This was an excellent critique. Something that's just popped into my mind is how somewhat "girlboss" this "I Don't Dream of Labour" idea is. For most of human history, people had to do jobs out of duty or necessity. And now, where, arguably, our jobs are the least demanding they've ever been - at least physically - is the point where certain people have concluded "All right, enough of this." Maybe utmost like fulfilment cannot be found in traditionally defined labour - but to be found in our relationships, communities, small joys, etc. Also, the passive income streams being encouraged here just trades life's normal intermittent productivity (jobs) for a shorter bout of hyper productivity (content creation as a "get rich quick" solution). It's "do all _this_ work now, so I don't have to do it later." In other words, it's an investment. And an investment most won't be able to partake in - due to Pareto distributions and not everybody being creative - at that. Hope you enjoyed the brain vomit. Great critique, once again!
Though throughout history people have rejected the idea of necessary labour as fulfillment. Especially after the industrial revolution when big corporations grew and people began to become more alienated from the products of their labour and their own stake in it (example: before a shoemaker made shoes. He makes the creation and has control over it. He must work, but he is in control of his labour. He sells it to his community whom he has relations with. Now, shoemaker works in a factory and his only job is to press button on machine to put laces on shoe. It’s easier and more productive, but he’s removed from the fruits of his labour and the autonomy and fulfilment that comes with it. He does not have control over his time or product. It’s sold to an abstract community whom he will likely never have relations with) The idea of it has its prominent basis in late 1800s Marxism when the modern conception of labour we know today (industrial big business) arose. The relationship with labour pre-industrial and post have always brought up this debate since their inception. It’s a bit uncharitable to say all of human history since people’s relationship to labour changed drastically after the industrial period, which is where this debate first started. I’m not saying Marx is right or anything, I’m just saying that this debate is as old as our modern system is, it’s just catching on in social media circles without the philosophy jargon now
The ideas "I no longer worship the concept of sacrfiicing myself for the sake of money from corporations that don't care about me" and "Money is essential to life under capitalism because quality of life is linked to finances" can and should coexist. My philosophy is that I don't care what I do for work because my Job is only means of income and my existence as a person is more about what I choose to do with my money as opposed to how I earned it. I don't think youtubers who's entire brand is their own life, are capable of separting work life from home life. Which is why they THINK they don't want "traditional" jobs.
There are other people who aren't youtubers who are also taking this path. You can argue that since work from home became the norm during the pandemic, there is even less boundaries between home life and work life even for "traditional work." So how is that any different? Truth is there is a growing trend of people who want to do work on their own terms, whether its work from home or being an entrepreneur or being a UA-camr. And that's the key, their own terms. This means they can choose to have a career or choose to opt out of a standard path and chill the eff out if they want.
The issue is TIME. We have to spend so much time working in order to afford to pay basic expenses (housing/food/utilities/transportation), and what you're left with isn't enough to be able to separate work life from home life. So comes wanting the work life to be more home life.
how you earn money should also matter, what are you contributing to? what progress is being made through your work? what beneficts is your work doing for yourself or those around you? and when you are at work does it provide an outlet for your capabilites or are they wasted. you fell into the trap too if its trying to push what you do 8 hours a day out of your head . its still 1/3 of your life
@@BatsAndBadgers i agree. But many times there are no options. And the only way to grow is to create and save for some income so you have a safety net to take a risk to go back to school or apply for a more meaningful job. And to do that you need to work excessively and cant think about how the values dont align with your current job.
this greater trend actually made me feel bad about actually liking where i want to work. i want to be a genetic engineer because the pay is good, and i like the field but people like them act like that's a sin when it's just life.
These videos in a nutshell: "man, capitalism sucks. I hate working. I quit my 200k a year job and moved into a cheaper $2000/month apartment. Life is so much better now. You should do it too! Destroy capitalism! Also this video is brought to you by Skill Share and Nord Vpn!" They have no self awareness.
I get that. I wish some people were more self-aware. But even if, what would be the alternative? One has to play by the rules of this system (neolibralism/captialism) in order to survive. I'd consider that the perfect example as to why critiquing the system makes sense.
In a Capitalist society I don’t see an alternative option for them though? The bills need to be paid regardless. In your example, are they not slightly more in control? I’d rather work for myself and have more autonomy while accepting sponsorships (which I can choose) than to be under the thumb of a corporate powerhouse 40/50 hours a week.
Lmao as a “UA-camr” this is so true lmao being a content creator is still a part of capitalism! It’s just another form of it lol and we can’t forget audible 😂
Haha 😂 I've just wrote here and mystery happened (my comment has been deleted). I'll repeat... I said... "Guess what?? That's what white dudes have been doing for centuries. We have just cracked the code. Labor came basically from slavery. Someone is profiting of your labor and it isn't you!!!" Just think about it.
I'm definitely not the one going to Mars because of my "hard work". But if you keep working hard you can.... That's is a fucking lie. Your hard working will keep you poor anyways .... Choose wisely.
I mean I only go to work because I need money to support me and my family. It's that simple and it's the only reason. The other nonsense companies do is irritating. Everyone goes to work because your money is directly tied to your livelihood. Since everyone's livelihood SHOULD matter especially if you pay taxes. I think the power corporations yeild over their employees heads is criminal. There are jobs I would rather do like being a pilot. I don't dream of that though. I think the problem inserts itself when companies purposely pay super low wages, bribe politicians, pay less taxes than working people and then turn around and act like it's your fault you're homeless or can't afford rent. So i believe people are waking up to how unfair the system is. Making profits for someone else your entire life and then dying feels like a pointless life. I have no desire to do things for other people if I can't at a minimum pay my own bills usually do to no fault of our own. I can't think of anyone in their right mind that would purposely work a Job they 100% know doesn't even cover their rent. If anyone has that expectation, you have to realize something is wrong mentally. This really only applies to low wage earners which is the majority of the country. If you have a job that pays well over necessities, you're blessed and living life as life should be lived. I believe everyone has the right to shelter and food ESPECIALLY when you pay taxes. Unfortunately, that isn't the world we live in, so people are rising up.
