Lately I've really been struggling with the fact that I have to work for the rest of my life. And not in the "nobody wants to work these days" bullshit way, but the simple fact that – living in America – we are kind of forced into this capitalist grind-set culture and I will spend a third of my one wild and precious life working. I thought this would go away when I finally found a job I liked, but I like my current job and love my boss now and I STILL feel suffocated and claustrophobic thinking about all of this.
In talking with my therapist today, I thought it may be a good idea to ask you all for book recommendations on tackling this topic. My morals and life priorities do not align with where I live and I fear if I don't try and do something about one or the other I'm going to be violently depressed. Whether the rec is about fighting capitalism, how to shift mindsets into a more eastern or european culture that de-centers work and how to live a happy and full life while living within the confines of the system broadly. Really anything that you feel is relevant is good.
Thanks 🙂
by Omadog3418
13 Comments
Mutual Aid by Dean Spade
Imagination: A Manifesto by Ruha Benjamin
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The Care Manifesto by the Care Collective
Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha, by Tara Brach
Sapiens by Yuval Harriri. You’ll probably end up where I am. Capitalism is the worst,except for all the other economic systems out there. But also go out there and do something amazing. Also that made me think of Adam Grant’s Original’s. That was an amazing fucking book. I start d writing stories and songs because of it. Made me way better at my job
Cultish: the language of fanaticism by Amanda Montell
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Why Nations Fail: The Origin of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoglu
Well, first off, consider exploring ways of living that don’t require you to work for “the man” etc etc. There are lots of ways. One book that inspired me was “Creativity, Inc.”. That helped me start my own business.
# In Love with the World by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.
The book is much more satirical than the movie that was made.
The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn.
Some of the specific tips were outdated twenty years ago when I found this book at the library, others still work fine. It’s also useful as a lot of examples of disengaging from capitalism by just not buying stuff.
If you’re ok with exploring fiction Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Jennifer Government — Max Barry
How to Do Nothing – Jenny Odell
Fiction:
The jungle by upton Sinclair (one of my absolute favorites)
The four winds by Kristin Hannah (historical fiction)
Babel by RF Kuang (magical realism, dark academia)
Nonfiction:
Black against empire by Joshua bloom
Disfigured by Amanda Leduc
Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber.