You can't self-actualise through work

And the 8 articles and podcasts about it. And a fun fashion video.

This newsletter edition is going to be a bit of a different format of what I have usually done. I originally wanted this to be a list of stories to read and podcasts to listen to you around a central theme, but all these content pieces worked really well as a conversation with each other. It is for paid subscribers only but I’ve included a preview below. Click here to subscribe.

If this is a bit TL;RL (click here if you don’t know what the acronym is), please scroll to the bottom to see a list of my content suggestions.

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When the early millennial generation came-of-age and joined the workforce, it was the 2008 recession. We were thrilled to be there. We were thrilled to be interning unpaid for the experience while holding down several jobs. I’d come in early, and stayed late. I was beyond thrilled to work on a special issue for three days a week for five months, for a grand total of $500. I’ve never worked out the hourly rate because it will be painful to think about, and probably illegal.

Looking back on it, while I’m appreciative of the experience and do believe it was part of getting me to where I am now, gen Z will probably baulk at it, and then laugh at us (or, definitely just me).

My generation — or at least my peer group (which I’m going to say as a caveat so I don’t get @ and be like “you’re wrong I don’t feel like this at all) — have an obsession with our career identities. Workaholism isn’t new, but in the past few years it’s our generation who has glamorised the hustle, put the girlboss on a pedestal (and self-flagellated ourselves for coming up with the term), listen to podcasts called Diary of a CEO or How I built this (which are actually good but I digress), idolise the entrepreneur and secretly (or not so secretly) revel in being busy. These people have identities that neatly align with their careers.

This is a still from a 2017 US Vogue video where they had models dress up in the spring/summer collections. It’s a bit of a non-sequitar and vaguely relevant to what I write about — but more importantly it is a FUN VIDEO.