Yes actually this. She said she doesnt know what system they are referring to. Which to be fair is so complex it’s hard to fully put into words. But the system we live in is rigged. If we all were paid livable wages instead of giant corps hoarding the wealth most of us wouldn’t be complaining. Now these UA-camrs complaining about capitalism while spending excessively is laughable. We all can’t have it as good as them. And in my opinion we shouldnt be striving to be a consumer like them either.
Yes 10000000% to this. The culture of the working world and the fact that we are often proud of our own exploitation and tie our identities to it is a huge issue and that’s what people are waking up to
Jermaine, if I'm understanding your comment correctly, you are saying that the majority of people in the country, low wage earners, have something wrong with them mentally because they are purposely working a job they know doesn't cover their rent? If this is what you are saying, then I have a question for you: what about the fact that most low-wage earners are marginalized groups of people, young people, people of color, older people, immigrants, permanent alien residents - indeed a majority of people in this country - and, due to our institutions, do not have access to higher paying jobs? Most low-wage earners are working multiple jobs to pay their rent or mortgage, because one job doesn't cover it. Does that mean that they are mentally impaired, or is it possible that our institutions are designed to keep a majority of people in this country blocked from accessing a decent standard of living? One more: your comment that everyone's livelihood should (rather than DOES) matter, "especially if they pay taxes" suggests that some peoples' lives are more valuable than others. I hope you don't actually believe that's true. I generally agree with your sentiment - that everyone has the right to shelter and food - but I think you would benefit from taking a more self-critical approach when you contribute to the conversation.
Not making enough money being a UA-camr is not a "you" problem, it's a "you're not feeding the beast what it wants" problem. UA-cam algorithm rewards consumerist content.
These are the facts, they set it up that way and if you're not pushing a product or highly engaging content to keep people locked into your channel you're no good for their business. Those who understand America, Capitalism, Business etc. Knows this.
Trash talking cops is the most fun, but the algorithm prefers me to frame the police as innocent ice cream eaters and skateboarders. Why can't I just get famous for trashing the police?
That comment really turned me off from watching any future videos from Kelly. And I was surprised that she wasn't absolutely being roasted in the comments for basically saying "lol if ur poor it's a YOU problem, sweetie." Like, especially during COVID? Where people are losing their jobs, or being forced to put their lives on the line just to keep their minimum wage ones? Like what?
I'm so tired of UA-camrs urging us all to make UA-cam channels. The arguments they use are interchangeable with that of MLM reps. And much like with MLMs, the UA-cam market is already oversaturated.
@@blaisegirl420 Agree! They are "teaching" something and when people click to "learn" they get the view! its a whole tactic that viewers have played well by. Lucky them!
UA-cam is not the only way to make money. A 9 to 5 is not for everyone. Ask yourself this question. "What can I do to replace my salary?" If you could create something that could generate your salary while you sleep would you cling to a 9 to 5?
I remember that in Katherouts video, one of her main points was that in these white collar professional jobs, it’s expected that you invest more hours and energy than you are actually salaried to do, in order to “advance” in the company and in her career. She warned against giving everything to a company that doesn’t care about its laborers. This was my main take away from the video, not that labor should be avoided, but perhaps the the idea of a “career”-that we sacrifice so much of our personal lives for what the elite class considers successful. I think she was saying she’d rather continue to work without the pressure of advancing in the company whose values she doesn’t necessarily agree with, not that she doesn’t want to work at all anymore. I didn’t see this idea brought up in the comment thread, so I thought I’d share. There’s a clear distinction between work and a career, and someone who doesn’t want a career, isn’t necessarily someone who doesn’t want to work.
Yeah everyone's literally critiquing the wrong things. They're actually cherry-picking a lot of the commentary from other UA-camrs to make this into some type of work ism privilege issue. The conversation now has become about how privileged people are for even having the thought of merely not wanting to work for 40 years of their life. But we really need to do is change our conversation around privilege and why we now all of a sudden thinking having privileges are a bad thing. There will never be someone in your life that does not have a privilege to do something that you do not. And now you deserve to be punished for having certain privileges or even being fatigued of what those privileges offer. What I really see is a lot of shaming other people who have decided to let go of the privilege to participate in capitalism through what they have been told is their dream career. I have not seen one UA-cam video where they have said not dreaming of Labor is equivalent to not wanting to participate in society yet all of these critique videos focus on solely that. We happily want to participate in society, we just don't want to participate in economic labor that does not allow us to participate in society in the ways which we find valuable. And then as a counter argument they're trying to shame the UA-camrs for still participating in capitalism. That's because at the end of the day not enough of us have simply let go of capitalism therefore it still exists and just because I quit my job today does not mean I suddenly don't exist in a capitalistic society anymore. It just means I'm choosing to be less capitalistic. I don't get what people don't understand about that there really isn't an alternative. If I choose not to work for a corporation, but instead work for myself by whatever means that be. That could be a UA-cam video, that could be making pottery, that could be selling art it doesn't matter I'm choosing to participate in society in the ways that I see valuablebecause me being happy with what I spend my time doing is more important than doing what society tells me I have to spend my time doing for the next 40 years.
@@sonderexpeditions and that should give you the ticket to exploit people all their lives? Not paying them decent wages? Does a ceo work or worked 200x more than a factory worker?
You said everything perfectly in this video. It feels like these “I don’t dream of labor” videos states how the main escape from this self sacrificing capitalist society is to use what you love in order to sustain yourself however once you take something you like to do (hobbies) and turn it into something you have to do, It just turn into another form of capitalism. I wished instead of focusing on how the “9 to 5” consumes you I wish they went more into depth onto how your work is not your life and it’s ok to hate your job as long as you’re happy with your life as a whole. Capitalism makes us believe that what we do is who we are, if your a doctor, lawyers, youtuber, etc that’s all Society sees you as not as individual but just as your occupation.
