Thank You – Memphis Flyer

I’d like to start off this week by extending a heartfelt thank you to the handful of readers who emailed me in reference to last week’s “I’ve Got Mail” column, in which I shed light on my least favorite part of this job — receiving hateful feedback from “readers.” (I guess we’ll call them that, despite the lack of evidence they’ve actually read what any of us have written.) While that was the first direct negative email I’ve gotten in the months since I’ve been editor of this paper, I do often see angry comments from folks on social media. It’s best to laugh them off, I’ve found, as most times it’s akin to Yelp or Google reviewers who have plenty of time on their hands to rant publicly about bad experiences, but rarely take an opportunity to praise good ones.

The Memphis Flyer hasn’t officially published “Letters to the Editor” in quite a while, but I’d like to devote some space here to share encouraging tidbits from some of the positive responses I received, from longtime (or lifelong) Memphians (who actually do read the paper). They were healthy reinforcements of why we do what we do, week in and week out.

“Memphis is a deeply human city: living here regularly reminds me of the beauty, joy, misery, and cruelty that make up the human experience,” reads one email. “Too often, I am disappointed and frustrated by the narrow-mindedness, coldheartedness, and fear that infect our largely hardworking, friendly, and generous community. Reading the ‘Checking In’ email that you received is one such incident. … I applaud your call for critical thought and for, above all, kindness. Your response reminded me of one of my favorite Gandhi quotes: ‘We have to answer lies with truth and meanness with generosity.’”

A “Proud ‘Demokrat’ who regularly reads the Flyer” humorously wrote in response to the misplaced-rage commentary, “I too have a mental disorder; I am a proud liberal. … Now y’all have my ever-loving gratitude by being just what I need: a respected member of the socialist insane asylum.”

I’ll admit, while in the throes of writing, editing, and cranking out a paper each week, it’s easy to forget that there are people who genuinely look forward to seeking a news rack and immersing themselves in what we produce, so this was especially moving:

“My weekly ritual involves grabbing a paper copy of the Flyer from the newspaper stand in the lobby of Clark Tower where I work. I typically read it over lunch and I always find something new and different and interesting, every single week. We subscribe to all of the papers in this town but I enjoy and value the Memphis Flyer the most. My wife and I signed up as Frequent Flyers a few years back and I smile every time I see the email reminders.

“Keep up the good work. You and the Flyer crew are the best and Memphis is extremely lucky to have you.”

To that, I say, we are extremely lucky to have you. Each and every one of you who makes a point to add us to your weekly routines, whether that is picking up a physical copy out in the world or reading through our news, politics, sports, music, food, film, arts, culture, or opinion features online — you are the reason the Flyer is still here and going strong, more than 30 years after our first issue hit the streets. We appreciate everyone who has signed on as a Frequent Flyer — by contributing financially, with a one-time or monthly donation. (You can learn more about our Frequent Flyer program via the “Support Us” link at memphisflyer.com.)

As an independent publication, always free to you — in print and online — keeping you informed and connected to our city is at the forefront of our mission. Every time you pick up a paper, pass a copy on to a friend, share our stories online, or do business with our advertisers, you are supporting what we do. For that, we extend our endless gratitude. The Flyer wouldn’t be here without you.

“Alexa, thank my driver.”

These words rubbed me the wrong way last week when Amazon announced a campaign to allow customers the opportunity to say “thank you” and send a $5 tip to their delivery driver. Not that giving thanks is a bad idea. We should all show more gratitude more often. It’s just that coming from one of the most profitable companies in the U.S. — and on the heels of reports of a lawsuit launched against it, for withholding employee tips of all things, in addition to impending layoffs which include jobs in its Alexa division — it sounds like a bit of a joke.

For the 12 months ending in September 2022, Amazon exceeded $502 billion in revenue and $11 billion in net income. Billion. In a society where instant gratification has become the norm, and where with a few mouse clicks or screen taps, we can have just about anything we’d ever need or want delivered to our front doors in a matter of hours or days, the irony of asking a robot to say thank you to the humans doing all that work does not escape me.

According to Amazon’s announcement: “Starting December 7, any time a customer says, ‘Alexa, thank my driver,’ the driver who delivered their most recent package will be notified of the customer’s appreciation. And, in celebration of this new feature, with each ‘thank you’ received from customers, drivers will also receive an additional $5, at no cost to the customer. We’ll be doing this for the first 1 million ‘thank yous’ received. And, the five drivers who receive the most customer ‘thank yous’ during the promotional period, will also be rewarded with $10,000 and an additional $10,000 to their charity of choice.”

Okay, sounds good. But what’s $5 million to Amazon — a corporation that netted $33.3 billion in profits in 2021? While this year thus far has shaped up to be the first in recent past that the company has shown a decline in profits (2021 showed a 56.41 percent increase from 2020; 2020 an 84.08 percent increase over 2019), that amount is but a drop of water in the ocean.

According to ZipRecruiter, the average national salary for Amazon delivery drivers is $43,794, depending on location, with an average of $41,050 per year in Tennessee. There are also a slew of Amazon Flex drivers — a program that launched in 2015 as the uptick of services like Uber, Lyft, and the like saw more people using their own cars to make extra cash. Those Flex workers are independent contractors who do not receive reimbursement for gas, mileage, parking fees, etc. — and who, Amazon reports, earn $18 to $25 an hour, again depending on location and how quickly they complete their deliveries. Not bad for an hourly rate, but factor in gas, vehicle wear and tear, and physical demands, and you’ve gotta wonder what that balances out to. Of course, people choose to work at Amazon and could seek employment elsewhere at any time. But that’s not the point. Folks who work in the warehouses and in shipping and delivery are among the most integral parts of the business. Do consumers need to log on to an app or ask an electronic device to ensure they’re appreciated or properly compensated?

The “thank my driver” campaign hit its limit just one day after the launch, with Amazon announcing December 8th, “We have received more than 1 million ‘thank yous’ concluding the promotion offering $5 per ‘thank you’ to eligible drivers. You can still share your appreciation by saying, ‘Alexa, thank my driver.’ We are thankful for the enthusiastic response to the promotion and the appreciation shown to drivers.”

So yes, of course, continue to thank your driver. (Although I’m curious if they’re being inundated with constant, now-annoying notifications.) Maybe put a little care package out with snacks or a gift card. But this whole thing reeks of a PR stunt to show Amazon as a company that cares for its workforce. And maybe it does. It could be a great place to work; I wouldn’t know. But I do know that its founder, Jeff Bezos, is reported to be the fourth-wealthiest person in the world, and that doesn’t happen without a certain level of smarts — and, I dare say, greed.

While we’re in the spirit of gratitude, if the opportunity arises, be sure to express thanks to your other delivery drivers, postal workers, restaurant servers, retail associates, and everyone else who keeps the ships afloat, especially this time of year. And consider stopping in a locally owned shop for some of your holiday gifting needs this season. They could use the support much more than Amazon.