I came across these two articles in the space of a day or two. Both kind of miss the mark in that they kind of revolve around the millennials being a distinct group. And they are in a way, but just not the very specific way either of these articles is saying. In both cases, they need to pan out and get the whole picture. Find another thesis.
The hustle. That's what the kids are calling it these days.
Can Just-for-Fun Hobbies Survive the Era of “the Hustle”?
https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/02/hobbies-hustle-era-leisure-time-coins.html
I don't know if this difference is generational. I get that they're advocating for hobbies being for pleasure and I agree! I just think there is a bit more to it than a generational shift or that it needs more than someone saying -- look! You'd have more fun if you didn't make it capitalistic! Just try!
The hustle and monetizing hobbies is likely due to the wealth gap, rather than a cute gen x versus millennial mindset. It's a product of the recession that made itself known in 2008, which affected more than only millennials to be sure. There was then a recovery that wasn't. The economy is broken. I got advice from baby boomers about working hard at one job, not taking too much time off and lived moderately well (-ish) as a kid with one parent who worked outside the home. Now, we look at our time to see if we could squeeze in a part time job, a way to get ahead of the student loans and debt incurred in college that was supposed to be the KEY. Our ticket. While Republicans were rolling back still more taxes on the rich and getting corporations breaks and screwing us on our loans, we were incurring a mountain of debt before we even started living that we would still be working to outrun somehow by making money on hobbies or opting for third and fourth jobs over much needed sleep. When the economy is broken, the hustle is the result and it'll take A LOT more to fix it.
Here's a bit more on the post-employment economy... "we live in the tunnel at the end of the light," the author says. Enjoy.
Surviving the post-employment economy
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/11/surviving-post-employment-economy-201311373243740811.html
Office Space Exposed the Lies Millennials Are Taught About Work
https://themuse.jezebel.com/office-space-exposed-the-lies-millennials-are-taught-ab-1832813150
For the second time in the last day or so - this phenomenon in an article is NOT specific to millennials... this is what we're ALL told about work, that's why it was funny when some millennials were in diapers.
People have been saying case of the Mondays and other things from that movie since before some millennials were born. The youngest were 18? - it came out before (most) millennials even had actual full-time work experience. It was as relevant then as when millennials realized it was relevant to them also.
Maybe since more millennials are watching old movies or more are at an age to write and get published, that's why I'm seeing so many references to millennials do this and millennials think that? Millennials should look for broader trends. Maybe think/write something about capitalism instead of a narrow group that doesn't really mean much unless you're writing a newsletter for a high school reunion or something.
For the political/economic events, I'd recommend this. It's a book. It has more than 280 characters, so watch out! Seriously, it's well worth the time. -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25437695-the-view-from-flyover-country
There was a time after WWII where rich people paid taxes (94% marginal tax rate) and there were regulations and programs and so boomers naturally got this funny idea about doing what you love and hard work paying off and all those things that became lies as these regulations and programs were rolled back. Minimum wage stayed the same and "America" (1%, bosses, etc) got richer by some measures, but the middle class got poorer and less upwardly mobile. It happened to the generation before you and we talked about it - even if we only knew the effects - but they just called us lazy...
Also, I would submit that the end of the movie and the article refers to what most of us call growing up, not so much a recovery from a particular lie told to millennials: “Peter, most people don’t like their jobs,” she says. “But you go out there, and you find something that makes you happy.” Try to pay the bills with that job(s) and then after work, fit in things that tiny space that make life worth living.
The hustle. That's what the kids are calling it these days.
Can Just-for-Fun Hobbies Survive the Era of “the Hustle”?
https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/02/hobbies-hustle-era-leisure-time-coins.html
I don't know if this difference is generational. I get that they're advocating for hobbies being for pleasure and I agree! I just think there is a bit more to it than a generational shift or that it needs more than someone saying -- look! You'd have more fun if you didn't make it capitalistic! Just try!
The hustle and monetizing hobbies is likely due to the wealth gap, rather than a cute gen x versus millennial mindset. It's a product of the recession that made itself known in 2008, which affected more than only millennials to be sure. There was then a recovery that wasn't. The economy is broken. I got advice from baby boomers about working hard at one job, not taking too much time off and lived moderately well (-ish) as a kid with one parent who worked outside the home. Now, we look at our time to see if we could squeeze in a part time job, a way to get ahead of the student loans and debt incurred in college that was supposed to be the KEY. Our ticket. While Republicans were rolling back still more taxes on the rich and getting corporations breaks and screwing us on our loans, we were incurring a mountain of debt before we even started living that we would still be working to outrun somehow by making money on hobbies or opting for third and fourth jobs over much needed sleep. When the economy is broken, the hustle is the result and it'll take A LOT more to fix it.
Here's a bit more on the post-employment economy... "we live in the tunnel at the end of the light," the author says. Enjoy.
Surviving the post-employment economy
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/11/surviving-post-employment-economy-201311373243740811.html
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Office Space Exposed the Lies Millennials Are Taught About Work
https://themuse.jezebel.com/office-space-exposed-the-lies-millennials-are-taught-ab-1832813150
For the second time in the last day or so - this phenomenon in an article is NOT specific to millennials... this is what we're ALL told about work, that's why it was funny when some millennials were in diapers.
People have been saying case of the Mondays and other things from that movie since before some millennials were born. The youngest were 18? - it came out before (most) millennials even had actual full-time work experience. It was as relevant then as when millennials realized it was relevant to them also.
Maybe since more millennials are watching old movies or more are at an age to write and get published, that's why I'm seeing so many references to millennials do this and millennials think that? Millennials should look for broader trends. Maybe think/write something about capitalism instead of a narrow group that doesn't really mean much unless you're writing a newsletter for a high school reunion or something.
For the political/economic events, I'd recommend this. It's a book. It has more than 280 characters, so watch out! Seriously, it's well worth the time. -- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25437695-the-view-from-flyover-country
There was a time after WWII where rich people paid taxes (94% marginal tax rate) and there were regulations and programs and so boomers naturally got this funny idea about doing what you love and hard work paying off and all those things that became lies as these regulations and programs were rolled back. Minimum wage stayed the same and "America" (1%, bosses, etc) got richer by some measures, but the middle class got poorer and less upwardly mobile. It happened to the generation before you and we talked about it - even if we only knew the effects - but they just called us lazy...
Also, I would submit that the end of the movie and the article refers to what most of us call growing up, not so much a recovery from a particular lie told to millennials: “Peter, most people don’t like their jobs,” she says. “But you go out there, and you find something that makes you happy.” Try to pay the bills with that job(s) and then after work, fit in things that tiny space that make life worth living.
No comments:
Post a Comment