Yes, I do definitely see that and agree: I, for instance, loathe my job but it’s allowed me to get a camera and computer to make UA-cam videos🤷🏻♀️. I can’t really imagine my life without my job even though, reflecting on it, I don’t ‘love’ my job in the slightest😂. So, personally, I most definitely agree with you.
The word "capitalism" is grossly misused, ironically, we don't even have capitalism (which is free market, free trade) in the west, America is more "socialist" welfare state right now that Soviet Russia and China combined ever been. What we have is commercial corporatism, when everything is about profit and every business is a part of a corporation.
@@dibelgelo I get what you mean but capitalism by definition is an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state. This idea of free market isn’t fully real many of the worlds largest Corporations own the military, found war, have a large negative impact with global warming, have involvement with politics(from within America and out). We are playing a dangers game when we make everything we do for profit. However I get what you mean as well with the misinterpretation.
I don’t mind working, it just takes up way too much time of my life, a 4 day work week would be great..more time for things I actually enjoy! I do see that work is essential and money too but we shouldn’t have to spend so damn much time doing it..
Ikr! And when everyone would work just a little less, there would be also less people who are jobless, because every industry would need more workers too.
4 day work sounds amazing tbh. Just because it's not like you are laying in bed the 2 days off you get of rest but you're rather doing home chores and running errands.
THANK YOU. Every time i hear someone say "we can all be happy if we just make money doing what we want" .... well, we all need to eat... who will grow our food? who will distribute our food? how will our supermarkets get full? none of these jobs are glamorised by these people
i dont think anybody is necessarily arguing that people should just simply do whatever tf they want all hours of the day. its just mostly the idea that we spend *too much* of our time doing work we dont care doing. but some people also don't particularly care about their job, they just want a check and thats ok too. leftists mostly suggest that there could be a happy harmony between these ideas- we allow each other sufficient time to do what we want ( by working less hours as its been proven to increase productivity, giving each other a social safety net) and we also don't require others to work ridiculous amounts just to get by (look at the housing crisis in america) plus there are people that do enjoy farming/necessary tasks!! its strange to think that you would suggest that these jobs are inherently undesirable... not to mention how much food is wasted because of capitalism but thats besides the point lol..
My “dream” society would be one where we work for each other and not for capital. Where someone builds a house because their community needs houses. Where everyone contributes. Not one that is absent of work or labour, but one that is absent of the systems that exploit our labour.
YES. YES. YES. A HUNDRED TIMES, I want to work for people, I want to work for actual things and people that exists, I want to do something actual useful, grow food, build houses, teach children, take care of children and the old and all who need it, take care of nature, I don't want to play with numbers for some guy I've nerver seen to have even more numbers on his bank account, all of that just so I can live in poverty anyway
This was the actual way things work or worked in some communities and tribes. If someone needed a house in the village everyone build the house together. If someone was on their period other people helped them out.
I also find it interesting that all of the UA-camrs mentioned talk about eliminating any and all labor from their lives. They just want time to pursue their often expensive hobbies, travel, and "be their own bosses". I think the conversation could also include reducing hours of labor. What if the standard was to work 3-4 days a week instead of 5-6 (given that they're paid enough to work less often)? We'd still have more time to do the things that bring us joy, spend time with people we love and not have our identities revolve around work. And as you said, it's unrealistic for all of us to "have it all" because in reality, these broadly defined systems aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but we're beginning to see companies experiment or even implement 4 day work weeks, more PTO/vacation, longer parental leave, etc. And to reiterate what others have said, we can't all be entrepreneurs and start our own YT channels and/or businesses. Who would be left to do anything else that requires the world to go around? Though I don't think it's a bad idea for people to clean their own toilets if they're capable...
The idea of working less days and hours is an intriguing idea; I do think that the week ought to end sooner/later than it does for everyone generally. I would also see this as being something which modern education should take on board. Education in its current state is incredibly archaic: So many people are left behind before they've even approached the starting line. Kids sitting in rows for hours studying from text books and regurgitating a curriculum is something I have a lot of opinions on😖. And the marketisation of it! That's where it all starts, I think. I just wonder who's going to clean the public toilets when we're all entrepreneurs and UA-camrs, especially on the planes we're all going to use to get around for that top quality content😏.
Love your comment. I use to work at a daycare and often found myself pissed at because; of how much time I was spending with other people's kids verses my own family. 5 days a week at 9 and 10hrs, just literally made me feel like work was my life and that's all I was. I ended up requesting to work only 3 days and instantly felt better and more like a person, plus I had more time to spend with myself or my own family. I don't think there will ever be a perfect solution to everything but I do think small changes now (such as the reduction of hours,) could have a long lasting impact on the way we "view work/labor".
@@paradysetrezvant5001 yeah totally! I'm glad that you were able to advocate for yourself in that way!! that's awesome :) i think that we, as a society, should really question and reevaluate "full time" work. I feel like I can say that most people feel that "full time" is more like "all of my time"
Absolutely! I have no problem working, I know I need a job and I think it's ridiculous that people think they should be able to exist and just never work at all. That goes against nature. However 40-50 hours a week is too much. I am happy to have less money if I can just have my time back.
I found it so funny when the one (jade?) person said "this part of my job isn't so fun, so i'm gonna outsource it to some other poor sap who apparently doesn't have this figured out, like i do." haha just saying -- shouldn't that make them realize the inherent flaw in the thought process of "everyone should subscribe to this philosophy so we can all have easy lives without labor"? Loved your essay! Thanks!
Exactly like at the end of the day someone has to do the work. & a lot of us in gen z are too emotionally unstable to even achieve financial freedom. So the person she's outsourcing the work to may be you.
Not necessarily, there are people out there whose dream job is to do what she is outsourcing so if he was stuck in another job he didn't like, there needs to be that freedom n space for him to be able to find her and live his dream. Keep in my we all have our own individual dream/ vision for our lives so maybe the people feel working for her is better than working for a company. In the end it's all labour. What everyone does is labor for their living, you just have to choose if you’ll labor to fulfill your vision or someone else’s and the difference between the two means true happy .
