My husband and I walked away from six figure soul sucking jobs. We downsized our lives from a horrible gated suburb full of Karens and now live our dreams in a small vibrant city among an open minded, diverse community of people who welcomed us with open arms. Don’t live to work! We are all worth so much more than being wage slaves.
Hi Kat, where in the world are you based? Lovely to hear how you changed your circumstances and I hope you are both much happier, especially away from a place full of Karens! Ahah I chuckled to that!
@@moodboosters1019 we are now happy in Huntsville, Texas. A small university city where a lot of writers, artists, musicians and open minded people in general are growing in a great new space. Labors of love ...definitely worth the dreaming and the doing.
@Millie My husband has a forge and he is the bass player in a metal band. (He used to work in oil and gas for a multi million$ facility.) I am a full time writer. (I used to be a hospital administrator.) We love our new lives. Glad you found your happy in Spain!
I am so happy and amazed to hear those things from a young Singaporean ! Such a capitalist country but some are conscious it’s beautiful it makes me so hopeful ❤️ we have to change the economic model globally, all together ...solidarity from France !
I mean, I am pround to see europeans who acknowledge Europe doea far better than most places of the world today because of capitalism and its atrocities worldwide.
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
i, personally, don't think theres anything wrong with labour because labour in itself can span from cooking to gardening and writing etc, but WORK i think is less about the individual producing a meaningful life and more about producing money for whatever company they work for.
It sucks that in a capitalist society there are limited types of work you can do to survive, and when people have disabilities (that are often made worse from capitalism and the pressure to sell oneself) work is even more limited and survival is even harder. Capitalism is not about taking a role in a community but instead taking a role to accumulate profit (most often for someone else).
This is true. Also don’t get sick or get hurt where it affects your ability, because that can ruin your entire life depending on how severe by limiting your money making potential on top of everything else. Also now everything is for profit and becoming so unaffordable like health care, rent, food, and now gas.
@@jenrusso23 i am one such person, living with chronic pain, and its horrible. I have two degrees, spend a lot of money on education, and I can hardly work now. I want to be of use to society, its depressing not to be, but i cannot cope with the stress and speed of everything. My body just can't handle it and my 'friends' don't get it at all, they think I am lazy because that is all capitalism has taught us.
@@jenrusso23 yeah. I feel like work can be something so great and fulfilling but it does get twisted when it is for profit for sure. Capitalism corrupts what it touches. I do dream of work, but work that is working towards something I believe in and is meaningful and not for the sake of making money, more so for the work in and of itself while also working towards goals and creating great things that benefit humanity as a whole. That's the dream for me. And a sense of community and collaboration and no sense of ill feeling towards other people doing the same work because under capitalism they'd be the competition, if the work could be open and free from envy and spite because of competition. Competition can be great as well, but not when lives are on the line, that's why sports are fun after all!
People don't understand that labor is an essential part of life. Without labor there is no reward, purpose, no effort. People want everything but don't want to do the work. Don't dream of labor? Then don't dream of that Chanel bag.
People: want to buy drinks from a coffee shop People: shame those who make the drinks The lack of logic will never not be wild to me. If “everyone” got a college degree (spoiler, not everyone can) and worked an office job, who would grow the food and clean the bathrooms and take care of the children and elderly and be the restaurant dish washers? If you *need* people to do these jobs, but also bash them and don’t pay them enough.... smh.
I worked in food service and often worked on holidays. I always got comments like “I can’t believe they make you work on Easter!” Well, YOU are the reason Im working on Easter right now smart guy 🙄
Indeed! Every job that is needed in the society, should be equally respected. I don't get this 'study well so you can get a better job' better how? Sure, I want to study to help society because that's a privilege. Other than that, I don't want to study to accumulate wealth. It's an endless cycle of despair.
Lack of logic? It's a low skill & low paying job. It would be a different story if they were the owner of Coffee shop. There are a tons of ways to earn a lot of money with no college.
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
Honestly, I totally hate the idea of hustle culture, capitalism, and companies benefitting off of workers, but at the same time I don't know what else I would do. I assume that I'll spend 50 years in the workforce working a 9-5 job once I graduate, but I have no idea what I would do without that goal. I literally don't have any idea what else I would do. The main reason for that is probably the fact that I've grown up in this environement, who teaches kids that their goal should always to land a nice job, and not actually figuring out what I want to do. To sum this up, I don't know what I want and if I decide to work a 9-5 job it's because that is the ONLY option that has been given to me despite the fact that the entire point of my schooling was so that I would have MORE options because I have no interests.
Sounds like you don't have enough knowledge to make a guided decision yet. Think about a number of things that interest you, then watch some videos / do research on all of them and absorb knowledge. Doing so will open your mind to opportunities/industries you currently don't realize are available.
Maybe try to find your hobbies, things you enjoy. You don't have to be good at them at the beginning. Maybe drawing, painting, yoga, biking, makeup, taking care of plants or animals, music, volunteering, writing stories, reading, diy. There's so many options, you just must give them a chance. Your interests don't have to be monetized to be valid. You can start with an office 9-5 (which is still a good option, a lot of working class people that for example have shitty jobs in retail would love to have it).
As an Indian, I just want to say that this video made me more confidently realize that capitalism is casteist in and of itself. So a struggle against caste is no longer just an Indian struggle.
They are completely different. A lower caste cannot change their job or situation in life. They are always defined by their caste. But capitalism allows anyone to become successful and wealthy. People are free to chose which job they want, and to advance in society. It’s a joke you would even compare such a barbaric system to capitalism
@@redrkstone 1st, people aren't free to chose what job they want under capitalism, they mostly do so out of survival and often times coercion and exploitation. Capitalism and colonialism has further strengthened the caste system in India. Wealthy upper caste people exploit those at the bottom and treat them as an underclass perfect for labour exploitation. Many wealthy Brahmins still continue to do abuse dalits for profit, much like capitalists do to most of the global labour force. Racism and capitalism go hand in hand, much like caste and capitalism as well.
@@nataliekhanyola5669 of course you can chose the job you want in capitalism. No one will stop you if you quit one job and do another. I have changed jobs, and most people I know have changed jobs, it’s a matter of choice. And racism has nothing to do with capitalism. There are capitalist states all over the world, and there are capitalists of all races and creeds. Race is irrelevant to Capitalism. But the caste system is utterly corrupt and very much discriminatory. Lower caste cannot change their caste and as a result strictly speaking couldn’t chose professions at will. There is no comparison between the two
I haven't watched the video yet, but judging by the book titles she conveniently listed in the timestamps, I can deduce that this girl is the future of humanity. Respect+
this video resonated so much with me - thank you! also I think it’s awesome that you’re a barista right now. I was recently in a prestigious PhD program and dropped out because it didn’t feel quite right. when I left the program, I became a barista and received similar judgement as you did, but I was soooo much happier!
@@WindofChange2023 Big companies and fortunes are behind governements, controling more and more aspects of it ? Governement isn't the pb itself... It actually could work against capitalism. I'm more and more interested in anarchist théories and history but i think that without a system of régulation, opposing to the power of big corporations, big fortunes etc it's impossible not to drift towards an even worse capitalism (although they indeed exist because they have their own system of régulation that they're imposing on us)
💸 "In praise of idleness" by Bertrand Russel is definitely worth a read... "I think that there is far too much work done in the world, that immense harm is caused by the belief that work is virtuous, and that what needs to be preached in modern industrial countries is quite different from what always has been preached". He wrote that in 1935 - what a legend!
Overpaid labour is not talked about nearly enough. Thank you for all of the book suggestions. PS - congratulations on finding a job that you like :) All I really want is to be a librarian lol
it’s not as easy to be a librarian as you think! you need a master’s degree and spots are limited unless frankly someone dies or retires. library assistants and library pages, who are often mistaken as librarians, actually do the bulk of library work, don’t get paid as much, and are more in abundance. -coming from me, a library page lol
this is my first time watching one of your videos, and you speak calmly and very eloquent. when you mentioned that you're choosing a career path that is non-traditional and not conforming to your parent's expectations, I felt it. I admire your courage and your diligent heart to stay true to yourself. sending much love!
Life is way shorter then we can comprehend until we hit 60. You will ask yourself how could life could be so short. The system waste your life. Time is so important. The system robs you of your happiness. I learned from real life, not schools. The school of hard knocks taught me to suffer on. I never lived a happy life. My struggle took all I had to get through. Difficult jobs very hard to find worked me almost to death.
