Its interesting the impact "consumerism" has had on western culture. It has been fueled by "status anxiety" (aka comparison, the death of joy) and taken focus away from innovation and especially civic pride/responsibility. I see minimalism as a rejection of the (toxic) consumerist playbook and I hope more people realise how insidious it is individually and culturally. Note: I'm not criticising the positive consumerism that improves people's lives.
Toll roads and fuel costs killed me when I did the daily commute in the big city. I took care of that by moving far, far away (1000 miles) and working remote about 2 years before the pandemic hit. Since I was so far away, there wasn't any "Can you come in today?" Yes, it eventually cost me my job .. but that was 4 years down the road and I had a chance to cut back on expenses and get other income to cover things. I was finally free of Corporate Amerika.
Absolutely agree about the fact that you can make one mistake at corporate and lose everything. I’ve been fired five different times and in none of those situations was I warned beforehand or given an opportunity to fix anything they didn’t like about how I worked. I’ve been told “only the paranoid survive” in corporations.
My last job ended 2 month ago and although recruiters are contacting me less, simply the act of reading proposed job description from them makes me feel sick. I get anxiety and stress simply from reading about work tasks that I've been doing for many years. Time for a change.
I think a four-day workweek can help with time management. From my experience and long-term friend, we tend to have more time to do hobbies. One could say inefficiency at work can eat upto a one working day.
*Status Anxiety* is such a great phrase for all of this!
Its interesting the impact "consumerism" has had on western culture. It has been fueled by "status anxiety" (aka comparison, the death of joy) and taken focus away from innovation and especially civic pride/responsibility. I see minimalism as a rejection of the (toxic) consumerist playbook and I hope more people realise how insidious it is individually and culturally.
Note: I'm not criticising the positive consumerism that improves people's lives.
Toll roads and fuel costs killed me when I did the daily commute in the big city. I took care of that by moving far, far away (1000 miles) and working remote about 2 years before the pandemic hit. Since I was so far away, there wasn't any "Can you come in today?" Yes, it eventually cost me my job .. but that was 4 years down the road and I had a chance to cut back on expenses and get other income to cover things. I was finally free of Corporate Amerika.
Absolutely agree about the fact that you can make one mistake at corporate and lose everything. I’ve been fired five different times and in none of those situations was I warned beforehand or given an opportunity to fix anything they didn’t like about how I worked. I’ve been told “only the paranoid survive” in corporations.
I quit my job at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage headquarters.. I was an Application Systems Engineer 5.
ETHAN quit stealing my haircut
My last job ended 2 month ago and although recruiters are contacting me less, simply the act of reading proposed job description from them makes me feel sick. I get anxiety and stress simply from reading about work tasks that I've been doing for many years. Time for a change.
I'm with you. It's ridiculous sometimes pay wouldn't be mentioned or is barely keeping up with the cost of living.
I think a four-day workweek can help with time management. From my experience and long-term friend, we tend to have more time to do hobbies. One could say inefficiency at work can eat upto a one working day.
Ethan, did you invent the term “ corporate cringe”. Love that!
They’re the reason corporate America sucks how can they make videos about hating corporate America. They’re the problem.
Needing what you need. Minimalism really is not.