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  1. Man Repeller2/18/196 min
    26 reads11 comments
    9.4
    Man Repeller
    26 reads
    9.4
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    • thorgalle
      Scout
      4 years ago

      A compact piece that packs a lot of punch! Some comments.

      Like many millennials — who are now of course accused of wanting too much in terms of job satisfaction and security

      As a young-end millennial entering the job market, I see friends struggling while chasing dreams versus facing realities. The competition for the most attractive Google or whatever job is high. They either work their asses off unhealthily, or are downcast that they can't have their dream jobs right away (by simply missing experience). The pressure for success is too high. A slow start is OK. When did it stop being OK?

      Or, better yet, because it enables us to truly recharge instead of carving our time into smaller and smaller pieces for someone else’s benefit?

      I didn't really get this part. Is it because more side hustles lead to a more divided and filled schedule?

      I would argue that if it started as your hobby, there should at least be some part in it for your own benefit. The point of the article exactly: monetization shouldn't be the only viable path for hobbies, but surely some are happily pursuing that path for others' benefit, and their own.

      I deal with my option paralysis in the least helpful way possible: by scrolling through my phone alone in the dark until I run out of battery (literally or figuratively) and put myself to bed feeling like I’ve lost something valuable and hating myself for it. I can’t be productive, and I can’t fully relax, and I can’t possibly be alone in this.

      My definite favorite part. Very recognizable & beautifully described. I'm happy I left that exact state by not regularly consuming content on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter anymore for a good year. Reading a book instead (or hey, an article on ReadUp!) is either relaxing, "productive", or both.

    • aussak4 years ago

      I resonate with absolutely everything in this piece. I run organized, regular dinner parties where people pay to attend. And all the time I am asked about my “side hustle”. I actually do have a side hustle, a part time job in addition to my full time job, which is about making money efficiently to supplement my regular income. But it is not hosting dinner parties, a labor of love (and time, sweat, brain energy, and physical energy) I charge people because I need to help cover costs and it is an effective way to stop people from flaking. I have often thought about what it would be like to quit my job and try to do this as a true source of income, usually during moments when I am mindlessly scrolling through IG. But then I remember, and the writer out this beautifully, “that admiration is not the same as envy.” I want my cooking to remain (and grow!) as a space for experimentation and risk taking - and not worry if people will continue to RSVP or meet my bottom line. I should post that quote on my fridge.

      • thorgalle
        Scout
        4 years ago

        I want my cooking to remain (and grow!) as a space for experimentation and risk taking

        I like that as an addition to the article. Despite the rise of risk-taking start-up mentality in industries, it's true that experimenting is still much easier on a small scale without high financial or professional stakes... And that would make it all the more unique to join one of your dinner parties. Sounds great!

        • aussak4 years ago

          Thanks! And you can join! eepurl.com/gdrrMb

          • thorgalle
            Scout
            4 years ago

            Haha, thanks for the invitation! But I'm afraid an ocean is separating us, hopefully others here live close enough to grab this opportunity :)

    • Alexa4 years ago

      I love this piece so much, it's easily the 3rd time I've read it. Everytime a girlfriend sends it my way I still get value from it. There's no shame in doing something for the sake of it, no need to monetize every thing you love.

      • Karenz4 years ago

        I’m guilty of encouraging my sister to do shows or get an Etsy shop every time I see a new piece of her art. I wrote poetry for 30 years, got some good publications, even tried to make it a “career” but fortunately for me, it didn’t work out and I had kept my day job. It was some of the best spent time in my life and I treasure that I had the experience and the joy of a fantastic writer’s group.

    • kurpels4 years ago

      Guilty.

    • TripleG
      Top reader this weekTop reader of all timeReading streakScoutScribe
      4 years ago

      This reminds me of my wife’s aunt. Every time we do something creative, she says in a shrill voice”YOU COULD START A BUSINESS”! We just roll our eyes and chuckle and go about our happiness.

    • joanne
      Top reader this weekReading streak
      4 years ago

      Love this, i wonder when the word monetize came into our vernacular. I never remember hearing it until maybe a few years ago now I hear it daily. I think money should stay separate from loves and passions it only casts a shadow on them.

    • jbuchana4 years ago

      A great article.

      I haven't monetized a hobby or interest for years, but I'm always tempted, or someone suggests it to me. I feel that it's better for my mental health not to do so, and this article makes me more comfortable about that.