Guilt and capitalism
If you’re taking a break from working right now, how are you feeling? Do you feel vaguely unproductive? A little guilty for resting? Is your brain saying: If you get back to work and produce you’ll feel fulfilled?
That’s internalized capitalism for you. Capitalism is a centuries-old system, but considering how the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed the economy and many people’s employment situations, it’s not surprising if you find yourself feeling this sting acutely.
“Internalized capitalism is a revision of the protestant work ethic,” explains Brooklyn-based psychotherapist Nikita Banks, author of Finding Happy. “It is this idea that to be unproductive is sin, and as such, this idea that you must always be producing is in direct relation to your worthiness.” We’ve all internalized capitalism to a certain degree. Yet, how does one recover from such a state, and is recovery even possible? Source: https://forge.medium.com/7-methods-for-recovering-from-internalized-capitalism-1b23e9c238e8
I stayed off line with a migraine today. I’ve been mostly downstairs in the dark napping or watching Twitch streamers. But I’ve also been checking email and Teams to stay atop anything that may be going on. I write in my email to folks I work with that I would be because “important things still need doing” or some similar phrase.
Right now, I can see straight(er) and I’m less light sensitive so, naturally, I’ve been feeling guilty for not logging back in. Getting something done. Despite the two hours of work time this morning…
So what do I do? I look up articles on “internalized capitalism”, find a good pull quote from a digestible article, write up my thoughts, and post it to my blog because I still harbor fantasies of retiring early in for supplemental income instead if working for the next, what? 25-30 years?
Always be closing….
Permanent link: Http://blog.angrybunnyman.com/guilt-and-capitalism-