19
Spent a month in Chiang Mai and the sheer number of co-working spaces felt like a bubble about to pop.
I counted 17 dedicated spots in the Old City alone, which makes me wonder if this model is sustainable or if we're just creating a new kind of tourist trap for ourselves.
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
simon_carr20d ago
...is it really that big of a deal? I remember when people would just rent a cheap room and work from their laptop at a coffee shop. Calling 17 co-working spaces a "bubble" just seems like we're all a little too obsessed with labeling normal ups and downs as some big economic event. The craft beer and food truck comparison is fair, but most of those places are still open and doing fine, just not as many as the peak.
6
fionafoster1mo ago
Yeah that "new kind of tourist trap" line hits home. I see this everywhere now, not just with co-working spaces. It's like we find a cool thing, then immediately build a whole fake economy around selling that vibe back to people. Same thing happened with craft beer and food trucks, where every town suddenly had ten of each. Feels like we're just building temporary villages for the next trend, then moving on when it gets old.
4
6
jessem591mo ago
Remember when people just had hobbies? Now every interest gets turned into a lifestyle you have to buy into, like vinyl records or houseplants. It makes just enjoying something feel like you're late on a payment.
2