These people are selling snake oil, just like the generations before them. Most people just want to feel important. They don't care about money. They care about the clout money can buy them.
I feel like I need to watch this video three times to fully grasp every concept. This is fantastic! The whole "just start a youtube channel" or "build passive income through outsourcing" never sat right with me
Thank you so much for your time. Yes, it's really not that straight forward or meritocratic: It's business, and business is only profitable if some succeed and many don't. At least, in my opinion!
i think the "i don't dream about labour" trend has helped me accept that i probably will never enjoy my job. it feels as if i'm being pushed the idea that i must be passionate about my job, that it provides me with some sort of community and purpose that i should be grateful for, even when that isn't the case for me.
The problem with the “IDDOL” “Why you need to start a UA-cam” spiels is that they ignore how much work goes into creating those income streams while appealing to people who don’t want to work hard while also criticizing them for exactly that. Also with all due respect having a UA-cam channel or a 7-figure business doesn’t equal entrepreneurship. & entrepreneurship, business ownership or being an influencer is just as much a job as being an employee. Do they think their viewers are that gullible to not recognize their attempts to profit off viewers FOMO/aspirations disguised as anti establishment viewpoints?
The whole idea these people perpetuate about how you can achieve "blank" if you just put your mind to it is giving me "myth of the American dream" vibes. Both ideas place the burden on an individual without acknowledging the systems that actively stifle people from achieving said goals. It's miserably hilarious how in our journey towards"liberation" we replicate the same exact systems we try to escape.
EXACTLY! Both do not include disabled people. We have physical limitations. We need accommodations to do our jobs, but the system in place refuses to provide them. Once you mention your disability, and how systems in place keep us in poverty, they don’t have a solution or suggestions. If your plan doesn’t include disabled people, its a bad plan
yea was gonna say both the “leftist” and apolitical/liberal/neo-liberal are actually proposing similar ideas and that is where I say the leftists aren’t true leftists. Most leftists know “you cannot destroy the master’s house with the master’s tools”
@@notreallyici you definitely can destroy the house without the masters tools that's just more capitalist dogma. You can destroy the system by not engaging with said system by shedding modern life getting rid of your house rid of your material objects you can destroy the current global system. It isn't impossible to live without our modern amenities it's just harder because most wild animals are gone or severely dispersed you can eat bark and many roots. People will die looting is inevitable since it's something we've been doing since the beginning.
This is great work and analysis. Although I don't necessarily believe the "I don't dream of labour" trend needs to be destroyed and I have a special place in my heart for particularly the class conscious, leftist oriented representations of this trend à la Katherout, Lynette Adkins, Alice Cappelle and et al., there is nonetheless something about people of relative privilege being willfully oblivious to the contradictions of what they're advocating for and how they propose leaving a capitalist system through capitalism, that indeed rubs me the wrong way. They are essentially this generation's version of experiments in utopia. And we know how most of those experiments went in every generation up to now. In any case, looks like you took Kelly Stamps' advice - you have a new subscriber 😉 we certainly need more thoughtful UA-camrs like you, particularly women of colour.
Honestly, what other way is there to go but to work for oneself, if you live in a capitalistic society and corporate culture that doesn't allow for other models? This argument feels like the "you live in a society, yet you criticize it. Interesting" meme. Is protesting against the unsustainable and undesirable aspects of corporatism and corporate capitalism supposed to mean one goes on the extreme opposite end of the spectrum and become a wholly collectivist communist shill? Also, a few companies are actually organized on a shareholder basis/lateral structure so that "employees" also feel like they are directly contributing to their own wealth and not just to the wealth of the company's owners and feel like they're not throwing their lives away to make shareholders richer. But these kinds or structures are few and far in between. Since this option isn't available for many of us, what other way should a person survive if not through the gig economy or entrepreneurial ventures? At the end of the day, the fact that people are now working for themselves and their refusal to go back to corporations who are underpaying them are giving these exploitative corporations a huge wake up call. If that's not progress, I don't know what is.
I do think noliberalism is a consequence of capitalism. The need to perpetually find profit in areas we wouldn't even think to exploit in the first place: the commodification of everything results in the neoliberal ideology in everything.
I definitely see your point. In time, I might even believe it. I do tend to be biased in favour of capitalism so that's on me. Thank you for watching and commenting!
I was trying to find a way to articulate what you said, you said it rather perfectly. I do appreciate the nuance of the video but I still believe that capitalism, unchecked capitalism is the main character.
Well said. Like she states in the video, if everyone was a Kelly Stamps there would be no Kelly Stamps making $40k/month. Commodifying everything is a real concern.
I think neoliberalism grossly exploits capitalism and human beings natural draw towards it but I don’t think capitalism is inherently evil on its own because it’s been around since forever
@@lydiamulfinger6781 Yes. It’s arguable that pockets of capitalism existed here and there before but basic commodity exchange is/was not capitalism. Even the foundational feature of capitalism- private property ( not to be conflated with personal property) has not always existed. Any remaining Hunter Gatherer will tell you this.
I also don't agree with her definition of capitalism as just an exchange. I was wondering why more people haven't noticed it, it seems to be a very controversial statement.
Those videos give me 'hey hun I have an amazing business opportunity for you blah blah blah flexible hours blah blah blah work from home blah blah blah unlimited income'. Basically MLMs for GenZ-ers lol
As an incoming college student this analysis is very much appreciated. For someone who desires to pursue a career in medicine, I also have other passions which I consider hobbies and may or may not want capitalized.
I didn’t realize it till you’d pointed it out! Yes her voice is marvelous . I needed to listen to something randomly while napping and found this channel… I’m hooked! Didn’t even realize that the creator is a block woman, awesome!
The gentle background music, a great touch. I also really loved watching this. I've been struggling with this issue so much lately. I love this communication 💓🥰
this was an amazing video! you are one of the only social commentary creators i've watched who has properly dedicated time to defining terms. the fact that you even broke down the linguistic reason behind why we use "don't" or "i" is awesome. i will definitely be supporting your channel
Thank you for making this! I was also baffled by this trend of well-off, young women "not dreaming of labor." Reminds me of the tiny house movement: "you can have this life, too! Just quit your 300k/yr salary job and have your rich parents help you build a tiny house and park it in your rich friend's backyard! it's so easy!" Funny, too, that I DO do what I love for a living...but I barely make enough to support myself and my husband.