Thanks for sharing this excellent reading list and what you've been learning about! I also do not dream of labor 💰 I'd love to spend my life creating art, reading, writing, cooking, and baking for my loved ones and myself, but by the time I finish my daily job, I'm exhausted and burnt out, and sometimes I feel barely able to take care of myself. The system we have is stifling and I'm looking forward to learning what others dream could be possible for us.
You’re welcome!! And thank you for commenting 🧡 yes I totally relate to your experience 😭 I hope we can find a better alternative outside of this working culture :(
it really saddens me to see ppl who like myself grew up in poverty or in the lower-class justify or fully support capitalism. .. it honestly feels like ppl are okay with living an NPC style of life while willingly falling victim to veil of consumerism.
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
I love the amount of clarity you have when communicating your ideas. You never push your ideas onto other people but clearly communicate what’s on your mind. Please keep up the good work.
i was brought up with the idea that i shouldn’t compete with others but compete with myself thats why the idea of making myself my own boss scares me. that fucker will be the end of me
of this style of video essays i've seen, i really appreciate the extra depth in your analysis of the messed up systems we're in, pushing back on the romanticization of education in Singapore, etc. great video!
Ive been seeing a lot of these videos pop up on my feed recently, and I love it! Because you guys just put words to everything I've been feeling, but have kinda been scared to admit to myself. Great video 💸📈📉
Amazing video! It's a constant struggle to grapple with these issues especially because of its complex & daunting nature and the fact that it's probably impossible to fix in our lifetime...I had a lecture recently where we spoke about the various things that can contribute to domestic violence and these things included "Pathologizing the victim - why not just leave, Pathologizing the offender - anti-social personality disorder, Role of modern-day stress, Role of drugs [especially alcohol], Biology/evolution - testosterone toxicity, Male gender role - enculturation in a patriarchal society, Inter-generational - history of family abuse, Family systems - nuclear families in individualist societies, Criminal justice system failures: police, courts, legislation, Gender inequality and male privilege - intrinsic in societies (androcentric), Inherent in the political framework of most societies". And this is for just domestic violence. Given yeah if these things were all 'solved', a lot of issues would be solved. But the nature of "wicked problems" (what my lecturer referred to as these complex problems that are near impossible to be solved solved) is that the solutions we come up with will naturally lead to other issues (which we will then have to solve, but I guess everyone is too comfortable in their existing way of life to try new solutions and for them to fail and try again. Despite the horror of the effects of capitalism today, people are still comfortable in that. A little like staying with an abusive partner because you're comfortable). It's just so hard :( For enough people to get on board with this...oof
yessss the concept of a wicked problem is really hard to tackle :( I hear it a lot in relation to climate change so I get what you mean!!! I guess for now my biggest hope is the gradual building of a resistance that will help mitigate all these obstacles along the way :( ah! and there's this idea of pleasure activism that I hold onto to motivate myself! it's about making the change/movement as sth that contributes joy and pleasure in one's life, so much so that any ordinary person would want to join in to better the society in their own ways
That’s a pretty good comparison tbh... it’s not that people are necessarily 100% happy with the current situation, it’s just that staying as we are is less complicated than trying to change it. And in a way, it feels safer - we can’t know what’ll happen if we change things, whereas the problems we face in our current screwed-up system are at least familiar. But of course, when that’s the mindset that prevails throughout our society, the problems we already have will continue to persist & get worse, until we’re forced to reckon with them in a way that’s even more painful than it would’ve been if we had just acted sooner.
Wow thank you for sharing this. The snowball effects of reasoning behind these actions is anxious. I have found myself recently realigning with the taoist concepts of nature being one that has no good or bad, there are no morals. It’s helping me to define my perspective on all issues that aren’t black and white. Because like you said, stopping one problem can be seen as ~good but leads to another problem so now its ~bad again. It’s as if our ability to measure events or situations as good or bad actually distracts us from the societal structures in place causing harm. For ex: is it that my small-business boss needs to pay me more, OR that rent and other bills need to be subsidized? The former being individual and the latter societal. We should probably focus on that! How do we help people understand their biases and approach issues objectively? For the collective!
I just found your channel and I am SO happy I did!! So glad there exists a Singaporean channel that speaks so openly about these things (and other things that matter like climate justice) + sing booktuber!! You got my support, I’m so sure you’re going to grow on RUclips soon ☺️
Yet some people's time is more valuable than others'... I would like to start an art craft business where the price is determined by the hourly wage of the buyer; my time in exchange for your time. Rich people would have to pay more. Unemployed people could negotiate to exchange for some sort of favour they can help me with. I hate that everything has a price tag. Things are worth what we value them. 'If you don't value my work, then make it yourself - but oh, you don't have the time.'
@@raapyna8544 Of course. I think if you are providing a service/product then your time *is* valuable. People should be compensated for the work they provide in any capacity. I meant time-is-money mentality in the sense of American work culture where you constantly have to work 40+ hours a week to make ends-meet. The mentality of work until retirement (maybe when you are in your 60s) and then you can have “free” time.
@@raapyna8544 Grats. You basically want to have a failing business. THAT is an aspiration. Here is why: Poor people will not pay you a lot per your list as they have little, RICH people will not pay you a lot because why would they pay you more than other artists for the same art. Done - you go bankrupt for being an idiot.
@@ThomasTomiczek rich people are willing to pay for shit as long as you slap a stupid price tag on it. Why do you think brands like gucci exist despite the fact that its subpar🤦
I feel so much joy and not alone listening to you talk . I'm excited that we all get to learn watching you, with you! I am a barista too, but I am discovering that I have an auto immune system disorder. I had to quit my last barista job due to work life balance boundaries being broken, which made my fatigue so much worse. Now I'm unemployed, and watching you has helped me feel less shame. We will work out a "way out" together, I'm so sure :)
I’m glad you feel like this. The more of you there are, the easier it will become for the people who do want to get on and progress in their workplace to achieve their goals
my first time seeing a video on this but you were so insightful! i love how calm you were about this topic and it reinforces your argument on anti-capitalism bc you're not backing all of this by rage/frustration but rather supporting everything with solid theories and anecdotes and actually try to explore how we can resist our current capitalism system. YOU ARE AMAZING!
hello!! fellow singaporean here. got recommended this video and very happy to have clicked into it! so happy to find a local youtuber with such content. :)
The way you articulate and your energy is so calming and very welcoming. I’ve just subscribed and very much look forward to exploring your precious content and what else you put out 🤗
i'm so happy you're a barista! my brother wants to be a barista too but some people think he is crazy, but i don't see what is the problem with that. we have a similar background education like you. i will try to read the books :) greetings from brazil
You speak on this so well, enjoyed your gentle and genuine approach. I subbed. I also recently read How To Be An Anti Capitalist and really enjoyed it. I took so many notes!
Life is work. But work doesn't have to be meaningless or worthless. It starts from learning to respect yourself. Carving out your core values. Minimizing the distracting nonessentials. (Things, goals, values; do you want it all at the same time or do you have priorities) Leaning in to what is valuable. Then working as a community to change the conditions of our society.
as a fellow singaporean, thank you for mentioning the warped reality of the education system. i know it’s not the main point of the video, but i’m always happy to see people call out how messed up it actually is. also being a barista is such a cool job, i’m really glad you love what you’re doing
📉📊 thank you so much for making this video! I am a fellow college educated person who is baking bread as a job with my auntie constantly sending job sites to get higher paying remote work. With no acknowledgement of my consistent explanation that i work for the kind of business i want to see in society and dont see the value in making what i call ~imaginary online money~ So just a healthy reminder that I love your work and you should definitely trust your intuition. 📈📈
just came here to say thank you so much for making this video. this speaks to me on a deep level and put in words the many layers of feelings and emotions I've had towards this topic for a long time. i just want to also affirm that yes as you said, you are definitely contributing to the conversation and this video is incredibly valuable for that reason
i’m convinced that this is the best “i do not dream of labor” video on youtube. i love that you give resources for us to educate ourselves as well!!! 💖💖
Honestly, I really don't blame you! Nothing wrong with work but there has to be some fulfilment from somewhere. All the best on your path during this time
@faith Reader they said they don’t dream of working for someone, not that they completely cut off the idea. they can also work for themselves if they want to. come on now
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
Nice to see this being discussed by someone from Singapore. It's pretty bad in the US with job-shaming, but I heard from my friends in Singapore that it's brutal over there. I hope we all can live more abundantly and presently. 🙏
hey!! i love your vibe so much. the way you speak is so comprehensible, even with my naturally distracted mind, i still dont miss a thing!!! thank you for being you and educating yourself!!! this summer i’ve actually been WILLINGLY reading some books for the first time in my life. i’m going to Temple University philly in a month. anyways the books i’ve read are “the subtle art of not giving a fuck” by manson and “stillness is the key” by holiday. soon i plan to read “everything is fucked” by manson. i believe aligning mind body and spirit is essential in these big thoughts and we should be proud of ourselves for learning and unlearning big things!!!
