the passion economy is pure nonsense.

Bonjour !
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SOURCES/RESSOURCES 📚
Simone de Beauvoir, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: plato.stanford.edu/entries/be...
Philosophize This!, Ep. 157, The Creation of Meaning, Beauvoir: open.spotify.com/episode/6BGL...
Eve Livingston, Make Bosses Pay: Why We Need Unions, Pluto Press, 2021.
Other secondary sources are cited throughout the video :)
MUSIC 🎶
8thDimensions - Reflection - thmatc.co/?l=4B75A0C0
Ryan Little - eye flows. - thmatc.co/?l=5BA5FFA0
SOCIALS 👩‍💻
Storygraph: @alicecappelle
Instagram: / aliceoverall
Enquiries: [e-mail]

[@oscarbocking5470]

For every one person living a metro lifestyle blogging about interior design, there are 10 people driving vans, taking oat-milk latte orders, stocking shelves with crocs, picking berries, and sweeping streets. Like with the creative-class video, it's built on the shoulders of workers.

[@amarb.]

More like 1000 to 1

[@marilouneko2340]

i was thinking exactly the same thing! it's a ridiculously oblivious take

[@mac281]

On god

[@janebaker966]

But,having myself encountered those van drivers,shelf stackers,baristas etc they've all got degrees and are marking time until they get their big break!

[@taoflo8015]

To be realistic blogging isnt for everyone, making youtube vids is not for everyone...people are different

[@allanlazar9094]

“Our very idea of productivity is premised on the idea of producing something new, whereas we do not tend to see maintenance and care as productive in the same way.” ― Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy

[@williampan29]

that is why some countries, such as Japan, value preserving their tradition or culture.

[@ashleythompson4436]

Yea, that's consumer capitalism. New, more.

[@mollybernardin4278]

we are SO bad at maintenance and it shows in our activism too, the idea that we can 'go home an call it a day' after achieving one milestone rather than a slow every-day approach built around consistency and care

[@readsamread]

Such a good book!!!

[@MannoMax]

@@mollybernardin4278 We arent exactly bad at maintenance, its just very disincentivised because building new is more profitable, and easier to streamline and automate

[@IshtarNike]

We can't all be our own bosses. It's a pipe dream. The same way we can't ALL get that promotion. Shoot your shot, but people have to realise that at the end of the day the system is predicated on wage labour. There's no way we can all become entrepreneurs. It's effectively impossible. If we're all entrepreneurs, then basically we all end up as contractors with no labour rights, fighting tooth and nail against every other person to maximize the profits of our own personal corporation of the self. At that point we're basically back at square one but with even fewer rights in the market than we had before. People need to step back and actually understand what's going on. We need to collectivise the struggle not individualise it. It's "workers of the world unite", not "entrepreneurs fight for these scraps."

[@OCJoker2009]

WOW! Completely agree-you summed up her video very nicely!👍👍😎

[@penultimateh766]

But an individual will always value his own family and their success above that of his acquaintances. A "new man" who puts the needs of his fellow workers above his children does not exist. The fall of communism proved that. Has the idea just been imperfectly applied until now?

[@muriloreis5076]

@@penultimateh766 but is not always a zero sum game, it's a balance between communism and captalism

[@BDCTheSloth90]

Dude that's exactly what's happening in Italy right now: more and more jobs are becoming more and more precarious, so more and more people are becoming "self-employed professionals" with a VAT number, even though when you sweep aside all the whistles and bells it's always zero hour contracts as a subordinate. Which, btw, is exactly my case. But wait, it gets worse! Because MANY of these jobs are community sector jobs such as social workers and teachers for marginalised groups (migrants, convicts, disabled people, etc). And no, it's not an overlooked glitch in the system: it's half the point. If you belong to any marginalised group and the people who take care of you are often overworked and underpaid (luckily not my case), plus community services have been gutted by austerity and budget cuts (totally my case), you're left to your own devices and your choices are to either flee to another country or just take any slave job. There you have an underclass of slaves who can be used as a scapegoat at any given time and have to obey any order, no matter how unfair and absurd, or else.

[@khodges72]

@@penultimateh766 the needs of your fellow worker are often your own needs too

[@catcreme]

I get so angry at all these people promoting side hustles/gig economy/whatever. Like, just because you could jump from your cushy job with enough savings to take a leap into a ''passion'' doesn't mean that everybody can do it. It takes skill, luck and finances to get even remotely successful. And isn't the point of hobbies to do it because you like it? Something to fill your day with? Most people are mediocre at their hobbies but all these messages that you have to monetise your passion otherwise you're wasting a profitable opportunity to create more stressful work for you is just plain bullshit. Let me paint my mediocre daisies in peace.

[@rba4377]

I went from my full time job (making massive $ for my boss who was her own boss' passion project, working beyond what my body and soul could deliver for minimum wage while being disrespected here in Australia where minimum wage will never deliver security) to my own business where i earned double, and had all my emotional and physical energy drained. All along what i wanted was decent liveable wages, respect, decent work environment and decent hours where i could spend time w family and friends. As long as I had those i wouldnt mind being a bit bored with my job or even working 40 hrs as long as i could come home before everyone was about to go to bed. What is the point putting someone in this position to live your """"PASSION""""? + people are drained!! Fuck having more to do on the side!

[@rebeccamichaels6953]

"let me paint my mediocre daisies in peace" is my new motto 💯

[@Rosebro111]

I’ve heard in the Netherlands when you ask someone what they do they respond with a hobby. I love the idea!

[@AdiPrimandaGinting]

Bonne idee. So, if people ask what I do, I will say I do running and people will think I am a professional athlete 😂

[@conversationcorner1837]

That's a good way to initiate a conversation.