My dream job is to be a musician/artist, I really hope I can achieve that, I'll always work at it anyway even if I get nowhere just because I love it lol
As much as I agree with your critique of the liberal/apolitical 'I don't dream of labour' trend, I tend to disagree with your critiques being extended to the leftist youtubers. My main problem stems from your definition of capitalism in particular, which I believe doesn't do justice to clearly define what exactly we refer to as capitalism, not only in economic terms but also in the 'I don't dream of labour' trend. The term capitalism, from the clips you showed of the leftist youtubers, specifically refers to the private ownership of the means of production as opposed to your definition of merely the exchange of goods and services. This is the standard definition used in Marxist theory and also in leftist discourse. Your definition is too broad and is fallacious in this context. I understand your objective of wanting to make a point that capitalism (as you have defined it) has existed for thousands of years and that neo-liberalism is the system we are under currently. While I don't have major issues with your definition of neo-liberalism, I do disagree with your point that neo-liberalism and capitalism should not be used interchangeably as it is imprecise. Neoliberalism is distinctly a political ideology whereas capitalism is an economic model. Neo-liberalism employs the capitalist economic model, and when critiquing the economic aspects of neo-liberalism, I think it would be appropriate to use it interchangeably with capitalism. When it comes to the "altruistic outsourcing" aspect of your video, I do agree that it does nothing but contribute to the system. Philanthropy has never worked on a large-scale to alleviate the working class within a capitalistic economy. But, as you mentioned earlier in the video, the leftist side of this trend does take a class-conscious approach to this trend, and can act as an effective way to create more class consciousness that is necessary to mobilize the masses, form coalitions and fight to overthrow capitalism. There is no way to escape any form of exploitation under capitalism because that is how the system is built. There is no way to consume without contributing to the exploitation of workers and the environment, and similarly, there is no way to fight against the system without working within the system itself. Yes it is hypocritical, but I see no other alternative.
EXACTLY!!! And also, a lot of the people labelled 'left' are often quite centrist/liberal. I'm not sure she has much idea of what the true left actually is or what they stand for.
I’m going to trade school in a month. I have had my realization that life is so short and you can never get an hour back in your life. And my work has told me that one hour of my life is worth $19 USD. I strongly disagree when I’m delivering mail and Amazon in mail cars that are 145 degrees inside. I hate the USPS they are corrupt. The workers work in inhuman conditions.
I want to say that you’re loved and appreciated. And I appreciate your work. Y’all work hard and truly be taken for granted. Thank you for delivering our mails through any weather and being a service for all of us. Like I said you’re loved and beautifully/wonderfully made by God💙
@@Araksi_N I used to work for the post office and I quit with no regrets. They had us working in a snow storm, I twisted my ankle. And they still wanted me to keep working. USPS is modern day slavery.
Using the word "leftist" when talking about neoliberal youtubers can be misleading and dangerous. Me and a lot of my close leftist friends and loved ones don't think outsourcing is a solution to capitolism, and we're not "Anti Labor" as in nobody should do work ever. We are anti labor for survival. We don't think everyone should start a business. We just want everyone to have their basic needs met and we see the benifits of a world without currency. Economies as they are today should not be seen as default. There are so many jobs that can be automated (and I dont mean by outsourcing) or just removed altogether, but we just need the labor to make money to eat and have a roof. I also don't dream of labor. We just need it to survive because of the people hoarding the Earth's resources. That is the capitolist system we live under and that is what the focus should be on. These youtubers dont have the right idea, but that's not because they're leftists. They are neoliberal.
I totally agree with your points. Just because the youtube channel worked for them doesn‘t mean it could work for everybody and there can only be a certain amount of people „at the top“. I also find it problematic that they often just think about what they could do with the time they had if they didn‘t have to work, but they think about the options as if they are still in the same capitalistic world as before. But if everyone doesn‘t have to work to sustain a living, then you probably can‘t travel that easily and you‘d need to do more to get food, clothes or a house. So, either some people can have it all and live a life without working much by outsourcing capitalism or all have to work to even have their basic needs and there‘s less abundance since no one is „outsourced“ (communism/socialism).
You made a great point by saying that if no one does the work, how would we be able to be in the state of vacation. That is so true. The majority of work present in this society is important. Some are there for people who do not have the ability to learn topics that today’s society deem valuable. Some are there for those who are extremely brilliant. Other jobs are present in order to relieve the stress of our day to day life, etc… The fun part of life, according to me, is to become a better person than I was yesterday. One cannot always stay at the same place by not working, not trying to do something to improve one’s life, or even not helping to improve other people’s lives. I think it brings satisfaction to see that yesterday, we were so low, and today we are at a much better state, and in the future, probably, if we work hard enough, we will be at a higher level (Of course hard work does not always pay off, but idk I don’t see a life without not working). Yes, it is not fun to work. But it is also boring to be in a state of leisure all the time. This is why meaningful work is important. It helps us to be independent and sustain to our needs, it allows us to extend a hand to others who are struggling, it gives us the opportunity to create meaning to our lives. At the same time, it is also important to have a vacation since it helps us to recharge and enjoy life in some other ways.
Omg the Kelly Stamps camp is so rugged individualist it’s insane. I guess they claimed not to be but for “butting against capitalism” and “making the system work for you” they certainly echo a lot of capitalist ideas. In particular the idea that anybody can “pull themselves up” as long as they have the will and the skill to do so and succeed. But those capitalists who expressed rugged individualism over the course of the past 300 years often either had many advantages or unique talents that aren’t easy to replicate. And I believe these UA-camrs are coming from the same place.
