SKU: 35474253094

The Outsourced Self: What Happens When We Pay Others to Live Our Lives for Us

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The Outsourced Self: What Happens When We Pay Others to Live Our Lives for UsA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year From the famed author of the bestselling The Second Shift and The Time Bind, a pathbreaking look at the transformation of private life in our for profit world The family has long been a haven in a heartless world, the one place immune to market forces and economic calculations, where the personal, the private, and the emotional hold sway. Yet as Arlie Russell Hochschild shows in The Outsourced Self, that is no

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

From the famed author of the bestselling The Second Shift and The Time Bind, a pathbreaking look at the transformation of private life in our for-profit world

The family has long been a haven in a heartless world, the one place immune to market forces and economic calculations, where the personal, the private, and the emotional hold sway. Yet as Arlie Russell Hochschild shows in The Outsourced Self, that is no longer the case: everything that was once part of private life--love, friendship, child rearing--is being transformed into packaged expertise to be sold back to confused, harried Americans.

Drawing on hundreds of interviews and original research, Hochschild follows the incursions of the market into every stage of intimate life. From dating services that train you to be the CEO of your love life to wedding planners who create a couple's "personal narrative"; from nameologists (who help you name your child) to wantologists (who help you name your goals); from commercial surrogate farms in India to hired mourners who will scatter your loved one's ashes in the ocean of your choice--Hochschild reveals a world in which the most intuitive and emotional of human acts have become work for hire.

Sharp and clear-eyed, Hochschild is full of sympathy for overstressed, outsourcing Americans, even as she warns of the market's threat to the personal realm they are striving so hard to preserve.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Picador USA
Published: 04/02/2013
ISBN: 9781250024190
Pages: 300
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.55w x 0.88d

Review Citations: New York Times Book Review 05/12/2013 pg. 40
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SKU: 35474253094

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Idin Javadi
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Better than most!
Size: 1 add-on extender, Configuration: without eero Plus
I found that this extender works better than most in that it seamlessly boosts the signal without having to switch networks. The set up was super simple and easy, just plug and play basically. Does exactly as advertised, only about a 30% reduction in speed.
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Cuba, US
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Almost perfect...
Size: 1 router + 2 extenders, Configuration: without eero Plus
I needed to extend my wireless reception for my home office. This was recommended by the cable guy and was easy to install. Instead of just picking up a signal and patching it through, it creates a web in my home and extends the wi-fi not only to my office, but upstairs as well. It works with my Comcast modem and provides much greater speed and coverage in my home. It's not perfect as I still get occasional freezing when on video calls, but unless I want to move my office to the dining room this will have to do. I don't know how much this should cost, but I had a little bonus money so I spent it on this upgrade. It seems to be worth it.
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New York, US
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This was incredibly easy to set up. The app walked me through everything step by step and within just a few minutes the extender was connected and working. I’m not super techy, so I really appreciated how simple and straightforward the process was. I added this to help improve Wi-Fi coverage in parts of the house that normally had weaker signal, and it made a noticeable difference right away. Everything feels faster and more reliable now, especially when streaming or using multiple devices at once. Definitely a great option if you want to extend your coverage without dealing with a complicated setup process.
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Lowell, US
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Works with Eero 7 router and easy setup
Size: 1 add-on extender, Configuration: without eero Plus
Fabulous!! Fortunately I read many reviews and learned a few things before buying this excellent product. I have a recently installed Eero Pro 7, and this works great. One review I read mentioned it might take a bit of time for your device to recognize use the signal from the extender instead of the router. That was true for me. Give it 30 minutes or so and you will be happy. Another review talked about having the same Eero router I have, so I knew it would work for me. And finally, remember this… extenders do not increase speed per se, they improve the strength of the signal. It is improved signal strength that is allowing your device to operate better. Weak signal, slower speed. String signal, faster speed. Plug it in, open the app, tap to add a device and follow the very, very simple instructions and voila, connected. Rather than pay the extra $21/mo the IP wanted for me to rent the nodes, for the price of 3 months rental I own the extender. Excellent product
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Easy-to-add hub to for an existing Eero system
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Ok, so I am NOT tech-y at all—but fortunately Eero caters to my ilk! I installed an Eero wireless "mesh" system when we moved into our home and it came with three hubs to extend the coverage of the wifi throughout the home. That system was very easy to set up and control with an app, even for those without high-tech capacity like myself. Now, the good thing about a Midcentury home is that it is built insanely well—but the same thing that makes it soundproof and sturdy is also the thing that makes it a little troublesome when it comes to wifi coverage. I made my son a "kid-cave" out of the outdoor shed, which is about 15 feet away from the house. And as good as the Eero was inside the home, it was not able to deliver a consistent signal through the solid concrete walls to the shed. After much grumping from my 13-year-old gamer, I ordered one more extender hub to solve the issue. It arrived in a timely manner, and I brought it into the shed and plugged it into the wall. Fortunately for me, it was super easy to add this new hub to the existing system. All it took was one click in the app, and in less than a minute, the shed had full, high-speed wifi coverage like the rest of the home. I cannot recommend Eero enough - it is sleek, small and powerful, and the system is easily extended to suit all your wifi needs.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2026

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