Addressing systemic barriers faced by Black communities should be a collective effort, Meet the members of The Records Community Editorial Board for 2020-21, 211 Pritchard Road, Unit 4, Hamilton ON L8J 0G5. America's hustle culture is predicated on its embrace of human capital, according to Spence. Youre honouring your body. As evidently shown, the disproportionate opportunities being displayed to certain groups of people makes one wonder if capitalist societies are rooting for the underdogs or reinforcing the status quo. In the past few years, the term hustle has been co-opted to describe a lucrative project or initiative that someone undertakes outside of their 9-to-5 job. "They need to complement [their job] with a second or a third job.". Theres nothing wrong with doing that if that is truly what an individual wants, the issue is in the pressure and shame in not being like that. Advice from hustle culture online can often be met with criticism (depending on the platform, usually Twitter) in relation to the absurdity of whats being said, as younger people especially nowadays dont want to over-work themselves or have 23 side gigs. By implying that the hustle functions within a meritocratic system, companies are able to fashion low wage, inconsistent work with minimal benefits as freedom and self-reliance. We all need rest. Though she remains clear-headed throughout most of the movie and does not fall into the trap of money and greed unlike many of her colleagues, it is only when Chihiro is able to let go of her job and find an alternative, spiritual fulfilment that she is able to leave. The desire to find solutions to systemic exploitation that begin and end with how that exploitation impacts us as individuals will allow those systems to continue to exploit those who do not have the privilege of such autonomy unchecked - with the added bonus of blaming those trapped within those systems of exploitation for not embarking on their own personal revolutions themselves. The world fed me capitalism and hustle culture and I completely ate it up. The upper echelons of corporate America are beginning to reject so-called "hustle culture." Anybody can do it. They create images of themselves as successful, but also at peace and fulfilled. But despite the many obstacles to black opportunity, the idea of being someone who hustles has held a lot of appeal to many black communities. Swaddle Projects Private Limited 2020. How then is the light to penetrate, that moment of illumination that may redeem a life? With less work to do each day, I also had more time to prioritize my sleep. The desire to find solutions to systemic exploitation that begin and end with how that exploitation impacts us as individuals will allow those systems to continue to exploit those who do not have the privilege of such autonomy unchecked - with the added bonus of blaming those trapped within those systems of exploitation for not embarking on their own personal revolutions themselves. So, as with so many concepts that black rappers have made cool, corporations saw an opportunity to cash in on the term and distance it from blackness. I read the paper the other day, a satisfying two-hour meander across the world, full of surprises, diversions and revelations. Time and time again our governments have failed us and as long as we live in a world of capitalistic society, governments and systems will continue to fail us. As the U.S. underwent rapid economic growth during the Gilded Age, black Americans had to hustle against the forces of redlining, school segregation, employment discrimination and white supremacist violence. It sounds good on the surface, but when you delve into it, it becomes insidiously unhealthy. Moreover, Yubaba is the epitome of what greed can do to a person. Discussing past traumas is vital to recovery. Caste is not just a secret language of aesthetics; it is also the code to classify bodies as legitimate or illegitimate. You can find her on Instagram @devruparakshit. It is also important for us to not look for answers in the very systems that have caused these issues. It's because we live in almost an alternate version of this world today, minus the flying dragons and masked spirits, of course. This means that employees in these industries in this specific case, the tech industry would not be able to escape this unhealthy work environment by switching to a different company because all companies exhibit the same work environment. May you find that place within yourself where daily actions and peace of mind coexistwhere you have more idle moments to chill without imperatives, nothing to rush to, fix, or accomplish. Decisions and actions are reflective, even, and balanced. I write over $200 worth of numbers a day, which gives me a cool 40 bucks.". Many Black women are leading this work, and I do think that it is important that we continue to make space as Black women for our own care and restoration, especially in a society that has for so long only defined us by how we can care for others. Before anything, purely making it through 2020 is something to be proud of. Thanks so much for pointing out the other side of the rest is revolutionary theory. Large white corporations have appropriated hustle culture in order to make money and hustle culture has since been a part of mainstream society. When the hustle culture drives you, you unwittingly relinquish your personal power and become a slave to internal and external pressures such as deadlines, work demands, or pleasing friends and loved ones. But thats the thing with hustle culture, it is just capitalism re-branded the ultimate goal is still to make as much money as you can with alternative means outside of a 95 job, despite how toxic it could be. To hustle forever should never be an ideal. not work to do these things for ourselves.. Sara Kabir is a dreamer, a Literature major, and a writer. It doesnt punch up either. He also brought up how their paychecks make it worth the work. I hope with the start of 2021 we find ways to end hustle culture and get the rest we deserve. But maybe the answer lies in our ability to reclaim what it means to rest. Why work for the man when you can be your own #girlboss? It helps their appear more legitimate and feeds into the notion that theyre hardworking and self-made. For millions of young Indians who werent born into wealth and clout, the influencers lives, then, dont just seem aspirational, but also achievable. DoorDash, a food delivery service, claims, "As a dasher, you can be your own boss." Perhaps you hit the ground hurrying and rushing from the moment you wake up, shaking your fist at the clock because there arent enough hours in the day. But it is important to remember that when we take individual comfort and call it collective revolution, we are simply building a gated community around our privilege - even if the fences surrounding it are built by the fluffiest of down pillows. Even during a global health crisis, they have to hustle harder. There are 1,440 minutes in one day. Honeymoon, bargaining, separation: Phases in the anorexic love affair. But its also the