[@peoplesgoldAU]

As someone from the Netherlands I can’t say that’s true unfortunately… However it’s not as common to ask someone you’ve just met a party what they do for work as a way of making small talk as it is in say, Australia where I live now.

[@conversationcorner1837]

@@peoplesgoldAU What is small talk like for the Dutch ?

[@RosesAndIvy]

@@conversationcorner1837 Talking about the weather. We Dutch love to complain about the weather. It's always too cold, too rainy, too hot or too sunny.

[@marilouneko2340]

people being their own boss doesn't absolve them for having to please someone outside themselves. it just gets shifted from the boss to the customer/audience. oops. it's also funny to me because from what i can tell the people saying that you can achieve something akin to a "4h work week" by being self-employed all seem to be workaholics lmao

[@JP-ve7or]

I wish I could remember which dudebro it was, but part of his big story is that his fiancee left him because he was working all the time selling people on the four hour workweek 🤣🤣🤣

[@jerlinej3516]

Yup. “I don’t want to answer to anyone else” just doesn’t work. We’re always answering to someone else whether it’s directly or indirectly.

[@laureng2162]

They hustle all the time, more than 4 hours, and I’m like naaaahh. Ali Wong said it best- I don’t wanna lean in I wanna lay down. Monetizing passion is a quick way to make it a chore.

[@anattynook]

Yes, this whole narrative around pursuing your passions and deriving your full-time income from it is one that only really applies to those who have the socio-economic capacity to do so. The majority of us won't ever reach substantial wealth just by 'hustling', but it's such a deeply internalised aspiration that's taught to us from young. Sometimes when I witness such media/content, I'm really in awe of how the white-collar worker discourse just completely overshadows conversations about other types of work. Thank you for making such a timely video essay once again! I love how you integrated Simone de Beauvoir's philosophy in helping us overcome this false dichotomy of employee vs ownership. Unfortunately I'm living in a place with loads of restrictive laws, but this video really helped clarify how I may move forward with a healthier mindset shift. Hope you are doing well wherever you are

[@AliceCappelle]

❤️✨

[@wolfiesasha887]

Usually those with yt chanel are with the ' i quit the 9 to 5 ' , but not everyone wants to have a yt chanel 🤣

[@Danuxsy]

There is only one way to solve these issues and that is automation, we need to remove jobs completely.

[@TheZatzman]

If people got more proper benefits from these regular jobs that let them support themselves financially, emotionally, spiritually (ie: able to find meaning in some aspects of their lives) while maintaining that work/life balance - then I don't think the "gig economy"/"creator economy"/"hustling"/"monetizing every aspect of your life" would have the same kind of allure. As fulfilling as creative work can be - if you are putting a lot of time and effort into it, at the end of the day, it still feels like work. Hell, sometimes you can put more effort into that than your actual job. It's a lot of the stuff that goes unseen - like I'm looking at this video and thinking, "Alice had to read up on this, that, and that", familiarize herself with the concepts, write a coherent script, shoot it, edit it, get all the footage, etc etc - it's a lot for just ten minutes😅 ... plus whatever else could be going on behind the scenes. Not saying that you do this - but I feel as though a lot of the successful "online influencers" don't give an accurate representation of what this lifestyle is like. While they shouldn't be discouraging their audience to "chase their passions", telling them that "anyone could be successful" doesn't quite capture the complexity of how they rose to that position in the first place. I've become increasingly uncomfortable with the notion of monetizing every aspect of your existence. Any time a mention of a hobby comes up, colleagues are chomping at the bit to tell you how you can monetize it, make side income, etc. Some of this is harmless of course - people mean well - but there's something a bit 'perverse' about reducing certain aspects of the human experience to a monetary value. Why even bother taking the time to write out this comment, when I could be doing something else more productive or lucrative? I loathe that line of thinking. There's more to this life. Anyways, great video as always Alice!

[@rba4377]

YESSSS!! I went from my full time job (making massive $ for my boss who was her own boss' passion project, working beyond what my body and soul could deliver for minimum wage while being disrespected here in Australia where minimum wage will never deliver security) to my own business where i earned double, and had all my emotional and physical energy drained. All along what i wanted was decent liveable wages, respect, decent work environment and decent hours where i could spend time w family and friends. As long as I had those i wouldnt mind being a bit bored with my job or even working 40 hrs as long as i could come home before everyone was about to go to bed. What is the point putting someone in this position to live your """"PASSION""""? + people are drained!! Fuck having more to do on the side!

[@TheZatzman]

@@rba4377 Yeah I feel ya. (Sorry, I don't have more to add to what you said ... just "I feel ya")

[@sebastianfeuerstein9306]

"There's something perverse about reducing certain aspects of the human experience to a monetary value" - isn't this the whole idea of capitalism? 😅

[@TheZatzman]

@@sebastianfeuerstein9306 Could be ya.

[@sebastianfeuerstein9306]

@@TheZatzman alright 😁

[@BriantWebster]

"You are never fully your own boss." That idea was lurking in my subconscious but now I'm realizing why. I agree that people should fight for subjectivity in their workplace; but sometimes that requires a healthy self-esteem. We must advocate for ourselves and our very being. Thank you for this video.

[@StephanieGonzalezStudio]

As an aspiring political scientist, I really enjoy your analytical work. To add to the hobby v. work conversation, l would like to give the example of artist v. working artist. You can be an artist without monetizing your art, but if you want to be a working artist, you have to find ways to monetize it. Unlike the artist, the working artist seeks to pay their living expenses through their creative output. The working artists need to eat.

