a concert being held in the middle of all the pods so basically, if you wanted to sleep at that moment, that just wasn’t going to happen. Can you imagine having a pounding headache, all you want to do is sleep but you can’t because some damn hipster is playing the accordion with his folk band.
- You have a locker but can keep stuff out in the open. Someone could steal something.
- What about shower hogs and the hot water running cold?
- Why couldn’t they put sliding doors that lock on these pods? That would at least fix several of the issues mentioned above.
Like cubicles, I just don’t think it’s a good idea. We all need privacy to feel safe and to decompress from the day. We all recharge our batteries differently and my way is being alone. What do you guys think? Are pods a good idea? Would you live in a pod? Or maybe just for a night?
No way with the pods, but sharing a table for dinner, yes. We did that a couple of times when we tried a holiday camp with the children – for the ironic experience. Our youngest said in a loud voice as we five sat at a table of eight with three very nice seniors …’What’s the point of talking to people you don’t even know?’ Very embarassing. We have been to hotels and shared tables and chatted to plenty of interesting people. But my nightmare would be a cruise stuck on the same table with boring or ghastly people for 6 weeks! Maybe the cruise would be two weeks, but would feel like six.
Yeah, it would really suck to be seated with completely boring people.
this is a hard pass for me as well! but I do understand why it’s a big draw for people right now. There are so many jobs that are like solo/work from home type things that my generation just doesn’t interact socially with people. Like I can honestly say if I didn’t have church, some weeks I wouldn’t see anyone outside of my work. Like I also need some of that down time but it’s also the fact that I just go to work and come home. And another thing is that my generation is stuck is this horrible situation where we don’t get paid as much as we should and then we have all the debt and not enough money and if we need to go and stay over night, it’s probably a cheaper option for us to have the pod situation? lol I would still never do it though haha
I never really thought about your generation wanting to socialize as it seems like that the opposite of what’s happening but you have a good point. But yes, pods are a NO!
I am definitely super social online but not so much in person lol