So happy to watch this video! I absolutely have the same feeling with you. I used to work for a big bank but working there made me feel completely disconnected with what is actually going on in the world. What is worse, I slowly found myself defining myself with the titles, the workplace's name, without realizing the fact that I felt less and less able to define who I really was. Anyway, I am on a new journey of exploring the world now, and hopefully I feel stronger self-recognition in the near future. Good luck to you!
1) Your voice is sooo soothing 2) I recently within the past year have realized that my 2 jobs do not care about their employees (they are both in the customer service industry). A lot of rules have been implemented, including reduced break times, typical annual hour cuts, CONSTANTLY having to be working on something at all times and being ridiculed if you can't find anything, and staying past shifts for employees who call off/show up extremely late. Between dealing with Karens and facing snobby higher-ups I don't know what's worse. District leaders and managers brainwash employees into thinking if they don't give their all they won't receive this raise or that benefit. And unfortunately because of capitalism there's a sense that I am trapped in these industries; I have been working on a side hustle to sell my art one day, and I know art as a career is shunned down on in our society. However, that's not going to stop me from chasing my dreams.
This was a great video! Thanks for all these resources and for your perspective -- what you said about individualism/looking out for ourselves only instead of working as a community really resonated with me!! I read parts of The Problem with Work by Kathi Weeks a couple years ago for class and would definitely recommend based off of what I remember (plan to read it fully soon). It frames work as a political problem, rather than an unchangeable fact, and introduces concrete examples for positive change.
This is an amazing video! Very well done and researched. The book recommendations were a huge bonus, thank you so much. I was a barista for yeeeeaaars and dreamed of competing and maybe even owning my own shop. Everyone would always tell me that being a barista was a "temporary" job and that I "could not expect it to last or be a viable career". Although I'm not a barista anymore (my own choice), it is frustrating to think about certain opportunities that I missed because of the negative conception of food industry jobs.
I just put in my 2 weeks at my comfortable office job because it was the definition of a bullshit job. 8 hours 5 days a week of getting paid to be on hold for entitled companies that want things done quickly and perfectly. The money will be missed, but no paycheck is worth a contract on my soul. I too want a simple job that allows me to have a life outside of work. I want to experience community and actually get to know my neighbors. I'm so tired of feeling like a mindless drone that constantly needs more. Thank you for this thoughtful video and book suggestions! Everything you touched on about growing up and getting into "gifted" classes while in school really hit home. It taught me to treat the kids that couldn't get into those classes as less than, but f that noise. The system is so corrupt and unfair. I really can't wait to see how things begin to change in the next decade.
My grandpa is called fritz schumacher, i never met him but he’s kind of a god in my family whose philosophy runs through our veins in everything we do. He wrote a book called ‘small is beautiful’ , it’s slogan ‘economics as if people matter’. It talks about the only sustainable way we can live is through a less is more style economics instead of what we are seeing under capitalism. I cant recommend it enough.
Thank you for adding to the discussion in this way! I love your perspective. The idea that we are all vying for the same jobs, the privileged and the poor. Capitalism usually doesn’t showcase the nepotism. It pretends like meritocracy is the main form of ‘success’ by publicising those ✨high toxic ✨ rags to riches titles in the media ‘ black disabled gay homeless man now a Harvard graduate award winning nuclear scientist, business man, CEO, a youngest trillionaire says the Key To Success is GOD AND HARDWORK’ Like what!
Instead of full-on or no capitalism in a "all or nothing" way, I think a slightly better world is one of soft capitalism(?), where inter-class solidarity is not just bandied around as a protest placard but starts from finding out what the socioeconomic underclass is going through, and what they need. My food delivery work during the pandemic pointed me to two things that led me to rethink my earlier position based in a lopsided reading list with too much critical theory readings: First, we cannot not have capitalism cos if that happens, food delivery personnel will be out of job! (This reminds me of your desaturated interjection on sounding too serious talking about capitalism while sipping off a designer glass cup of tea from a tea bag :-)... Second, there r many ways to show appreciation to essential workers (claps, songs, thank you posters, a prolonged thank you with a Japanese bow), but there is only one way of appreciating that really matters: a tip, no matter the amount; at least in the case of manual labour or essential work. Great to discover your channel, Nat. Will say hello if I pick up an order from ya, ie if u r still doing barrister work on top of.... teaching (right?)...
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to grow our knowledge by offering reading options. I appreciate this. I enjoy diving into a subject from different perspectives I was brought up to chase the job instead of having a career that may have been more inline with who I am and my own interest. I don't like the idea of a job and asking someone for the chance to make a living. I would rather find an enjoyable interest of my own and put my energy in bring it to market instead of working a job for someone else. I'm not sure I'm an advocate of Capitalism. I think we can do better. I'm now growing my ability to be self sufficient without depending on the system. This idea appeals to me.
This video was awesome! Thank you so much for sharing! I really love how you talked about all of these topics. I resonate so much. I have so many family members in Singapore who would benefit from watching this!
Currently undecided on what i want to major in. Asked the universe for a sign and your video was on my recommended page. Thank you so much for this video❤
Read Quit Like A Millionaire by Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung. They have great tips to leverage your education in order to live the life you want without worrying too much about money.
i made a video like this (it’s doing really well cos your video is recommending it so thank you!!) but i loved hearing your perspective and i’ll definitely be checking out some of the books you’ve mentioned ✨
So happy to find alternative voices like your own on these topics. As a south-asian who migrated and settled and succeeded in Canada, it's only very recently that I've started to question the pervasive notions that I've been fed since early childhood.
I highly recommend "The Value of Everything" by Mariana Mazzucato - it goes into the history of value theory and how labour/value has been defined and even though it is quite heavy on the historical and theoretical side, I learned a lot from it and found it inspiring. Our current reality seems like it has always been as it is now and it is important to learn and understand that it is in fact a product of a series of theories stacked on top of each other.
What a great video from a smart young lady! Thank you. One solution against capitalism, one alternative to capitalism are worker-coop based enterprises. Professor Richard D. Wolff has many lectures about this topic and other anti-capitalist topics alse here on RUclips and the platform "democracy at work"
Brilliant discussion and recommendations. I've had Bullshit Jobs on my reading list for a couple of years - great reminder to start reading it soon. I'm now also interested in all the other books, including This changes everything and Hope in the dark.
Just stumbled on this video (and your channel) and really, really loved it and so many exciting recommendations! This truly was an incredible contribution to the conversation going on - let's all work together to change the world for the better.
I really appreciate your take on this issue. I've seen a lot of these videos where the person says they are done looking for a dream job but their conclusion is that they will just be self-employed/influencer/entrepreneur and it's really useless advice. very few people are in a position where they can choose to not work and for most people, the alternative to a dream job is a job they don't like but still takes up the majority of their lives. it's very difficult to not work and sustain yourself without someone's support or without exploiting someone. I fully agree with the idea that we shouldn't build our lives around work because no matter how much you love your job, the work you are doing is likely much more valuable than your compensation. but you can't fight that reality unless you are willing to take advantage of someone else's labour as well.
I loved BS Jobs by David Graeber and I'm excited for his new book out in October, RIP. This was a great discussion and I'm looking forward to reading some of your recommendations, especially the high tech housewives one 📈
*waves from the US* A book that I read a number of years ago that could help is The Scavenger's Manifesto by Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson. It's not specifically anti-capitalist, but defines a scavenger as anyone who tries to get their stuff inexpensively, or free. This includes everything from people who go to yard sales, 2nd hand stores, dumpster diving, coupon clipping, all of that. Some of the stuff it talks about is the role of scavengers in nature and how people might look down on them, but they are extremely valuable in maintaining the health of ecosystems. This approach does not fix everything, but anything that can be reused will remove the incentive to make more stuff that we don't really need and it serve to support smaller business and charities over giving more money to the larger ones that don't need it.
The idea is good but getting that high paying job takes years and then another years to pay off your house. Half of your life will be still gone by the time you can enjoy that simple living.
@@viktoriabarta1519 it's doable if you're strict and everything goes right but not going to happen for most. If you're able to get a 6 figures position as a single person and you can live off of 30k of it then you can get that house and have savings within a few years
@@yippehanako if you consider countries other than the US or first world countries it takes a life time or multiple to save for a house , I lived in both Jordan and the US , Jordan is as expensive as the US however the wages aren't 10th of the US
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
I am enchanted with your delivery of the material. Perhaps I've just been COVID isolated too long, but watching your video felt like catching up, receiving new book recs from a long time scholarly friend. You've definitely got yourself a new subscriber. Cheers!