[@fraffeetan9395]

I’ve tried working in corporate then as a business owner then as a freelancer. After having tried these different types of employment or work, I prefer my 9 to 5 startup job right now. There’s a peace and stability there. My hope for those who have 9 to 5s is to have stronger and firmer boundaries the moment you sign off for the day 🥰 Take care everyone, I know we all just want to survive huhu 🤗 Hugs to all

[@arinaira1417]

I just quit my job because of severe burnout. I only work part time now. It's interesting to see how we see nowadays we see the trend of anti-work. I love your work keep going Alice 🤗 i disagree with monetizing ur life...it seems the result of neoliberal economy

[@ElisaLlera]

I too made this change last year. It’s been difficult to adjust financially, but I’m definitely feeling healthier and more balanced with this workload. Hope you’re finding it just as complimentary @arina ira 🙏

[@arinaira1417]

@@ElisaLlera thank you. Now I have better sleep and time to rest. I agree, financially I'm still struggling but I feel happier 😊

[@babbonatale276]

I like the positive vibes of your titles: "the passion economy is pure nonsense", "the dream of home ownership is dead", "we're not equal", "we're all hypocrites at this point". I look forward for the next videos: "we're already dead" and "the world is made of poop and we're eating it everyday". Just kidding, keep it up😄

[@marcies1297]

Right...super negative

[@thatchapthere]

I mean, the last one's just basic ecology.

[@er1q1]

the problem is that negative titling is far more attention grabbing than hopefulness because hopefulness is often used as code for passivity

[@acdude5266]

Some of us would rather take the red pill.

[@SC-gw8np]

I think we are at that point where positive platitudes do more harm than good.🤷‍♀️

[@kasterborouskitten]

Very interesting! I wonder how much the current anti-work trend and Great Resignation come from many people viewing jobs passively with a sense of detachment and disconnect, due to a lack of solidarity between workers and active participation that a union would offer. I feel like you are less likely to leave a job if you have a community and a sense of purpose there, even if that purpose is not for the labour itself, but improving working conditions. You're more likely to stay if you feel like there's a way to actually change the bad things!

[@sofiadiaz856]

I agree! And I think that this is why I hate the phrase “if you don’t like your workplace, there’s the door”, cause at some extent I can understand that some workplaces aren’t suit for everybody, but if we’re talking about the very basic conditions for a healthy environment… then why not try to change it?

[@Jodamo]

Because the business people would prefer you to quit than to stay and be a part of a force for change that benefits workers.

[@Stormy38044]

Legit, I stayed at a place that was increasingly worse over time for many years, and I hung in there because of my colleagues - not my boss or managers, but the people on the ground with me. In the end it was not enough and I moved on. The bad things just got too much. Edit: we did try to unionise at one point but the union really let us down and didn't help us.

[@SolftLuna123456789]

Things like the passion economy or the creative class are highly individualized answers to the discontent workers have today, the problem with this is that there will still be a stressing and competitive environment anyway because everyone is trying to secure themselves, unions are a way to advocate for better life quality for all workers, not just a lucky bunch

[@rba4377]

yes! I went from my full time job (making massive $ for my boss who was her own boss' passion project, working beyond what my body and soul could deliver for minimum wage while being disrespected here in Australia where minimum wage will never deliver security) to my own business where i earned double, and had all my emotional and physical energy drained. All along what i wanted was decent liveable wages, respect, decent work environment and decent hours where i could spend time w family and friends. As long as I had those i wouldnt mind being a bit bored with my job or even working 40 hrs as long as i could come home before everyone was about to go to bed. What is the point putting someone in this position to live your """"PASSION""""? + people are drained!! Fuck having more to do on the side!

[@vanessabogaert2104]

As someone who owns her own company, being self-employed is not better, it’s just different. Yes, I don’t answer to a boss, but I do answer to customers and to my employees. I include employees because I believe in providing a supportive workplace with great wages and benefits. And when the toilets clogs, or a computer breaks, it’s on me to fix. And the hardest part is I pay all the bills. As for the 40 hour work week, be prepared to work more than that if you’re self-employed. I wouldn’t change anything, but it’s not for everyone.

[@harshinisekar5726]

The difference, however, is that here you putting in the extra hours are towards something that you own, and you are passionate about, and in the long run if everything goes according to plan gives you exponential growth which would not be the same scale of growth compared to some "wage-worker" who is on their "usual 9-5". You pay the bills but you also reap the most benefit (or incur the most amount of loss).

[@vanessabogaert2104]

@@harshinisekar5726 it depends on the business. I have employees who make as much as I do, and then have none of the stress that I do. I have friends with their own businesses who would make more working for someone else, but like the flexibility and autonomy of being self-employed. My father-in-law worked for himself as a lawyer, and would have made more working for a firm, but that culture didn’t suit him. It really depends on the scenario which is better for someone.

[@SamIndecisive]

A few months ago I quit my warehouse job, burnt out. There was a lot of mandatory overtime and BS busywork. I had wanted to try to organize with my coworkers, but I think we were all too burnt out to find the time and energy to do so! Plus, being the person to START collective action takes interpersonal skills and confidence that I unfortunately did not have enough of.

[@rba4377]

100% we are all drained and have so much BS going on! I went from my full time job (making massive $ for my boss who was her own boss' passion project, working beyond what my body and soul could deliver for minimum wage while being disrespected here in Australia where minimum wage will never deliver security) to my own business where i earned double, and had all my emotional and physical energy drained. All along what i wanted was decent liveable wages, respect, decent work environment and decent hours where i could spend time w family and friends. As long as I had those i wouldnt mind being a bit bored with my job or even working 40 hrs as long as i could come home before everyone was about to go to bed. What is the point putting someone in this position to live your """"PASSION""""? + people are drained!! Fuck having more to do on the side!

[@SamIndecisive]

@@rba4377 I guess the issue, isn’t it? Improving your conditions takes a lot of time, energy, and work. That’s whether you do it by starting your own business, or by organizing with your coworkers.

