I've come to realise that I have a deep seated mistrust of authority.
I - and people close to me - have had too many sour experiences with authorities. Just a few examples:
- Police who profile and fabricate charges.
- Property managers without scruples.
- The driver licensing tester who literally got out and kicked our car.
- Telcos that overcharge, have opaque billing practices and that make it impossible for you to contact them.
- Agencies that fail to communicate with each other and send you to debt collection.
I've dealt with great cops and case managers, to whom I am forever grateful, but equally have seen so many instances that were not up to scratch. It makes it hard to trust people in authority roles to be honest and to do the right thing.
This week's links
The many, many problems with 'follow your passion': "Most people's passions just don't fit well with the world of work... Our interests and passions also evolve over time... And while we're at it, the idea of "following your gut" to find work you love is also terrible advice. The evidence suggests that we're bad at predicting what will make us happy."
Experiences often require THINGS: "All of the people who are all "experiences are more important than things" are using a lot of airplanes, backpacks, hiking boots, and $200 bottles of wine to get those experiences. YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THINGS, PEOPLE."
Racism and inequality (and how fascism thrives): "Racism, and fascism, are very successful scams that sell to the desperate. Fascism understands that people want to feel valued and integral part of something larger. Racism is, sadly, the easiest and cheapest way to do that... If you hate racism, then you really really really should hate any economic and social system that creates and rewards massive inequality. Because when you get that. You get racism."
The career crossroads checklist: "This crossroad looks unfamiliar-for the first time in your career, you have options. You now have experiences under your belt, connections in the industry, and a work history that reflects your talents. This next decision is different than your first career decision because where you land and the work you do influences your trajectory."
A financial sanity fund: "I don't know exactly when I will spend the monies in the fund but I know that I eventually will. Like an emergency fund, this fund helps me sleep better at night, knowing I can still live the life I want to now while building a better one for my future."
The changing world of media employment: "The system seemed broken on a variety of levels but especially for those actually creating the content. On the other hand, brands seemed to be doing the opposite; they were paying writers on time and had the marketing side figured out in a way the industry I worked for simply didn't."
What makes a good marriage: "Is it bad if you're not happy every day? Is it bad if your partner cheats? Is it bad if it ends in divorce? Or does badness come down to the big stuff, like abuse?"