@@natalyaakselaleksander4502 I agree with everything except for the last part, capitalism is unethical period. Its resulted in sweatshops and mass pollution and people complain because it is destroying our planet. Capitalism is terrible but any other economic systemic would be just as bad or most likely fail due to human nature. But people don’t just hate capitalism for selfish reasons.
@@tanishapandey8510 I agree with you. They just don't hate it for selfish reasons but we can all agree that no system will ever be good enough for everybody. Someone will always complain about their economic system and it has been that way for as long as history can record. Americans glamourize Scandinavia but some Scandinavians don't like their systems and some other Americans don't like it as well. So, yes, capitalism is unethical and has led to a lot of issues, but tell me a system that hasn't.
Honestly, as a leftist who has identified as an “anti-capitalist” for a while, this video has definitely helped me think more about convenience vs accuracy, because capitalism is shorter than neo-liberalism, but neo-liberalism is much more accurate. I also really appreciate the dream job bit.. I’ve never necessarily had a dream job because I can’t imagine willingly doing something all day so that I can make money, realistically I would just want the money to come to me 🙄😭Thank you so much for the great video!
Leftists have to work too. Why do young wannabe leftists think they won't have to work in a leftist state? I lived in a socialist/communist country and everyone had to work.
At some point in the USSR (Soviet Russia) unemployment was an offence you'll go to jail for. (There was no benefit/welfare for unemployed either, unless you severely disabled). So if you think leftist/anti-capitalism grants you life of leisure, I have a bad news for you :)
I identify as anti capitalist for other reasons, but I definitely still think you got to do something, you eat everyday, wear clothes, drive on roads, consume content etc. all of that has to be made for you to enjoy, we don't get to have the lives we have if the other people around us don't work to create it, so I would say not working if you are able to work kind of makes you an asshole, you keep taking, but you don't want to give back, you need to get the value from other peoples work in order to survive and have the lifestyle that you have so you should figure out how to put some value back in to society to compensate for what you are taking, if you don't want to work and just want to have the money flowing in, then you would actually need to be a capitalist, and have other people work for you so you don't have to. If you can find a way to bring value in the society in a way that gives some meaning to you, if you also see a value in the work you do along with the value of being payed for it, then that will make your life a lot easier, it also helps if you are making more money then you are spending, that way you can always plan and work towards bringing yourself to something better by investing, on the other hand if you are working for something that you see no value in, or as actually harmful for the world and you are only paid enough to slowly keep spiraling in to greater and greater debt then yes that is really depressing but still a reality for a lot of people, that is where my anti capitalist part kicks in, we should build infrastructures to provide meaningful work for most of the people, which provides them with a way to always improve their positions in society if they are doing something for the society , working full time and getting poorer as we have the richest people in the world literally escaping to space is just too wild of a late stage capitalism reality, there are ways to better our world at every corner and doing it requires work, unfortunately no one is doing cause we are to busy flipping burgers, trading stonkz ,setting up facebook adverts etc. because the profit incentives to me seem like they are not allocating our resources wisely as the system was supposed to do.
@Jennifer Miley Hyper capitalism? US is more "socialist" welfare state that Soviets ever been! So I have no idea why "leftists" complaining, current system is perfect for social parasites/freeloaders.
@Jennifer Miley Studied? That's the problem with people like you, you've red some divorced from reality books and think you know much. I grew up in Soviet country and now living in a "western" country, I have direct experience of both and know what I'm talking about. And don't even bother to answer, I didn't hear anything meaningful from you, that's enough time wasted.
My interpretation of these videos was less “anti-labor” and for more survivable wages and a better more balanced work environment, but I can see how they are still a bit out of touch
Brilliant analysis, however I have one feedback to give. It is on your definitiom of capitalism. Capitalism isn't defined by a transaction that exists between individuals; it is defined by the private ownership of the means of production. In that lens, the altruistic outsourcing is seen for what it is: a good marketing technique. It whitewashes the unequal labour relations, as the aim is to generate surplus labour and take that as profit, where 'giving opportunities' and training people are seen as a philanthropic act. It's like moving from Britain to the Americas to settle and establish colony; you haven't settles on a new world; you just reinvented the wheel but with modern aesthetics. They're just asking you to be an entrepeneur, without the toxic bile of modern entrepreneurship spewing over to their side. Maybe they don't even see it as entrepreneurship; but this market ontology that capitalist realism has instilled in us will always push us to recreate these patterns. Having a fresh perspective injected into it isn't countercultural; it is vital to It's reinvention to survive the changing times.
Thank you for the feedback. I'm thinking of making a revision video - pointing out where I have clearly gone wrong and where viable criticisms have shed light on things for me - and would love to use your comment if I may? I've been inclined to see your definition of capitalism as Marx's later definition which is a credible and highly influential one. I've never been sympathetic toward it because of the fate it bestows on 'private individuals'. But I do see your definition as applicable to _modern_ capitalism as opposed to being relevant to where it all began and manifested from. I don't see any transaction as equal, and whether transactions can be equal is another story altogether. But I do see them as being central to the idea of capitalism because, historically, capitalism was born from 'free enterprise'. In the modern age, that understanding of capitalism has morphed into what you define it as. The 'private ownership of the means of production' only makes sense in the context of industrial and urban life, surplus labour, etc. If capitalism were defined as such, the implication is that capitalism only came into being when industrialisation and urbanisation came to be. This is not the case. An issue I have with modern capitalism is that it is so intertwined with neoliberalism which has taken over every facet of life and all our time via its universal commodification of it. I think this undermines efforts at "recreating these patterns" as you said. Reinvention and new ideas are at the core of 'free enterprise'. Feudalism to mercantilism, imperialism, and free trade show how, historically, capitalism successfully reinvented itself whenever it needed. I don't see that as a possibility now because of how successfully all-encompassing neoliberal ideologies and authoritarian ones have been in our age. In rather harsh terms, capitalism has a pretty parasitic relation to neoliberalism. I think, for instance, this is why capitalism has been rather unsuccessful at reinventing itself in as impactful a way as it needs to in response to climate change.