[@Bartholomule01]

I just hope people come to value art and creative endeavors for their own sake and not be discouraged if they can't turn it into their paycheck. Music is my main passion/hobby like collecting records, going to concerts, making/playing music myself, exploring tons of different artists and styles and I love how many great artists I've found next to no fans. Astralkblak has one of my favorite R&B/Funk adjacent albums of the 10s, they have under 300 monthly listeners on Spotify. You and other people can make great creative work without fame and fortune. Let the small amount of people you reach, even if it's just friends and family IRL be enough, don't deny yourself a creative outlet because it's not commercially validated.

[@rkmh9342]

Beautiful work! Individual Existence is resistance. But unless you're some kind of superhero, you will lose the fight if your existence doesn't include solidarity and organization to establish equity for your neighbour and your neighbour-to-be.

[@fahbyus35]

Your channel is one of the best rarities of Yt - so many clever and insightful analyses I almost never find anywhere else, especially in the English-speaking world. Congratulations for your wonderful contributions, it's always a great pleasure to listen to you! 🙂 As for this anti-nine-to-five hype, I would add that people tend to forget that work is also that part of the things-that-must-be-done that are unpleasant... but HAVE to be done anyway (it is not nice to empty the waste basket everyday, to clean up our house, to wash the dishes - but WE HAVE TO DO IT, period.) That's one of the most basic dimensions of the word WORK these guys so easily forget. Greetings from Brazil!

[@MeganBennettBurks]

I have turned my hobbies into my job before. I won't say it isn't great, but I also can't say I don't have my qualms with it. All the same I veered away from doing this and turned my hobbies back into side hustles during the pandemic and eventually started working away from home again. I think my traditional job that I took on full time actually helped my well being during the pandemic situation and pouring everything into my passion projects all the time and making those too much about money isn't always the answer.

[@sb1206]

Ik this is controversial but I don't trust anyone who touts crypto to regular working people. Being pro-worker is so incredibly unpopular in the US. I grew up with a dad in a union, as did several of my peers. But many would go on to work in fields that are not unionized here. It's tiring to watch people continuously argue against their own best interest because they fear looking poor. Although we have quite a powerful history of unions in the US, our schools never teach us about it.

[@fluxophile]

Fuck crypto. It's a paradigm rooted in anger about not being the boot, and trying to create communities where you're explicitly incentivized to scam your peers. It was never meant to be a "Marxist" technology.

[@aureliusp1330]

It really sucks that the most we can strive for on the left is an increase in labor unions. They're nothing more than a wet band aid on a wound that needs stitches. It helps for a while, but is ultimately very easily torn off if you don't keep it in check, and doesn't even fix the core issue. Unions aren't guaranteed to increase wages for the workers or make workplaces safer. UPS, which has the largest concentration of private sector unions in the U.S., pays $15/hr in NYC to their package handlers. $15/hr is minimum wage in the 5 boroughs. The working conditions are shit too, not as bad as Amazon but being better than the worst isn't really a great accomplishment. The Teamsters have a lot of leverage they aren't using. Unions are a good short term goal but the medium term should be worker co-ops. In the case of grocery stores, utilities, transit networks etc I think it should be a combo worker/consumer co-op. It feels like we're just replaying the early 20th century because unions were so thoroughly immolated by the 90s because they're ultimately very weak. I'm 100% in favor of unions and love seeing more aggressive pushes for unionization, but feel like it's too little too late.

[@eilony9]

Thank you. I think you just helped me with figuring out how I want to change my career path. I'm a nurse, and after 8 years of school, hard work, crazy work hours, and the mental pressure, I think anyone can see why I'm slowly fed up. I love my job, though. The people and how things are unpredictable; I want to learn more and also want to give back. The problem is that I sacrifice a lot of energy. While others complain about the 9-5, that's structure that I ern for more and more. Because otherwise, you can just not get enough rest. I'm a creative and I'm motivated to try new things but when you bring ideas to the higher ups all you get are empty promises "next months plan will be better" "we are working on changing our shift times"... (it's been a year and not a single thing has changed) good workers leave because higher ups just don't listen. The health care system does not have the luxury anymore to play around with workers however they want. I understand why people leave, and I'm personally very close to that point, too. This is where I like your point of a union. I realise that I alone can not change my workplace, and leaving it would help me temporarily, but not others. Bringing my ideas and motivation to unions while still working in my passion job as a nurse might just help me with the feeling of being trapped. And well as idealistic as it sounds, it might bring change for others. I would love to see more videos on regular folks working, unionising, demos, or just how changes can happen. I know that's easier said than done :) I think it would be way more related for me and others who don't dream of side hustles and social media careers.

[@by_sha]

It was unreal to see you mention Eve Livingston. We attented some same classes for 3 years out of my 4 years in Edinburgh uni. Absolutely brilliant soul. It was also in Scotland where this kind of discussion was particularly encouraged and allowed to blossom, which I miss dearly. Thank you very much for the compelling content as always.

[@milkcarton6654]

I make a radio show/podcast (it's aired lived as an internet radio show and then uploaded as a podcast) every two weeks that takes me at least 25-30 hours to put together and i have like maybe 15 listeners and it is not on platforms where it can even be monetized and i JUST. DONT. CARE. The first question out of my mom's bf's mouth when she mentioned my show was "how much are you making from this?" Like it baffles the mind of people nowadays you can have a passion project that you are not in any way interested in monetizing. If i was trying to make money from it anyway i would have to start thinking about making sure the content of my show is interesting to as many people as possible and it would then not make it a passion project anymore.