blood, sweat, tears, persistence and ingenuity of people who, While the idea that we all need rest and care is an important one, the idea that our individual rest and care is revolutionary can be a counterproductive one. Hustling, however, is not the way out. It runs on its fixed schedule; employees sleep in crowded rooms and are pitted against one another to see who can work the hardest, and the person who works the hardest is rewarded. This doesnt mean that those who do not have some measure of financial security in the world do not deserve rest - they do, perhaps more than those who do have the financial security to choose rest - it means that rest is a great concept when you can afford to only have one job, that job has reasonable hours, and rest wont get you fired or kicked out of your apartment. The system is rigged. Hustle culture sucks. Capitalism tells us that rest is a thing we have to work hard enough to earn - and we never seem to be working hard enough. You are giving your brain a moment to download new information. As long as the mass capitalist exploitation of segments like big business, the prison industrial complex, big agriculture, and the service industry exists, there is no amount of rest that will be able to meet the needs of workers in those industries. Whether that be due to the stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, election . Money becomes God. The difficultand more rewardingpart is to find that place inside where youre drawn. And with the economy in shambles and the unemployment rate skyrocketing, there's an added pressure to generate any and all supplemental income. The hustle being denigrated today put the lights back on when the electric was cut due to nonpayment. rights reserved. It is also time we address the toxicity behind modern hustle culture, capitalism, and the grind in relation to mental health. When influencers with as much clout and following endorse hustle culture, theyre basically glorifying a system built on structural inequalities and upholding it as the perfectly normal standard of functioning. First off, I think its important to acknowledge that there is an important difference between shaming oppressors for exploiting peoples labor, and shaming individuals - especially individuals from marginalized communities - for operating within oppressive systems that they did not design and have little power in. People who do not wish to do so are unwillingly dragged into this toxic work environment, as they are afraid of getting fired. Now, we have realised that is simply impossible in the current economy All the jobs are underpaid; we are stretching ourselves thin with side hustles just to cover rent., But what happens when we chase a lie? Us mere mortals have to take time out of our days and (shock!) And why it's essential to help reduce your stress. Namita Sunil, an illustrator with over 15,000 followers on social media, had told The Indian Express that [T]he hustle culture is a label for a much deeper economic problem Remember when we all dreamt of having our own house by 30 and kids by 25? If we have the opportunity to rest and heal, we should absolutely take it. Handy, a house cleaning service, promises "independent service professionals" that they'll make "great pay." Besides being unrealistic, hustle culture also actively harmful since it raises our stress levels and leads to burnouts that can, in turn, damage ones confidence, harm their health, and even hurt their ability to engage with others for years to come besides hurting their productivity, of course, which hustling is supposed to boost. Before I dive into all this, though, lets backtrack and unpack this. We base our worth off of how much we work and our achievements, rather than valuing our own kindness and intelligence. What the vast majority of exploited workers need is not a nap: they need fair wages, childcare, affordable medical care, affordable and safe housing, affordable education, and a safe work environment. This framing of hustle would "explicitly exalt the daily rise-and-grind mentality black menneed to possess in order to survive and thrive," Spence notes in his book. Social scientists report that overworking without time away reduces productivity and increases work-related illness. In the end, capitalism values profit over the environment, animals, human lives, and more. PostedOctober 2, 2019 And there's WeWork, the workspace-sharing corporation that emblazons "Hustle Harder" on its office walls. Anything-but-this anger follows. Hustle culture in itself is dangerous and toxic. Modernity is a crack eliminator. The powerful impact of one word on your mental health. It tells us that our humanity is measured, not in how we care for each other, but in the belongings that our hustle can accumulate. Youre a master of self-correction and live with integrity, admitting mistakes and fixing them. No weekends off. Its like my entire bed is made of memory foam! Those companies started as "side-hustles." With the year more than half over, how do you think you're doing? Despite the eccentric spirits, bright colours, nostalgic music, and bustling environment of the bathhouse, it is a place of work at its core. Practice Improves the Potential for Future Plasticity, Neuroscientists Discover How to Keep Us From Freaking Out, The Danger of Self-Protection in Relationships. Shama Saleh is a member of The Records Community Editorial Board. But the individualism that tells us that societal revolution lies in our own individual bettering alone - even if it is our emotional or spiritual bettering - is also a product of capitalism. Here are some tips. As Dr. Ruksheda observed, one of the reasons behind the culture of hustling gaining so much momentum, is the economic insecurity we find ourselves enveloped in. After all, hustle culture inadvertently breeds competition amongst coworkers. "The average colored man does not know how to hustle," Timothy Thomas Fortune wrote for The Southwestern Christian Advocate, a Methodist African American newspaper, in 1888. Sound familiar? Following from that, acquiring capital becomes the most important goal. Whether that be due to the stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, election tension, racial trauma, unemployment, or even just trying to stay sane while seeing the world fall apart in front of you, simply making it through in one piece is enough. Emptiness is what people feel. How to know community in a digital group? Her Campus may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. We should celebrate unscripted lives that include spending time with friends . According to Merriam Webster , capitalism is "an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined . Capitalism is the economic system at play here in the United States and numerous other countries. It has been said that 2019 is the year of self-care. Scrolling through my Twitter feed I came across The Nap Ministry., The account was founded by Tricia Hersey, a Black woman, and its description reads: We examine the liberating power of naps. Hustle culture says it's fashionable to work yourself to deathor at least look like you are.