@@KidologyCO Using the definition of capitalism that Hyperreal just stated, I think of neoliberalism as the current iteration or mode of capitalism now. So neoliberalism is then a type of capitalism. About neoliberalism, I would recommend checking out David Harvey -- I found "The Enigma of Capital and the Crises of Capitalism" to be a valuable read.
Yes, exactly, thank you. Capitalism is not a synonym for trade or economic activity as defined in this video essay. These concepts have been around for literally millennia, while capitalism is a few hundred years old. And neoliberalism is just the latest, 'postmodern' stage of capitalism.
I’ve wanted to start a UA-cam channel since before you could monetize off of it, and thought now would be a great time esp since I could potentially make some money off it. (Those sponsorship checks sound fat) And I used to be on board with the people you mentioned in the video; I do not like labor because I happen to be an artist and wish I could just live my life and make my art, but it makes no sense to just make a lot of money for myself to be comfortable because I care more about changing the system so everyone can actually be comfortable as opposed to making my own bag then giving back as they said. Like I don’t strive or care at all to make large sums of money because I want society to move into a place where at least basic human needs are not tied to money I also hate the thought of a company giving you a lot of money for a sponsorship and then me not being able to freely speak my ideas and thoughts, esp political ones, just because they gave me money
Exactly! It's a difficult one to fathom. There's a UA-camr called _Alizee_ who navigates the contradiction between being sponsored by a company she 'definitely does support' with making it clear to her audience that she 'definitely does support' them. It's a really interesting running joke with her and her viewers because the company seems absolutely oblivious to how sarcastic her promo of them is😂. It's not political, but it's pretty brave and funny to watch. I guess you can sell your soul to the devil but still be sarcastic about it to keep some sanity! I hope your art thrives👍.
Glad you made this video. Kelly Stamps was the UA-camr that finally convinced me to try UA-cam again and it failed miserably. Hours wasted editing and recording. Even bought a video editing app for $12. I unsubscribed because she made it seem like SO EASY and I just had to be patient but that is not how it works. Kelly basically said that she makes income off ad revenue and sponsors BUT I realized that you cannot begin having ads until you have 1,000 subscribers. It's difficult enough getting 10. Sponsors don't give a shit about you until you have like 100,000 subscribers.
I did my college thesis on the neoliberal free market ideology as a quasi-"religious" belief surrounded in mysticism and reliant on an ineffable force (the free market itself). This video took me back. Excellent analysis, although I think the definition of "capitalism" definitely requires more rigorous treatment than was allowed for in this video (especially as a term invented by socialists in contrast to their ideals, which is a relevant history). I deeply appreciate anyone advocating for the defining of terms! It's a huge part of communicating effectively and efficiently, especially when dealing with abstract or polarizing terms. Loved this video and I am now subscribed.
I think you have a misconception there The term capitalism wasnt "invented by socialists in contrast to their ideals" Marx coined the term analyzing the system and developed modern socialism together with Engels as an answer They analyzed the system of capatlism and developed modern socialism in contrast to that, as a solution to its contradictions Wether or not you subscribe to the socialist/communist/anarchist or whatever ideology I would recommend you read "Socialism, Utopian and Scientific" because it explains the basic concepts very well, much better than I can (especially in english lol) and could be really interesting considering your economic background :)
21:40 How is it that you define capitalism in such a manner without any reference to the ownership and control of property and the means of production? This is incredibly simplistic, not to mention incomplete. While the problems of neoliberalism do indeed adversely affect modern life such that issues of inequality further alienate us from our "work," that alienation has always existed with capitalism itself. Basically, in capitalism, the worker/laborer is alienated from his work or output because he has no control over the means of production. This is basic Marx, and this kind of alienation brought about by the division of labor and the industrial revolution is also what sparked the Romantic era (which can be argued is the 18th century version of cottage core and I do not dream of labor philosophy). I think it's incredibly remiss to even ignore the significance of how the lack of control over the means of production, which alienates the worker from their work/the product, is very much a capitalist concept in its core, and not a primarily liberalist or a neoliberalist concept devoid of any relation to capitalism. (This is probably why you were confused on Nat's reference to late stage capitalism, which references Marxist thought.) And we can still see this even in modern working life under the modern economy - you are but a cog in a hamster wheel constantly running and chasing toward something that ultimately serves a business' interests but not your own goals and interests (unless you're lucky enough to work on something or for a company that aligns with your own interests and values). At the end of the day, for many of the left leaning types that have done videos on this topic, it's this alienation from the achievement/hustle culture and the lack of true ownership and enjoyment over what theyre doing that is driving this trend. To own and control the means of ownership over your production/output is necessary and not at all contradictory if they will address the alienation that was originally brought about by the capitalistic mode of production, and to own your labor doesn't necessarily need to be capitalistic because other models within the extremes of the solo entrepreneur corporate giant exist - e.g. groups forming cooperatives so they can all own a share of a company, so that each laborer coowns and has a say in the use of the means of production. But no one ever thinks of that possibility when critiquing leftist models, do they? At least UA-cam allows their creators to actually own their content and make money off it, it's not capitalistic in the sense that they have to rent or use equipment directly from UA-cam, just the platform. Neoliberalism comes in because it's made alienation much worse - it's not enough that you have a job you don't like to fund your basic necessities and interests, you have to chase achievements, get more advanced degrees and promotions to keep up so you can continue to participate in the economy _successfully_ or even survive, while those at the top continue to make barriers to entry much higher. If even the supposed "privileged" UA-camrs you question cannot keep up with the stress of the corporate ratrace, what does that say for the rest of us? If anything this trend against taking a pittance in exchange for most of your waking hours ("proactive engagement with tasks") at the expense of your quality of life is waking up many companies how important work life balance is.
This is perfect. Thank you thank you thank you. I did recently quit my job without a backup plan because the conditions were so horrifically toxic and unsafe, but that's not to say it would be reasonable to run with the idea that labor is "so yesterday" in terms of human/societal evolution and we should all just make art and run around in the forest for a living. I've worked manual labor jobs since high school (maintenance, forestry work in the mountains, tree climbing, farm work, etc.), and although they are hard as hell and demand a certain level of resilience, I can say you will learn *so much* about yourself, other people, and life, being in these kinds of roles that take everything out of you at times.