[@khyan]

“But since we cannot all have the career of heroic leaders, and cannot all make our individual will prevail, this philosophy, like all other forms of anarchism, inevitably leads, when adopted, to the despotic government of the most successful ‘hero’. And when his tyranny is established, he will suppress in others the self-assertive ethic by which he has risen to power. This whole theory of life, therefore, is self-refuting, in the sense that its adoption in practise leads to the realisation of something utterly different: a dictatorial State in which the individual is severely repressed.” - Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy

[@Oscarwhaaa]

Great video as usual Alice. I agree with you, it is so absurd that it is expected nowadays of us to monetise our lives, have many income streams and start a side hustle. What you said in an earlier video resonates with me and is applicable to the passion economy- that being side hustles etc are really just an individualistic way for each of us to cope with capitalist society and values. Basic jobs do not pay the bills and can't keep up with the rising standard of living nowadays. The blame is put on the worker, s/he struggles financially because S/HE is too lazy to get a 2nd full time job, start an online business, monetise their passion.... I am from and live in Ireland. The rise in cost of living is ridiculous. It is extremely difficult for someone to live independently and have any standard of living. The wages are not adequate for the cost of living. I understand that every country is going through this but I am only able to speak from my experience in Ireland. I am seeing more and more articles online about ways in which WE can save money and cut expenses in order to survive this inflation. Why is it our responsibility? The government say they can't reduce tax, subsidise cost of petrol etc anymore because then essential services will have to be sacraficed. Assuming the government is telling the truth, what do we do? I would really appreciate if you spoke about this topic Alice and express your opinion towards this. It infuriates me how the burden of this inflation is put on the workers' shoulders. However, I am unsure of a solution to this and don't wish to complain for the sake of it, and ideas?

[@ilaeoa]

9 to 5 is okay, If you live next door to your job. Commute consumes life.

[@bhaveshtochabbra6853]

Uhh

[@austin7591]

In love with the transitions in this… thanks for another great video Alice!

[@coreymeehan3061]

You’re truly becoming one of my favorite channels. Thank you!!

[@lynnn7237]

I'm happy to see someone talk about this. I somewhat think turning passion into a job that can earn money is a bubble, an illusion. I think that's running away from facing the problem of inequality in workspace and the exploitation of capitalism. Of course, most of us only have really little power to change this situation, so it's normal to see people hoping to become their own boss, decide "everything" by themselves and do something that they enjoy. But I think it's some kind of melancholic that we want to turn every aspect of our life into money... Or maybe I'm too idealistic...

[@rba4377]

YES! I went from my full time job (making massive $ for my boss who was her own boss' passion project, working beyond what my body and soul could deliver for minimum wage while being disrespected here in Australia where minimum wage will never deliver security) to my own business where i earned double, and had all my emotional and physical energy drained. All along what i wanted was decent liveable wages, respect, decent work environment and decent hours where i could spend time w family and friends. As long as I had those i wouldnt mind being a bit bored with my job or even working 40 hrs as long as i could come home before everyone was about to go to bed. What is the point putting someone in this position to live your """"PASSION""""? + people are drained!! Fuck having more to do on the side!

[@benezer5155]

I am amazed how much the videos have improved in just a few months. Wow much respect!

[@luciaminy-giani3305]

I found your channel yesterday and I’m currently binging every video :)

[@MillanaSnow]

I love that you highlighted Li. Thank you for this!

[@DerriereLeMLM]

Je crois que je vais partir sur un marathon de tes vidéos ! Cette "narrative" de "les 9-5 c'est le mal" et tout, c'est quelques choses qu'on voit aussi beaucoup dans les MLMs. Et pas que aux US, les branches française sont en plein dedans aussi. Et ils me rendent dingue. Comme si tout le monde avait l'opportunité ou juste l'envie d'être EnTrEpReNeUr et tout, alors qu'en fait un entrepreneur travaille bien plus qu'un employé, genre 24/7. Donc pour avoir sa time freedom on repassera. Et leur "développement personnel" c'est dans la même lignée...

[@sebastianfeuerstein9306]

Thanks for sharing this amazing video, had no idea just how faulty the idea of monetizing your passion is, you've truly changed my mind regarding this. Thanks again!!

[@courtneyconkling]

Yet another well thought out, effective video. I love all your work!

[@nubreed1980]

I appreciate your content. Your topics are great conversation materials except many people today aren't willing to deep dive into chats like this.

[@eveeehr]

I feel like most people would be okay being workers if instead of a 9-5 five days a week, a four day work week of like 9-4 and better management and employers

[@bhaveshtochabbra6853]

Dream come true.

[@SkinnyEMedia]

Depends on some businesses and countries (Sweden?) Most places and companies it's a pipe dream.

[@kawaii_princess_castle]

The thing is that passion is not enough because humans need both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, you can be very passionate in art for example but if 10 months past and nobody cares nor buys your painting or you sell one for two dollars while you have put 8 hour days promoting them, you begin to loose the inner motivation or passion. You need to see the reflexion of your hard work or inner passion outside in the real world by for example earning decent money. And I think that It is not that you suck or people don't care, It is the internet medium is such a crowded place with lots of content creators and sellers trying to attract everyones attention and your are just one of them!

[@penultimateh766]

As usual I am blown away by our host's erudition and beauty. Ultimately any union needs organizers and leaders, and these people can exploit their power and position the same way any type of organizer or politician does. Society has never found a way to make a completely egalitarian organization that works for any length of time, because people will always put their own families above their acquaintances. At some point the kulaks get liquidated.

[@conversationcorner1837]

Why is there an egalitarian demand only when it comes to economics ? There is inequality of intelligence, inequality of physical appearances and so many other aspects of human life. Why not let the rising tide lift all boats ?

