del.icio.us sent me to an Esquire article on outsourcing your life, and it appears that for as little as AU$2500 you can have your life run by others.
Not only does this mean you don’t have to remember to pay your credit cards, write that complaint to the airline company for screwing up your meal, or buying a present for your son, but apparently it’s also a great way of emailing your boss asking him to get his arse into gear, and even apologise to your wife for forgetting to get cash from the ATM the day before.
The author mentions his concern for the huge loss of privacy, these “life management consultants” know everything about you from your credit card and social security number to your weight, cholesterol level and the fact you have a third and fourth nipple. He tried to level the playing field by asking his assistants for some personal information about them, and got some pre-prepared, publicly available, probably professionally edited biography.
I would still be very insecure in the knowledge that this amount of information is not only being collected from me, but also being collated through dealing on my behalf. People I’ve called (see my phone bill), porn sites I’ve subscribed to (access to my email), the “boys’ weekend” that magically coincides with the plane ticket to Paris and a hefty hotel bill (credit card bills).
Of course these personal services are all confidential - right? No one there would misuse the information - right? And if you don’t have anything to hide you’re ok - right?
Yeah, right.