Thank you so much for recommending these books! Honestly I have a lot of internalized capitalism from my upbringing and growing up in North America as a racialized Asian person. :( It's always felt bleak to think that if I don't participate in this system, then I'll be left behind and even more disadvantaged because of the inherent racism and other factors at play. But your video gives me a lot of hope and makes me reflect on my actions and the small things I can do to dismantle this system. 💹 Kudos to you for being a barista, making coffee and giving people joy and happiness through it is important ❤️
Nat, interesting topic. I enjoy hearing intellectual discussion at times and this one starts to give me headaches. I hope you take the time and travel the world and live abroad, so that you can experience first hand what these writers that you are reading are describing. There are multiple fields of study and human activity/consciousness that are involved in the topics that these writers are covering, which given the economy, country, level of living/substance, politics and institutions aren't so easily simplified or categorized especially to those living under those conditions. Given the complexities of human interaction and motivation, what is viewed at a distance might be a totally different observation at a closer view. One can read about how touching a flame feels but its not the same as actually touching the flame.
This was such a wonderful video. Thank you for reminding us that there is a time and a place for everything. Capitalism may have brought great changes and progress in the past, but our era has little use for it. I’ve been super drawn to wilderness survival lately and I think this is why, as you said!
Such a wholehearted thought-provoking video! Good job! I have very very similar views as you but always struggle to communicate them and you did it well! Keep it up! Everybody deserves food safety security and the freedom to pursue psychological advancement on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. That applies no matter your employment! I suspect by redistributing the wealth from meaningless capitalistic jobs to those jobs you mentioned that are underpaid We could equalize across the entire society... Everyone can have a middle class life. PS I think being a barista is amazing because I absolutely love coffee! That is one thing that will transcend all systems 😂
I’m waiting for someone to make a video like this that didn’t come from financial/educational privilege. Of course you can quit your job when you have money saved.
I do too. Sometimes I wonder if movements, a shift in worldview, such as Zero Waste, are just an effect of the priviledges that we get. I agree with her but I am as priviledged as her, maybe even more
Maybe they’re not making videos on it, though many youtuber started out in the service industry and then made RUclips their full time job. There is a huge movement of blue collar workers quitting their jobs and finding ways to invest in their passions. One of my best friends recently quit her 2 office jobs to run a daycare so she could be with her son all day. It’s harder on the less wealthy but it’s happening at all levels.
I absolutely love this! Honestly, it's a wake up call and I keep seeing this new concept! Thanks for sharing with us your views! It would be lovely to connect! :) All the best for your channel!
I can totally relate with I just want to be a barista and serve coffee but this society disses me for it. I felt like that for a long time and struggled with deciding to pursue art and design as a major. I feel like I have expectations to be in stem and the medical field or business to make a lot of money and consume. I’m currently following my heart and I’m really happy but I also feel guilty for pursuing a field that takes time before I earn enough instead of pursuing a career that will instantly provide for me and my parents. I’m so glad to find your channel! Your topics and videos are my interests. I think this podcast format was really relaxing to listen to and many of your ideas have been in my discussions with my friends and so forth.
The family unit though, is the biggest drive for consumerism and the whole mania and mindset of having to bust ones behind in order to “provide for my family” type of thing.... It’s the family unit what drives capitalism at its core
I see where you are coming from. I'm sure 200 years ago family units were self reliant and grew their own foods and were self-sustaining. Society has evolved into capitalism where most of us (me included) have lost the skills needed to be self-sustaining due to reliance on the system.
@@moodboosters1019 Exactly... then the pressure of those parents who worked themselves to the bone to comply with consumerist societal norms are the ones who are imprinting on their offsprings the psychological subconscious mandate to repeat it all over again, in crescendo. All of this coupled with the evil side of technology and the status industry who is instructing us to consume till we die. Technology is a good servant but a dangerous master... and the fashion industry... kids killing eachother for an iphone or a pair of nike's
Family is the single best thing a society has. If you destroy that what do you have left? Who is going to care for the kids? Labour isn't bad. Meaninglessness is the problem here.
@@emmanueloshaddai3259 feelings of meaninglessness are rooted in family and upbringing... I'm sure you are aware many families are rotten to their core, look at the prison systems, look at crime, at violence, it's all rooted in family. Your statement is very naive
You may want to look into degrowth as an answer for some of the major problems we face globally. The concept is relatively unknown and I think it should be talked about more so we can work with it as it encompasses some problems the younger generations are facing now.
Well, I've heard similar "over-thinking" discussions on other channels before, and it appears that brilliant young people are once again struggling to find a meaningful way ahead in today's environment. This is a problem that has existed for a very long time, possibly since the beginning of time. But it is the Internet's power to affect a large number of individuals from all over the world that has given rise to today's iteration of this question. This video like many other videos, has an air of "elite intellectual idleness" and a deep sense that these people and their supporters, despite their many talents, are useless, regardless of their cultural or political affiliation and that those affiliations are themselves useless. As of now, their mantra seems to be, simply, "be aware."
📈📈📈 this is the first time I’m seeing your channel, and I’m grateful you made and shared this. It resonated with me when you said that your aim is to add to this wave of conversation we’re witnessing on this topic. thank you for the recs!
Love this video - thanks for the recommendations. I appreciated your honesty that you are still working to uninternalize these beliefs because I'm in the same boat.
You are honestly one of the best spoken people I’ve ever seen thank you so much for this insightful video I can’t wait to read the books you’ve recommended!!
Gosh! I stumbled upon your video and had not intended to spend 22min on it. Very engaging and informative. It also gave me some insight into how a young person views the world in 2021 and how badly your generation is by preceding leaders. I hope you and your peers can find a better way and not just retreat from this sorry mess. For what it's worth, I will check out your books, blog and this channel. Thanks!
Just subscribed! I'm so happy you miraculously appeared on my homepage :) I also must commend you on your eloquence👏. I'm 20 and can still barely string my thoughts together in writing, never mind speaking with such insightful flow! Just wow. Keep it up!
My husband and I walked away from six figure soul sucking jobs. We downsized our lives from a horrible gated suburb full of Karens and now live our dreams in a small vibrant city among an open minded, diverse community of people who welcomed us with open arms. Don’t live to work! We are all worth so much more than being wage slaves.
Hi Kat, where in the world are you based? Lovely to hear how you changed your circumstances and I hope you are both much happier, especially away from a place full of Karens! Ahah I chuckled to that!
@@moodboosters1019 we are now happy in Huntsville, Texas. A small university city where a lot of writers, artists, musicians and open minded people in general are growing in a great new space. Labors of love ...definitely worth the dreaming and the doing.
@@InMyCups ph how wonderful and glad you found a sanctuary to call home. ❤😇
@Millie My husband has a forge and he is the bass player in a metal band. (He used to work in oil and gas for a multi million$ facility.) I am a full time writer. (I used to be a hospital administrator.) We love our new lives. Glad you found your happy in Spain!
@@InMyCups I love Huntsville's duck pond. I graduated from SHSU in 2014.
So proud to see young people piercing through the callous, dull realities of capitalism and start dreaming better. Solidarity from Scotland!
I may have glossed over it on your list but heartily recommend 'Capitalist Realism' by Mark Fisher. A short but valuable read.
thank you for watching!! :D I'm glad to hear from Scotland wowww
I am so happy and amazed to hear those things from a young Singaporean ! Such a capitalist country but some are conscious it’s beautiful it makes me so hopeful ❤️ we have to change the economic model globally, all together ...solidarity from France !
I mean, I am pround to see europeans who acknowledge Europe doea far better than most places of the world today because of capitalism and its atrocities worldwide.
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
i, personally, don't think theres anything wrong with labour because labour in itself can span from cooking to gardening and writing etc, but WORK i think is less about the individual producing a meaningful life and more about producing money for whatever company they work for.
It sucks that in a capitalist society there are limited types of work you can do to survive, and when people have disabilities (that are often made worse from capitalism and the pressure to sell oneself) work is even more limited and survival is even harder. Capitalism is not about taking a role in a community but instead taking a role to accumulate profit (most often for someone else).
This is true. Also don’t get sick or get hurt where it affects your ability, because that can ruin your entire life depending on how severe by limiting your money making potential on top of everything else. Also now everything is for profit and becoming so unaffordable like health care, rent, food, and now gas.
@@jenrusso23 i am one such person, living with chronic pain, and its horrible. I have two degrees, spend a lot of money on education, and I can hardly work now. I want to be of use to society, its depressing not to be, but i cannot cope with the stress and speed of everything. My body just can't handle it and my 'friends' don't get it at all, they think I am lazy because that is all capitalism has taught us.