[@penultimateh766]

@@conversationcorner1837 So because you can't make everybody equally handsome, that means no equality at all? Like bribing judges to get a better verdict should be legal? I'm not ready to go THAT far....

[@patriciabation4106]

Love you babe. Really needed to hear this right now.

[@tschackalacka7850]

please never stop making videos 💛

[@AliceCappelle]

i won't i promise

[@professionaldaydreamer]

It surprises me that not more of us realize that most people touting how great the passion economy is have something to sell to you. It has MLM vibes to it (definitely so for anything crypto related); if you can convince enough people to buy your stuff they can be just like you, but they in turn would have to do the same in convincing enough others to be successful too. Great video, love the title too.

[@silversurfermusicco5263]

Excellent video. I think this cool living side hussle is another nail in social equality. It doesnt really warm to me. Its easy to be a narcissist but no easy to be selfless

[@michawojciechowski1175]

Being your own boss is rather an extremely individualized approach to higher pay, don't you think? Instead of unions, one can go Mad Max on shoulders of others and hope to get more money on their own business. Then even if they won’t, they still feel in control like not high enough salary is only their fault.

[@send_help_to_tas2251]

I am early once again :D I should probably watch videos about economics to better understand what you're talking about but they're still very easy to understand even for a high schooler like me lol, keep it up :D Edit: I recently picked up programming as a hobby. After a few days, I thought of an idea that if i can somehow use this skill to make money then I'd have better living conditions. Since then I haven't been able to properly enjoy what I was doing, because I unconsciously set a deadline in my head and it's just too much pressure. I think I'mma try to be a little less harsh on myself now

[@zainmudassir2964]

I like your content. So chill

[@SuburbanSiren]

Thankyou Alice for always teaching me and giving me word to put to the ideas I think.

[@alicesassaroli8157]

I love your videos Alice, you always feed my thought.

[@abdessamedaouissi15]

haven't watched the video yet but i already know i'm going to love it

[@enquantoeu]

Just me that randomly fell into alice’s channel and like ~gave up on a bunch of things that made me think that i was sick but it was making me more sick? Its always sort of a trigger to me to see theses guys I litterally atempted bc of it. Not cool Thank you alice You really helped

[@riichobamin7612]

I feel you. I am from India and I am trying to crack an exam that will get me a govt job. It is not ideal, but the job security is good, it is 9-5 and the salary is decent. And above else, I will have the time and money to pursue my hobbies (MMA, Boxing and Gaming). I would HATE to be a professional fighter as it requires me to do something I do not like; create controversies and draw attention to myself. Professional fighting is all about making money, and many times promotion will sign someone because they are easily marketable, and not because they are the best fighter around. So I would be very happy with a 9-5 job that will leave me with a steady salary and enough disposable income and time to pursue my hobbies as hobbies, i.e. without the fear of livlihood intertwining with my passion.

[@Andrew-cx6cs]

These ideas have calmed me

[@wi2fi]

Love that you're going deeper into this topic. I would agree with most of what you're saying but I don't see how a platform that takes 20% of your passion income is the same as someone using your labor paying you minimum wage & adding 1000% mark up on top and sell it to another worker.

[@terryrustad1800]

Thought Provoking! 🤔 Bravo 👏

[@gabsauvage]

I fucking love your voice. It's so good, so on point. Bravo.

[@luciano.armani]

unions are amazing where they can be applied. you can have a transportation union because its a physical thing within a country. but you cant have a graphic designers union because some guy in the philipines doesnt care and can race your price to the bottom all day long. a whole world union would be nice but its utopia from this vantage point. From the people that i know, nobody wants to have a job. I see more and more and more people that just want to run their own thing doing what they love. It's going to keep growing more and more.

[@thetorontogirl]

I've worked since my early 20s and I've come to this conclusion. Anything, even when you follow your passion and dreams, it's still work. It'll be considered work even if you do what you love and a lot of people who I've spoken to tell me that they've actually lost all passion towards the very thing they went into business to do because it became monotonous. It's like eating pizza everyday. You'll eventually get tired of it. I think hustle culture is overrated as well. Following your passion, although it involves to still work at, can be way more fulfilling than let's say a dead end 9-5 minimum wage job (although I did find some people who are actually happy with that). In any case, to each their own. Quiet quitting has also become a trend and it's pretty good, tbh. I feel like employers and companies take advantage and after some soul searching and crushing events in my life, I've come to realize that I just don't care to kill myself for any job because it's just that, a job.

[@janebaker966]

Yep. Someone's got to be the early morning cleaner at Ikea. And a fab job it was too working with lovely people. I really enjoyed it.

[@annavyensko9302]

Amazing essay, thank you! 😍

[@zackrudisaile4038]

I think this acts as a good microcosm of the language around capitalism as a whole. People like to compliment capitalism by saying "anyone can become successful" BUT not everyone gets the same odds. And for me it's fundamental failure is that by design ANYONE can be, but not EVERYONE can be

[@taxthesocialist2602]

And leftism won't equalize those odds, unless you are into depopulation. Not even China is capable of fulfilling the needs of over a billion people. What you believe is merely a pipe dream.

[@rba4377]

Alice, your videos are one of the few things that make me feel seen and heard. I went from my full time job (making massive $ for my boss who was her own boss' passion project, working beyond what my body and soul could deliver for minimum wage while being disrespected here in Australia where minimum wage will never deliver security) to my own business where i earned double, and had all my emotional and physical energy drained. All along what i wanted was decent liveable wages, respect, decent work environment and decent hours where i could spend time w family and friends. As long as I had those i wouldnt mind being a bit bored with my job or even working 40 hrs as long as i could come home before everyone was about to go to bed. What is the point putting someone in this position to live your """"PASSION""""? + people are drained!! Fuck having more to do on the side!

