I hate how much modern life includes wasting time evaluating middleman companies between you and the service you want to use. Last night I needed to make a hotel booking and ended up in a daze trying to compare the hotel’s website, booking platforms and sites that compare booking platforms. I think I even saw a site comparing the comparison platforms. Every site has slightly different rates, offers and booking terms but ultimately all are for the same standard hotel room.

Same problem getting a phone plan or electricity company. My phone is still largely going through the same phone towers and my electricity from the same power plant even if I pick plans offered by an airline or supermarket for some reason. I wonder how much of what I spend each year goes in profit to middleman companies like these?

@joannaholman Somewhere in Absolutely Fabulous there's a line : "I don't want more choice, I just want nicer things!" The older I get, the more I understand.
@joannaholman So much for “friction-free capitalism”.
@joannaholman anything that can only come from one source should be nationalised or socialised
@joannaholman
If there's a problem, a reservation booked directly with the hotel will be much easier resolved than one placed through an aggregation web site.
@joannaholman this is likely what Twain was referring to when he noted “Comparison is the thief of joy.”