@@jenrusso23 yeah. I feel like work can be something so great and fulfilling but it does get twisted when it is for profit for sure. Capitalism corrupts what it touches. I do dream of work, but work that is working towards something I believe in and is meaningful and not for the sake of making money, more so for the work in and of itself while also working towards goals and creating great things that benefit humanity as a whole. That's the dream for me. And a sense of community and collaboration and no sense of ill feeling towards other people doing the same work because under capitalism they'd be the competition, if the work could be open and free from envy and spite because of competition. Competition can be great as well, but not when lives are on the line, that's why sports are fun after all!
People don't understand that labor is an essential part of life. Without labor there is no reward, purpose, no effort. People want everything but don't want to do the work. Don't dream of labor? Then don't dream of that Chanel bag.
People: want to buy drinks from a coffee shop
People: shame those who make the drinks
The lack of logic will never not be wild to me. If “everyone” got a college degree (spoiler, not everyone can) and worked an office job, who would grow the food and clean the bathrooms and take care of the children and elderly and be the restaurant dish washers? If you *need* people to do these jobs, but also bash them and don’t pay them enough.... smh.
I worked in food service and often worked on holidays. I always got comments like “I can’t believe they make you work on Easter!” Well, YOU are the reason Im working on Easter right now smart guy 🙄
Indeed! Every job that is needed in the society, should be equally respected. I don't get this 'study well so you can get a better job' better how? Sure, I want to study to help society because that's a privilege. Other than that, I don't want to study to accumulate wealth. It's an endless cycle of despair.
not all, but a lot of these “lower” jobs could be replaced by robots in the future. Meanwhile I do agree with your view though
Right? I never got this contradiction! Where would you be in your office job if you didn't have someone to make coffee and sandwiches for you?
Lack of logic? It's a low skill & low paying job. It would be a different story if they were the owner of Coffee shop. There are a tons of ways to earn a lot of money with no college.
I am so excited to check out the books you recommended.
KHADIJA!! I CANT BELIEVE WE WATCH THE SAME CHANNEL 💝 I love your videos as well and can't wait to see your take on this!
🧡🧡🧡 yay!! I’m glad 🤓
Your book list really is well organized thanks!!!
we meet again
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
Honestly, I totally hate the idea of hustle culture, capitalism, and companies benefitting off of workers, but at the same time I don't know what else I would do. I assume that I'll spend 50 years in the workforce working a 9-5 job once I graduate, but I have no idea what I would do without that goal. I literally don't have any idea what else I would do. The main reason for that is probably the fact that I've grown up in this environement, who teaches kids that their goal should always to land a nice job, and not actually figuring out what I want to do. To sum this up, I don't know what I want and if I decide to work a 9-5 job it's because that is the ONLY option that has been given to me despite the fact that the entire point of my schooling was so that I would have MORE options because I have no interests.
Sounds like you don't have enough knowledge to make a guided decision yet. Think about a number of things that interest you, then watch some videos / do research on all of them and absorb knowledge. Doing so will open your mind to opportunities/industries you currently don't realize are available.
@@gnomearc9298 thanks :D
@Soham Mehta hmmm I might,,, thanks 😊
Maybe try to find your hobbies, things you enjoy. You don't have to be good at them at the beginning. Maybe drawing, painting, yoga, biking, makeup, taking care of plants or animals, music, volunteering, writing stories, reading, diy. There's so many options, you just must give them a chance.
Your interests don't have to be monetized to be valid. You can start with an office 9-5 (which is still a good option, a lot of working class people that for example have shitty jobs in retail would love to have it).
@@9mermaid9 :)
As an Indian, I just want to say that this video made me more confidently realize that capitalism is casteist in and of itself. So a struggle against caste is no longer just an Indian struggle.
👏👏👏👏👏
As an American, I couldn't agree more -- thank you for your insightful comment.
They are completely different. A lower caste cannot change their job or situation in life. They are always defined by their caste. But capitalism allows anyone to become successful and wealthy. People are free to chose which job they want, and to advance in society. It’s a joke you would even compare such a barbaric system to capitalism
@@redrkstone 1st, people aren't free to chose what job they want under capitalism, they mostly do so out of survival and often times coercion and exploitation. Capitalism and colonialism has further strengthened the caste system in India. Wealthy upper caste people exploit those at the bottom and treat them as an underclass perfect for labour exploitation. Many wealthy Brahmins still continue to do abuse dalits for profit, much like capitalists do to most of the global labour force.
Racism and capitalism go hand in hand, much like caste and capitalism as well.
@@nataliekhanyola5669 of course you can chose the job you want in capitalism. No one will stop you if you quit one job and do another. I have changed jobs, and most people I know have changed jobs, it’s a matter of choice.
And racism has nothing to do with capitalism. There are capitalist states all over the world, and there are capitalists of all races and creeds. Race is irrelevant to Capitalism.
But the caste system is utterly corrupt and very much discriminatory. Lower caste cannot change their caste and as a result strictly speaking couldn’t chose professions at will. There is no comparison between the two
its crazy to me that 9-5 jobs that are essentially bs and 80% replying to emails are more well paid than teachers, architects, food and retail workers
I agree with everything you said, but why is no one talking about how calming your voice is!!!??
Her voice is so calming! :) I'm trying to achieve this too, ahaha!
and her smile is gorgeous
She's probably an INFJ♡
I haven't watched the video yet, but judging by the book titles she conveniently listed in the timestamps, I can deduce that this girl is the future of humanity. Respect+
thank you for watching and for leaving such nice commentsss 🙌 hahah
this video resonated so much with me - thank you! also I think it’s awesome that you’re a barista right now. I was recently in a prestigious PhD program and dropped out because it didn’t feel quite right. when I left the program, I became a barista and received similar judgement as you did, but I was soooo much happier!
@@WindofChange2023 Big companies and fortunes are behind governements, controling more and more aspects of it ? Governement isn't the pb itself... It actually could work against capitalism. I'm more and more interested in anarchist théories and history but i think that without a system of régulation, opposing to the power of big corporations, big fortunes etc it's impossible not to drift towards an even worse capitalism (although they indeed exist because they have their own system of régulation that they're imposing on us)
💸 "In praise of idleness" by Bertrand Russel is definitely worth a read... "I think that there is far too much work done in the world, that immense harm is caused by the belief that work is virtuous, and that what needs to be preached in modern industrial countries is quite different from what always has been preached". He wrote that in 1935 - what a legend!
Just read it and wow. Thanks for pointing me to the article.
Overpaid labour is not talked about nearly enough. Thank you for all of the book suggestions.
PS - congratulations on finding a job that you like :) All I really want is to be a librarian lol
same tbh
Yes! People only talk about underpaid labour but overpaid is the other side of the coin.
I also want to be a librarian !
it’s not as easy to be a librarian as you think! you need a master’s degree and spots are limited unless frankly someone dies or retires. library assistants and library pages, who are often mistaken as librarians, actually do the bulk of library work, don’t get paid as much, and are more in abundance. -coming from me, a library page lol
this is my first time watching one of your videos, and you speak calmly and very eloquent. when you mentioned that you're choosing a career path that is non-traditional and not conforming to your parent's expectations, I felt it. I admire your courage and your diligent heart to stay true to yourself. sending much love!
Thank you for all those recommendations Nat !
Life is way shorter then we can comprehend until we hit 60. You will ask yourself how could life could be so short.
The system waste your life. Time is so important. The system robs you of your happiness.
I learned from real life, not schools. The school of hard knocks taught me to suffer on. I never lived a happy life. My struggle took all I had to get through. Difficult jobs very hard to find worked me almost to death.
Thanks for sharing this excellent reading list and what you've been learning about! I also do not dream of labor 💰
I'd love to spend my life creating art, reading, writing, cooking, and baking for my loved ones and myself, but by the time I finish my daily job, I'm exhausted and burnt out, and sometimes I feel barely able to take care of myself. The system we have is stifling and I'm looking forward to learning what others dream could be possible for us.
You’re welcome!! And thank you for commenting 🧡 yes I totally relate to your experience 😭 I hope we can find a better alternative outside of this working culture :(
it really saddens me to see ppl who like myself grew up in poverty or in the lower-class justify or fully support capitalism. .. it honestly feels like ppl are okay with living an NPC style of life while willingly falling victim to veil of consumerism.
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
I love the amount of clarity you have when communicating your ideas. You never push your ideas onto other people but clearly communicate what’s on your mind. Please keep up the good work.
hey nat!! i've been wanting to watch ur vids for a while and just wanted to say your voice and filming style are super cosy and comforting!