[@stevenmoore7272]

Seems that people who make their living off of social media have forgotten that they are working for a large tech corporation. Which is not an innate problem, albeit a far cry from entrepreneurship. Spending your time "branding" may feel like ownership, but in reality, it's just the entertainment business baby! Also the Marxist/venture capitalist statement absolutely killed me. Would love to see your take on banks buying up all the houses.

[@tuo.dobginski]

Wonderful as always!

[@matthewhermon2677]

Cool video ☺ I remember someone saying to be careful about monetizing a hobby, because you could end up hating that hobby when you have to start making a living off it. I do think that a lot of things could be changed when it comes to the tranditional 9 - 5. A 4-day work week is one such thing.

[@juliaisasti2583]

amazing as always !

[@piffybeepiffybeee9525]

Thankyou, you really helped a man!

[@glueplay]

holy fuck your choice of topics is immaculate, all of them meaningful and relevant to our modern society

[@m.5534]

thank you for this video!

[@freddykuno]

Great moment when Li Jin proudly admitted she's only really interested in the platforms - which are built to monetise OTHER people's passions/hobbies/creativity for the benefit of the platform companies who, ironically, still peddle the myth of "cutting out the middle men" when they really mean: "we'll be your new middlemen, but you'll do all the work". I had not heard of the "passion economy" before your video but it seems to be just someone's attempt to coin another fancy term for platform capitalism. After all, the only new economy here is created by urging everone to turn their hobbies into businesses. What a hideous proposition.

[@clairette811]

Toujours parfait et salvateur 🙏

[@hauntedmushroomsasmr7716]

I absolutely agree with the passion culture issues. I see this on KZbin/TikTok/Instagram/Twitch. I see hundreds of creators post passive-aggressive posts or videos talking about how they aren’t getting viewed and they might as well just leave, crying because their channel isn’t taking off or other people are getting more views than them. Heart-broken because it’s their dream, but they just aren’t successful. As much as I hate to say it, not everyone is going to be a successful content creator on these platforms. Not everyone is going to be the next best things and launch into stardom. The best you can hope for is that one of your videos is blessed by the algorithm and shows up on several people’s pages and you get a viral video. It’s soul-crushing to see other people explode in popularity and become millionaires, living the dream, while you’re trying to do the same but getting less than 1K views. On a platform designed to comfort the lonely and relate to others, you just reaffirms how “unwanted” and “lonely” you feel that no one wants to watch you. It’s terrible for your self-esteem. I wish more people viewed content creating as a wonderful hobby. Whether it’s gaming, reviews, makeup, commentary, ASMR, whatever. Instead of getting mad at far behind you are, be happy for the subscribers you do have. You are doing what you ENJOY, not trying to forcibly impress other people or convince them to subscribe. You’re not a slave to the codes of conduct, having to censor everything you do (within reason). You’re doing this for fun and when you take that pressure off yourself, it’s amazing how freeing that can be and if you get monetized, even better! There are the downsides such as “wasting effort” or it just becoming a chore. I wish we didn’t have this mentality that everything has to be for profit, that every aspect of us has to be for money.

[@saraatppkdotpt8140]

Always brilliant analysis!

[@kvothe1293]

Hi Alice, hope you are doing good. One thing I've noticed among most of the books you mention is that they are about working class, some kind of history etc. I have never heard of these books anywhere outside. As someone who wants to read more about the subjects, where can I find such book recommendations? Where do you get to know about them? Thanks 💙

[@PAPDUKK]

ive had good experience from google scholar, while it mostly highlights articles and nieche pieces it does sometimes showcases samples from books which ive on more than one occasion bought the full copy of. other than that if you know people who are in uni doing humanities ask what they are assigned to read and if they like any of it, had loads of good recs from friends in geography, sociology and political science

[@ramealharbi4919]

Versobooks (UK) and Haymarket books (US) are two good publishers to check out

[@rosa-lotta]

Also, if you find a book you like, look in the back of the book at the sources of that book for further information on a topic

[@gavintai1]

good content! thanks for the view!

[@emily2k111]

Clicked for the title of the video, stayed for the accent! 🥰

[@harshinisekar5726]

This video is giving me existential dread.

[@khodges72]

Society can't run on KZbinrs alone

[@Anna-ge3xp]

your videos are curing my depression

[@AliceCappelle]

🤧❤️

[@MainelyMandy]

Really fantastic video.

[@concernedpersoninmexico]

I am in a weird position, I am a slave of the passion economy (viz., getting old and still doing what I want) - but I am starting to be less passionate about it. As always, extremely insightful; fantastic video!

[@MichaelFlanagan]

5:12 - brilliant 😀

[@mekko902]

I was already loving this, and then you pulled Simone de Beauvoir (and Camus!) out of your pocket. Here to stay.

[@tiwaryaf]

Marketing isn't the process, just as being black and white isn't the clear explanation. Being your own boss doesn't mean you gotta do and handle nothing, but look at the better picture for yourself and realize what else can you do which makes you happy

[@myjellyfeed4539]

Ah, but isn't it wonderful when people follow their passions? The great leaders you have mentioned all did. Besides, the world will soon change. Robots will drive vans, take oat-milk lattes, stock shelves with crocs, pick berries, and sweep streets. Why not follow your passion NOW if it's strong enough, if you dare? And if you dare not, that is fine too. We need passionate leaders and passionate followers. The truth is they are equally important, even if we live in a world that gives leaders all the credit. I think the message is really be yourself, follow your intuition, and do what makes you happiest. Don't feel pressured one way or the other by outside influences. Follow your heart.

