i watched the 5 to 9 depression anthem. the thesis of the song is being stuck in a deadend job but using your off time to build your passion. it speaks to an aspirational desire to eventually “get out” and “make something of yourself.” i would love to write an article about this.

in lieu of an article, i’ll just say it lol

deadend jobs rely on you having something to aspire to outside of them because it’s what makes you stick around: “i just need to do this until xyz takes off” — how often does it take off?

the thing you do in your off time is what gives you enough of an outlet to keep doing the job you hate. constantly building and aspiring, you never reach the zenith. but your hope that you do is the exchange you make in staying in the shitty job.

this doesn’t apply to low wage workers: we are well aware that worst case scenario is we get another low wage job somewhere else. it’s not uncommon to hop around bc it’s all lateral, never upward. the dream of breaking through is replaced with the dream of stability.

*that* is why so many are recoiling at dolly’s redo: we never even got to have a 9 to 5, and now you’re changing it to be about exploring your dreams after you get out of your financially stable, schedule-stable job???? the audacity.

i fled my grocery store job in mid march because we weren’t getting *any* protections (no PPE “it would alarm the customers”, no social distancing (grocery store), etc). was hired “full time” but barely netting 30hrs bc they schedule you 35hrs but make you take hour long lunches—

the day before my last day, i had an anxiety attack on the subway platform just *hearing the train come.* i couldn’t sleep, couldn’t move. terrified knowing my job was becoming ground zero. 3 days later, multiple coworkers on my shift who i’d have lunch w/every day all got covid.

i’d rather be on unemployment and earning an average of 50% less in income while being beaten up and harassed and emotionally abused doing the work i’m doing now than go back to the so-called stability of my old minimum wage job. that does not mean it’s better or good.