Omo!! Hi! Thank you so much for watching hehe and for your kind comment 🧡🧡🧡🥺
@@anattynook hehe you're welcome!! great reading list btw ☺️
i was brought up with the idea that i shouldn’t compete with others but compete with myself thats why the idea of making myself my own boss scares me. that fucker will be the end of me
of this style of video essays i've seen, i really appreciate the extra depth in your analysis of the messed up systems we're in, pushing back on the romanticization of education in Singapore, etc. great video!
your VOICE IS SO CALMING
The Meritocracy Trap by Daniel Markovits focuses on labor and income inequality among classes
your voice is so calming, and it is so refreshing to find RUclipsr from Southeast Asia that creates video essay on topics like this
Ive been seeing a lot of these videos pop up on my feed recently, and I love it! Because you guys just put words to everything I've been feeling, but have kinda been scared to admit to myself. Great video 💸📈📉
Amazing video! It's a constant struggle to grapple with these issues especially because of its complex & daunting nature and the fact that it's probably impossible to fix in our lifetime...I had a lecture recently where we spoke about the various things that can contribute to domestic violence and these things included "Pathologizing the victim - why not just leave, Pathologizing the offender - anti-social personality disorder, Role of modern-day stress, Role of drugs [especially alcohol], Biology/evolution - testosterone toxicity, Male gender role - enculturation in a patriarchal society, Inter-generational - history of family abuse, Family systems - nuclear families in individualist societies, Criminal justice system failures: police, courts, legislation, Gender inequality and male privilege - intrinsic in societies (androcentric), Inherent in the political framework of most societies".
And this is for just domestic violence. Given yeah if these things were all 'solved', a lot of issues would be solved. But the nature of "wicked problems" (what my lecturer referred to as these complex problems that are near impossible to be solved solved) is that the solutions we come up with will naturally lead to other issues (which we will then have to solve, but I guess everyone is too comfortable in their existing way of life to try new solutions and for them to fail and try again. Despite the horror of the effects of capitalism today, people are still comfortable in that. A little like staying with an abusive partner because you're comfortable).
It's just so hard :( For enough people to get on board with this...oof
yessss the concept of a wicked problem is really hard to tackle :( I hear it a lot in relation to climate change so I get what you mean!!! I guess for now my biggest hope is the gradual building of a resistance that will help mitigate all these obstacles along the way :(
ah! and there's this idea of pleasure activism that I hold onto to motivate myself! it's about making the change/movement as sth that contributes joy and pleasure in one's life, so much so that any ordinary person would want to join in to better the society in their own ways
That’s a pretty good comparison tbh... it’s not that people are necessarily 100% happy with the current situation, it’s just that staying as we are is less complicated than trying to change it. And in a way, it feels safer - we can’t know what’ll happen if we change things, whereas the problems we face in our current screwed-up system are at least familiar. But of course, when that’s the mindset that prevails throughout our society, the problems we already have will continue to persist & get worse, until we’re forced to reckon with them in a way that’s even more painful than it would’ve been if we had just acted sooner.
Wow thank you for sharing this. The snowball effects of reasoning behind these actions is anxious. I have found myself recently realigning with the taoist concepts of nature being one that has no good or bad, there are no morals. It’s helping me to define my perspective on all issues that aren’t black and white. Because like you said, stopping one problem can be seen as ~good but leads to another problem so now its ~bad again. It’s as if our ability to measure events or situations as good or bad actually distracts us from the societal structures in place causing harm. For ex: is it that my small-business boss needs to pay me more, OR that rent and other bills need to be subsidized? The former being individual and the latter societal. We should probably focus on that! How do we help people understand their biases and approach issues objectively? For the collective!
I just found your channel and I am SO happy I did!! So glad there exists a Singaporean channel that speaks so openly about these things (and other things that matter like climate justice) + sing booktuber!! You got my support, I’m so sure you’re going to grow on RUclips soon ☺️
I despise the time-is-money mentality 💸💸💸
Yet some people's time is more valuable than others'...
I would like to start an art craft business where the price is determined by the hourly wage of the buyer; my time in exchange for your time. Rich people would have to pay more. Unemployed people could negotiate to exchange for some sort of favour they can help me with. I hate that everything has a price tag. Things are worth what we value them. 'If you don't value my work, then make it yourself - but oh, you don't have the time.'
@@raapyna8544 Of course. I think if you are providing a service/product then your time *is* valuable. People should be compensated for the work they provide in any capacity.
I meant time-is-money mentality in the sense of American work culture where you constantly have to work 40+ hours a week to make ends-meet. The mentality of work until retirement (maybe when you are in your 60s) and then you can have “free” time.
Yes. I believe, instead, that time-is-life.
@@raapyna8544 Grats. You basically want to have a failing business. THAT is an aspiration. Here is why: Poor people will not pay you a lot per your list as they have little, RICH people will not pay you a lot because why would they pay you more than other artists for the same art. Done - you go bankrupt for being an idiot.
@@ThomasTomiczek rich people are willing to pay for shit as long as you slap a stupid price tag on it. Why do you think brands like gucci exist despite the fact that its subpar🤦
I feel so much joy and not alone listening to you talk . I'm excited that we all get to learn watching you, with you! I am a barista too, but I am discovering that I have an auto immune system disorder. I had to quit my last barista job due to work life balance boundaries being broken, which made my fatigue so much worse. Now I'm unemployed, and watching you has helped me feel less shame. We will work out a "way out" together, I'm so sure :)
I’m glad you feel like this. The more of you there are, the easier it will become for the people who do want to get on and progress in their workplace to achieve their goals
my first time seeing a video on this but you were so insightful! i love how calm you were about this topic and it reinforces your argument on anti-capitalism bc you're not backing all of this by rage/frustration but rather supporting everything with solid theories and anecdotes and actually try to explore how we can resist our current capitalism system. YOU ARE AMAZING!
hello!! fellow singaporean here. got recommended this video and very happy to have clicked into it! so happy to find a local youtuber with such content. :)
The way you articulate and your energy is so calming and very welcoming. I’ve just subscribed and very much look forward to exploring your precious content and what else you put out 🤗
i'm so happy you're a barista! my brother wants to be a barista too but some people think he is crazy, but i don't see what is the problem with that. we have a similar background education like you. i will try to read the books :) greetings from brazil
You speak on this so well, enjoyed your gentle and genuine approach. I subbed. I also recently read How To Be An Anti Capitalist and really enjoyed it. I took so many notes!
i relate so DAMN HARD and idk why
i just want to work for myself but then i also hate capitalism and the fact we have to work to live
Life is work. But work doesn't have to be meaningless or worthless.
It starts from learning to respect yourself. Carving out your core values. Minimizing the distracting nonessentials. (Things, goals, values; do you want it all at the same time or do you have priorities) Leaning in to what is valuable.
Then working as a community to change the conditions of our society.
as a fellow singaporean, thank you for mentioning the warped reality of the education system. i know it’s not the main point of the video, but i’m always happy to see people call out how messed up it actually is. also being a barista is such a cool job, i’m really glad you love what you’re doing
📉📊 thank you so much for making this video! I am a fellow college educated person who is baking bread as a job with my auntie constantly sending job sites to get higher paying remote work. With no acknowledgement of my consistent explanation that i work for the kind of business i want to see in society and dont see the value in making what i call ~imaginary online money~ So just a healthy reminder that I love your work and you should definitely trust your intuition. 📈📈
💹 Great discussion! Love your openness & reflective content 💛
very thoughtful! thank you for compiling this list :)
just came here to say thank you so much for making this video. this speaks to me on a deep level and put in words the many layers of feelings and emotions I've had towards this topic for a long time. i just want to also affirm that yes as you said, you are definitely contributing to the conversation and this video is incredibly valuable for that reason
i’m convinced that this is the best “i do not dream of labor” video on youtube. i love that you give resources for us to educate ourselves as well!!! 💖💖
💵:)
I’ve just finished uni and I still don’t dream of working for someone 😔
Honestly, I really don't blame you! Nothing wrong with work but there has to be some fulfilment from somewhere. All the best on your path during this time
Maybe you can work for yourself. Best of luck in your self-discovery.