[@laramaestrelli1047]

i love the part "how to monetize your life" and the relaxing music playing behind like we are supposed to relax with the following informationKOAKDASOKDASA

[@Peanuts76]

Thank you, your critical thinking on certain new waves topics give us a true reality, on the third world country where every people here are more comforting to 9 to 5 jobs, this new trends seems beyond our conprehension.....

[@conversationcorner1837]

It's a thin line between realism and defeatism. Hope we understand how to separate one from the other.

[@BentoBox]

Salut salut! The financialization of everything is the scariest aspect of crypto to me. Still, the community created billions out of thin air and are now holding onto these utopian beliefs to propose an alternative, which will undoubtedly come with its own unforeseen second, third, fourth order effects... But, so far, it is the only approach that has gained real momentum - if momentum is to be calculated by the amount of money it has amassed - that has wholeheartedly embraced capitalism while promising an alternative to the current system. I'm glad someone else mentioned in the comments how hyper individualism is antithetical to group formation and bargaining for common rights. I often feel like every counterculture movement - however brief - is always promoted through the lens of survivorship bias, while everyone else takes a jab at why the solution isn't universal enough. Your channel is somewhat proof of that, which is why I'm always torn on these subjects because generally no real cure is proposed for the overall anguish one must live through just to survive, and the stories we find along the way (minimalism! Fire! The great resignation! Crypto!) aren't holistic enough to provide answers for everyone. At least, what crypto has going for it is that its leaders (Charles Hoskinson & Vitalik Buterin, to name a few) are very open about the ills they seek to correct. And following their path doesn't require screaming at politicians all day hoping for better union policies. It's the parallel track to reality that's enthralling to some. Remains to be seen if it will all pan out.

[@calidreams5379]

There is no job too small, every job is impotent and needs to done by someone and preferably done well. If everyone becomes a KZbinr, we will basically all starve. But, if one does not enjoy flipping burgers or stocking shelves all day for wages that do not even cover basic necessities, what’s wrong with encouraging someone to pursue a side “hustle/passion”?

[@janebaker966]

Yet another incisive dissection of a contemporary phenomenon. I do know that an awful lot of city brokers,stock traders,and high level bank employees work in the City (London) until they have banked enough money to throw it all off and live their dream life (mostly in Dorset),as a Pig Farmer,a breeder of rare breed chickens,a producer of organic meat/vegetables and other charming sounding rural occupations. These people are not straw chewing yokels. They are from solid upper middle class or above families,they've had a good education and worked hard,they've been sensible enough to spend about a decade in some high paying corporate job in order to salt away the sort of financial cushion you need if you intend to live and work in a loss making business and of course a good way to solve this is to create a narrative,you sell the story about your organic pork. We,the customers think we are buying half a dozen rashers of bacon but really were buying that story you told us (sold us) about how you sourced your rare breed pigs from this obscure place in Europe where there were only 3 left and you've saved the breed and their meat is more meltingly delicious than horrid cheap commercial breeds and the piglets are cute. It's very clever. I like it! On my local tv news tonight which I rarely watch was a story about a Netflix tv show being filmed in my city which is become a real hub for tv production companies which I found out recently when I had to Google one. The director,a fashionably scruffy young man was saying how he got taken on after posting some short films on KZbin and his immense cinematographic skill was spotted (he didn't say that,that's my interpretation) only that too is the myth. You post on KZbin a bit and you become a star and rich and famous. Only I follow one KZbinr at least whose been at it for at least ten years and is excellent but really just as obscure as when they started. It is a bit of a myth that if you create something fantastic (the proverbial better mousetrap) the world will flock to you,no,you have to adopt,invent or adapt a story and sell that. I'm over 65 so my mind is in a more cynical cast than your younger viewers who have life ahead of them. It's good to be warned of the pitfalls.

[@jeanniefromtahini5197]

I am one of those people on the bridge between X and Millenial generation. I recall hearing over and over and over and over again to "follow your passion." For me, my passions change, but I still need to pay rent. So I studied my passions, but just got a job that paid the bills.

[@elijahjflowers]

Thank you.

[@keshavjindal7395]

TBH, I clicked the video due to Li's image in the thumbnail. I've been following her on twitter for about an year and I don't think that she is a) advocating to monetize every aspect of one's life and b) promoting anti-work. In fact, she is the opposite. One of her main themes is "100 true fans". Which says that creatives can thrive with 100 true fans supporting their work without needing to monetize every single aspect.of their life. And that to get to those 100 fans and keep them, you will need to work similar to a 9-5, collaborate with other people (become an union) and a lot more. And I'm not ignoring the business aspect. Yes, she's an investor who makes money with this. And when you think about the gig economy (which expands from creatives to all workers mostly) on a large scale: it does seem to be an possible alternative to 9-5. And as you said we often think in binary but the ideal imo is a mixture of both. For eg. I currently have a 30 hr work week. But I'm not in the 9-5. I'm freelancer offering project management which is usually considered a 9-5 (an in house) job.

[@Octoberstorm333]

Feels like a life crisis feeling the need to figure out what interest to get better at so I can monetize it and be self employed while working a $13/hr retail job that drains my passions :( can’t just quit either, I hope to take small steps towards whatever makes me feel passion and know it’s ok if I end up not monetizing it successfully

[@jeevaniv9692]

The fact that they said you can't make your hobbies as a full time job is sooo important its a privilege to be a pro workers they are sooo many lower social clases people's who do not have choice to make we must think about them tooo

[@gototherat]

Individualism is the death of trust. Trust no one but collectivism brings a new perspective, trust someone, and you will eventually trust many. Unions our the one way we can effectively fight back the ruling class. They cannot make their living without us, cause their living depends on other people’s work.

[@josephturner4047]

I always worked in sight of the public but was completely invisible. My decisions could be quite profound. I had life and death control, mostly, over thousands and I worked at all hours of the clock. I was a train driver.