@faith Reader they said they don’t dream of working for someone, not that they completely cut off the idea. they can also work for themselves if they want to. come on now
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
marry rich
Nice to see this being discussed by someone from Singapore. It's pretty bad in the US with job-shaming, but I heard from my friends in Singapore that it's brutal over there. I hope we all can live more abundantly and presently. 🙏
hey!! i love your vibe so much. the way you speak is so comprehensible, even with my naturally distracted mind, i still dont miss a thing!!! thank you for being you and educating yourself!!! this summer i’ve actually been WILLINGLY reading some books for the first time in my life. i’m going to Temple University philly in a month. anyways the books i’ve read are “the subtle art of not giving a fuck” by manson and “stillness is the key” by holiday. soon i plan to read “everything is fucked” by manson. i believe aligning mind body and spirit is essential in these big thoughts and we should be proud of ourselves for learning and unlearning big things!!!
So happy to watch this video! I absolutely have the same feeling with you. I used to work for a big bank but working there made me feel completely disconnected with what is actually going on in the world. What is worse, I slowly found myself defining myself with the titles, the workplace's name, without realizing the fact that I felt less and less able to define who I really was. Anyway, I am on a new journey of exploring the world now, and hopefully I feel stronger self-recognition in the near future. Good luck to you!
her gentle nature is not what I encounter from day to day that I'm kind of having a melt-downnnnn
1) Your voice is sooo soothing
2) I recently within the past year have realized that my 2 jobs do not care about their employees (they are both in the customer service industry). A lot of rules have been implemented, including reduced break times, typical annual hour cuts, CONSTANTLY having to be working on something at all times and being ridiculed if you can't find anything, and staying past shifts for employees who call off/show up extremely late. Between dealing with Karens and facing snobby higher-ups I don't know what's worse. District leaders and managers brainwash employees into thinking if they don't give their all they won't receive this raise or that benefit. And unfortunately because of capitalism there's a sense that I am trapped in these industries; I have been working on a side hustle to sell my art one day, and I know art as a career is shunned down on in our society. However, that's not going to stop me from chasing my dreams.
This was a great video! Thanks for all these resources and for your perspective -- what you said about individualism/looking out for ourselves only instead of working as a community really resonated with me!! I read parts of The Problem with Work by Kathi Weeks a couple years ago for class and would definitely recommend based off of what I remember (plan to read it fully soon). It frames work as a political problem, rather than an unchangeable fact, and introduces concrete examples for positive change.
Malaysian here, so glad to stumble upon your channel ❤️
Oh my word how am I only finding you now?! Just wanted to say I really enjoyed watching you. Excuse me while I go and binge your videos
ur voice is so calming i'm subbing to ur podcast rn
okay before i finish this video i just wanted to say how much i love your hair and fit and your whole entire vibe
1000%!
This is an amazing video! Very well done and researched. The book recommendations were a huge bonus, thank you so much. I was a barista for yeeeeaaars and dreamed of competing and maybe even owning my own shop. Everyone would always tell me that being a barista was a "temporary" job and that I "could not expect it to last or be a viable career". Although I'm not a barista anymore (my own choice), it is frustrating to think about certain opportunities that I missed because of the negative conception of food industry jobs.
I just put in my 2 weeks at my comfortable office job because it was the definition of a bullshit job. 8 hours 5 days a week of getting paid to be on hold for entitled companies that want things done quickly and perfectly. The money will be missed, but no paycheck is worth a contract on my soul. I too want a simple job that allows me to have a life outside of work. I want to experience community and actually get to know my neighbors. I'm so tired of feeling like a mindless drone that constantly needs more.
Thank you for this thoughtful video and book suggestions! Everything you touched on about growing up and getting into "gifted" classes while in school really hit home. It taught me to treat the kids that couldn't get into those classes as less than, but f that noise. The system is so corrupt and unfair. I really can't wait to see how things begin to change in the next decade.
My grandpa is called fritz schumacher, i never met him but he’s kind of a god in my family whose philosophy runs through our veins in everything we do. He wrote a book called ‘small is beautiful’ , it’s slogan ‘economics as if people matter’. It talks about the only sustainable way we can live is through a less is more style economics instead of what we are seeing under capitalism. I cant recommend it enough.
I love your video! Thanks!!! I've seen some others talking about this topic but it's yours which I've enjoyed the most!
Thank you for adding to the discussion in this way! I love your perspective. The idea that we are all vying for the same jobs, the privileged and the poor. Capitalism usually doesn’t showcase the nepotism. It pretends like meritocracy is the main form of ‘success’ by publicising those ✨high toxic ✨ rags to riches titles in the media
‘ black disabled gay homeless man now a Harvard graduate award winning nuclear scientist, business man, CEO, a youngest trillionaire says the Key To Success is GOD AND HARDWORK’
Like what!
Instead of full-on or no capitalism in a "all or nothing" way, I think a slightly better world is one of soft capitalism(?), where inter-class solidarity is not just bandied around as a protest placard but starts from finding out what the socioeconomic underclass is going through, and what they need. My food delivery work during the pandemic pointed me to two things that led me to rethink my earlier position based in a lopsided reading list with too much critical theory readings: First, we cannot not have capitalism cos if that happens, food delivery personnel will be out of job! (This reminds me of your desaturated interjection on sounding too serious talking about capitalism while sipping off a designer glass cup of tea from a tea bag :-)... Second, there r many ways to show appreciation to essential workers (claps, songs, thank you posters, a prolonged thank you with a Japanese bow), but there is only one way of appreciating that really matters: a tip, no matter the amount; at least in the case of manual labour or essential work. Great to discover your channel, Nat. Will say hello if I pick up an order from ya, ie if u r still doing barrister work on top of.... teaching (right?)...
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to grow our knowledge by offering reading options. I appreciate this. I enjoy diving into a subject from different perspectives
I was brought up to chase the job instead of having a career that may have been more inline with who I am and my own interest. I don't like the idea of a job and asking someone for the chance to make a living. I would rather find an enjoyable interest of my own and put my energy in bring it to market instead of working a job for someone else. I'm not sure I'm an advocate of Capitalism. I think we can do better. I'm now growing my ability to be self sufficient without depending on the system. This idea appeals to me.
This video was awesome! Thank you so much for sharing! I really love how you talked about all of these topics. I resonate so much. I have so many family members in Singapore who would benefit from watching this!
Currently undecided on what i want to major in. Asked the universe for a sign and your video was on my recommended page. Thank you so much for this video❤
Read Quit Like A Millionaire by Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung. They have great tips to leverage your education in order to live the life you want without worrying too much about money.
@@taoist32 Thank you❤
@@makada826 You’re welcome.
i made a video like this (it’s doing really well cos your video is recommending it so thank you!!) but i loved hearing your perspective and i’ll definitely be checking out some of the books you’ve mentioned ✨
So happy to find alternative voices like your own on these topics. As a south-asian who migrated and settled and succeeded in Canada, it's only very recently that I've started to question the pervasive notions that I've been fed since early childhood.
Your review was NOT boring! I enjoyed it. Thank You. 🙏
I highly recommend "The Value of Everything" by Mariana Mazzucato - it goes into the history of value theory and how labour/value has been defined and even though it is quite heavy on the historical and theoretical side, I learned a lot from it and found it inspiring. Our current reality seems like it has always been as it is now and it is important to learn and understand that it is in fact a product of a series of theories stacked on top of each other.
What a great video from a smart young lady! Thank you.
One solution against capitalism, one alternative to capitalism are worker-coop based enterprises. Professor Richard D. Wolff has many lectures about this topic and other anti-capitalist topics alse here on RUclips and the platform "democracy at work"
This popped on my feed even if I only listen to ASMR + beauty video. I didn't know this type of content existed ??! It's wonderful ??!!!
4min35 into the video, i liked and subscribed.
Brilliant discussion and recommendations. I've had Bullshit Jobs on my reading list for a couple of years - great reminder to start reading it soon.
I'm now also interested in all the other books, including This changes everything and Hope in the dark.
thank you for watching and leaving a comment
Just stumbled on this video (and your channel) and really, really loved it and so many exciting recommendations! This truly was an incredible contribution to the conversation going on - let's all work together to change the world for the better.
Thank you for making this video. It has more context, reflection, and clarity than some other "i don't dream of labor" videos. 💹
This channel is a hidden jam! Instant subscription, no need to meditate on it 📈
I really appreciate your take on this issue. I've seen a lot of these videos where the person says they are done looking for a dream job but their conclusion is that they will just be self-employed/influencer/entrepreneur and it's really useless advice. very few people are in a position where they can choose to not work and for most people, the alternative to a dream job is a job they don't like but still takes up the majority of their lives. it's very difficult to not work and sustain yourself without someone's support or without exploiting someone. I fully agree with the idea that we shouldn't build our lives around work because no matter how much you love your job, the work you are doing is likely much more valuable than your compensation. but you can't fight that reality unless you are willing to take advantage of someone else's labour as well.
I loved BS Jobs by David Graeber and I'm excited for his new book out in October, RIP. This was a great discussion and I'm looking forward to reading some of your recommendations, especially the high tech housewives one 📈
*waves from the US* A book that I read a number of years ago that could help is The Scavenger's Manifesto by Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson. It's not specifically anti-capitalist, but defines a scavenger as anyone who tries to get their stuff inexpensively, or free. This includes everything from people who go to yard sales, 2nd hand stores, dumpster diving, coupon clipping, all of that. Some of the stuff it talks about is the role of scavengers in nature and how people might look down on them, but they are extremely valuable in maintaining the health of ecosystems. This approach does not fix everything, but anything that can be reused will remove the incentive to make more stuff that we don't really need and it serve to support smaller business and charities over giving more money to the larger ones that don't need it.
I loved being a barista and miss it a lot. Making espresso based drinks is so fun!
The goal: get a high paying job. Buy a cheap house. Pay it off and then quit said high paying job and enjoy simply living 👍🏻
The idea is good but getting that high paying job takes years and then another years to pay off your house. Half of your life will be still gone by the time you can enjoy that simple living.
@@viktoriabarta1519 it's doable if you're strict and everything goes right but not going to happen for most. If you're able to get a 6 figures position as a single person and you can live off of 30k of it then you can get that house and have savings within a few years
Ok but you're still thinking individualistically. What about the people who can't get a high-paying job? Your friends maybe? Who will support them?
@@yippehanako if you consider countries other than the US or first world countries it takes a life time or multiple to save for a house , I lived in both Jordan and the US , Jordan is as expensive as the US however the wages aren't 10th of the US
I think we can think about how to contribute to the society, that is the important point, your job status and the amount of money you gain are not the main points. Although we need money to survive, it is important to do whatever we are doing with having in mind to make something positive out of it!
I am enchanted with your delivery of the material. Perhaps I've just been COVID isolated too long, but watching your video felt like catching up, receiving new book recs from a long time scholarly friend.
You've definitely got yourself a new subscriber. Cheers!
Thank you so much for recommending these books! Honestly I have a lot of internalized capitalism from my upbringing and growing up in North America as a racialized Asian person. :( It's always felt bleak to think that if I don't participate in this system, then I'll be left behind and even more disadvantaged because of the inherent racism and other factors at play. But your video gives me a lot of hope and makes me reflect on my actions and the small things I can do to dismantle this system. 💹 Kudos to you for being a barista, making coffee and giving people joy and happiness through it is important ❤️
Nat, interesting topic. I enjoy hearing intellectual discussion at times and this one starts to give me headaches. I hope you take the time and travel the world and live abroad, so that you can experience first hand what these writers that you are reading are describing. There are multiple fields of study and human activity/consciousness that are involved in the topics that these writers are covering, which given the economy, country, level of living/substance, politics and institutions aren't so easily simplified or categorized especially to those living under those conditions. Given the complexities of human interaction and motivation, what is viewed at a distance might be a totally different observation at a closer view. One can read about how touching a flame feels but its not the same as actually touching the flame.
I've just found your channel and I thank God that you have a good microphone because it makes your relaxing and comforting voice even better
This was such a wonderful video. Thank you for reminding us that there is a time and a place for everything. Capitalism may have brought great changes and progress in the past, but our era has little use for it. I’ve been super drawn to wilderness survival lately and I think this is why, as you said!
Viewer from Hong Kong
Love your videos so much ❤️
The books recommended by you are now on my reading list!
Looking forward to your next Video❤️
Such a wholehearted thought-provoking video! Good job! I have very very similar views as you but always struggle to communicate them and you did it well! Keep it up!
Everybody deserves food safety security and the freedom to pursue psychological advancement on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. That applies no matter your employment! I suspect by redistributing the wealth from meaningless capitalistic jobs to those jobs you mentioned that are underpaid We could equalize across the entire society...
Everyone can have a middle class life.
PS I think being a barista is amazing because I absolutely love coffee! That is one thing that will transcend all systems 😂
Beautiful and Intelligent. These conversations are really important and the greatest work...meaningful work. I'll be checking out the book list.
I’m waiting for someone to make a video like this that didn’t come from financial/educational privilege. Of course you can quit your job when you have money saved.
I do too. Sometimes I wonder if movements, a shift in worldview, such as Zero Waste, are just an effect of the priviledges that we get. I agree with her but I am as priviledged as her, maybe even more
Maybe they’re not making videos on it, though many youtuber started out in the service industry and then made RUclips their full time job. There is a huge movement of blue collar workers quitting their jobs and finding ways to invest in their passions. One of my best friends recently quit her 2 office jobs to run a daycare so she could be with her son all day. It’s harder on the less wealthy but it’s happening at all levels.
I'm glad to see other SEA folk who've taken up anthropology! Great vid!
I absolutely love this! Honestly, it's a wake up call and I keep seeing this new concept! Thanks for sharing with us your views! It would be lovely to connect! :) All the best for your channel!
I can totally relate with I just want to be a barista and serve coffee but this society disses me for it. I felt like that for a long time and struggled with deciding to pursue art and design as a major. I feel like I have expectations to be in stem and the medical field or business to make a lot of money and consume. I’m currently following my heart and I’m really happy but I also feel guilty for pursuing a field that takes time before I earn enough instead of pursuing a career that will instantly provide for me and my parents. I’m so glad to find your channel! Your topics and videos are my interests. I think this podcast format was really relaxing to listen to and many of your ideas have been in my discussions with my friends and so forth.
The family unit though, is the biggest drive for consumerism and the whole mania and mindset of having to bust ones behind in order to “provide for my family” type of thing.... It’s the family unit what drives capitalism at its core
I see where you are coming from. I'm sure 200 years ago family units were self reliant and grew their own foods and were self-sustaining. Society has evolved into capitalism where most of us (me included) have lost the skills needed to be self-sustaining due to reliance on the system.
@@moodboosters1019 Exactly... then the pressure of those parents who worked themselves to the bone to comply with consumerist societal norms are the ones who are imprinting on their offsprings the psychological subconscious mandate to repeat it all over again, in crescendo. All of this coupled with the evil side of technology and the status industry who is instructing us to consume till we die. Technology is a good servant but a dangerous master... and the fashion industry... kids killing eachother for an iphone or a pair of nike's
Family is the single best thing a society has. If you destroy that what do you have left? Who is going to care for the kids? Labour isn't bad. Meaninglessness is the problem here.
@@emmanueloshaddai3259 I agree with meaninglessness for sure
@@emmanueloshaddai3259 feelings of meaninglessness are rooted in family and upbringing... I'm sure you are aware many families are rotten to their core, look at the prison systems, look at crime, at violence, it's all rooted in family. Your statement is very naive
Love this video and your calming voice❤️❤️ so nice to listen to! Also hii fellow Singaporean here 🇸🇬🥰
You may want to look into degrowth as an answer for some of the major problems we face globally. The concept is relatively unknown and I think it should be talked about more so we can work with it as it encompasses some problems the younger generations are facing now.
Well, I've heard similar "over-thinking" discussions on other channels before, and it appears that brilliant young people are once again struggling to find a meaningful way ahead in today's environment. This is a problem that has existed for a very long time, possibly since the beginning of time. But it is the Internet's power to affect a large number of individuals from all over the world that has given rise to today's iteration of this question. This video like many other videos, has an air of "elite intellectual idleness" and a deep sense that these people and their supporters, despite their many talents, are useless, regardless of their cultural or political affiliation and that those affiliations are themselves useless. As of now, their mantra seems to be, simply, "be aware."
📈📈📈 this is the first time I’m seeing your channel, and I’m grateful you made and shared this. It resonated with me when you said that your aim is to add to this wave of conversation we’re witnessing on this topic.
thank you for the recs!
Love this video - thanks for the recommendations. I appreciated your honesty that you are still working to uninternalize these beliefs because I'm in the same boat.
You are honestly one of the best spoken people I’ve ever seen thank you so much for this insightful video I can’t wait to read the books you’ve recommended!!
Gosh! I stumbled upon your video and had not intended to spend 22min on it. Very engaging and informative. It also gave me some insight into how a young person views the world in 2021 and how badly your generation is by preceding leaders. I hope you and your peers can find a better way and not just retreat from this sorry mess. For what it's worth, I will check out your books, blog and this channel. Thanks!
How old were you when you felt the "I don't dream of labour" feeling?
13
22
17
23!
22
Just subscribed! I'm so happy you miraculously appeared on my homepage :) I also must commend you on your eloquence👏. I'm 20 and can still barely string my thoughts together in writing, never mind speaking with such insightful flow! Just wow. Keep it up!
I could hear you talk about this topics for hours. Thank you