@@sookie0327 Hey, I bought a small piece of suburban land (8600sq ft) with the few years I managed to stand a job, in a place I didn't even know about, but it was the cheapest here literally. I built myself a small cabin with second hand wood I bought cheap. Now I'm working towards planting the whole lot, which is hard to do right away because it's full of rocks and buried garbage, but I've been saving my own seeds already. I've researched and tried different ways of planting, and I think the best for my size of land, my type of soil and my objective is the bio-intensive method. I have a lot of bamboo in the back of the plot which I use for a rocket stove to cook. I know there are people in the mountains of China and other places in the world living totally free. But no one wants those lands there. Here our land is really good and ppl from all over the world come to buy country land for toxic-agriculture and animal farming, so there's no way I can go in the middle of nowhere and build something there without no one complaining, unfortunately.
I miss being unemployed. I was struggling financially but boy was I free! Now that I been working for almost a year, I feel stucked in that system, and just "waiting for the right time" to quit.. hopefully, it won't last a decade 😭! BTW I'm from a developing country and I don't dream of labour too. 😭🤣
I have been a very avid “anti-capitalist” for a while when I was really advocating for the death of neoliberalism the whole time lol. Thank you for this critique and teaching me a new word so I can better shape my beliefs on our current economic structure. It’s odd to me that some of these videos of “I don’t dream of labor” are just people turning into the very outsourcing big bad bosses they’ve come to hate. It’s pretty much impossible to exist in this society without making money, and I think what some of them were trying to say is they’d rather make that money doing something they enjoy than slaving away at an unfulfilling desk job. I myself am disabled and can’t actually hold a steady income at a job, so I have no other alternative than to work for myself and attempt to make money with my art. My gripe with our current system (in the US at least) is people like me who physically/mentally can’t work still have to if they want to survive or else we’ll be homeless. There should be better systems in place to support people when they can’t support themselves. I’m lucky my family has the means to provide for me in the meantime while I work on my art, but lots of others don’t have that privilege and it’s unfair.
Are you serious? US is a welfare state of a welfare states, people live for generations without working, housing, food stamps, everything is provided for them! Maybe you doing something wrong or simply unaware how you can claim those benefits?
@CheyenneLovesCats To summarize in short: US is not a welfare state, but it has but if offers bunch of free stuff to unemployed, like housing, food etc. Which is exactly what I mean by "warfare state"! In my country former Soviet country the if NO unemployment benefits at all! Either you have s job or support from a family or starving on the street! Even disability pension is so small, it will not allow you to survive without a family support. There is no free food programmes from the government! Social homes only for those with like 10 kids.
'Naturalbornsceptic' that's an ironic name. Someone doesn't know the first thing about US welfare 'generations living without working' lmao what fantasy world are you living in???
congrats @Kidology! you hopped onto the algorithm and rubbed it just the right way. But make no mistake, the reason so many people watched this video is because it is stupendously well thought out and articulated. I got here in a defensive mood but just kept on agreeing and being convinced. Keep going, and good luck, hope to see your channel blow up. subbed.
Interesting video! I struggle to accept the idea that transactions always have to be a form of capitalism though. To me a transaction, or an exchange, is swapping an item or a service for another item or a service. I feel like this is just a biological/philosophical (?) agreement we as people posess. Indeed, capitalism builds off of this idea but to me capitalism takes it to another level, where we begin to trade things for intangible items (money, stocks ect) that our society values for some reason, and people are allowed to build up an excess of these intangible items, and this perpetuates the society we live in, one completely focused on money. I think the consequence of this is neoliberalism. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Again, thanks for the video!
Yes, I see your point and I do think I went in a bit of a circular argument: I was thinking that, like a gift-giving economy, capitalism - in order to work to its full and intended potential - must have human relations of _trust_ at its core. The 'added bonus', I think, is that individuals have a great deal more freedom in choosing and foresight of the items (which, for me, is that other level). In this, I probably give more credit to capitalism than it deserves...When you exchange gifts, genuine relationships, conventions, and ties are built that are beyond value. Capitalism doesn't build these genuine, long-term relationships, and, like you said, the unequal distribution of intangible items demonstrates that. I feel an issue with our societies is that they are so large and complex that the common thing we relate on is money: It's the only thing that, apparently, brings us all together and everybody understands what it is, what it does, etc. Societies have tried to find other forms of indisputable unity and function in race, religion, determinist ideologies, etc., but they have tended to end terribly (e.g., the Third Reich). Perhaps I'm biased, but at this point in time I do see capitalism (as I understand it) as the lesser of all known evils. I do think that neoliberalism is distinct from capitalism rather than a consequence of it. If anything, it seems to have a parasitic relation to capitalism because it is, I believe, preoccupied with global and _political_ freedom/agendas before domestic and monetary/economic ones. George Bush Jr. and Tony Blair's 'mission' in Iraq was, I'd argue, a perfect example of neoliberal ideology in practice: The goal wasn't as much 'capitalism' as it was globalising the philosophical ideals of laissez-faire and minimal-to-non-existent state authority in order to justify future US/UK dominance in world politics. Apologies for the lengthy response: You gave me a lot to ponder😂. Thank you very much for your great comment; it's much appreciated! I'm going to need to think about this one...
@@KidologyCO thanks for the reply. I think that neoliberalism is the inevitable consequence of the development of capitalism though. I think any society that runs on money is doomed to become corrupt and unjust eventually. If you heavily regulated capitalism but still allow it to an extent I feel like you're just in between capitalism and socialism/communism and the society is waiting to become one or another and it's just a matter of events/policy shifts that will tip it one way or the other. I feel like as a society we need to break beyond this dichotomy and invent a new system beyond these models but I don't know what that is!
I have been feeling like this for some time and I look at those videos as a a way for some of them to just rant, I agree with what you said about them not being specific. Its just not that nuanced yet but they might get there eventually, if this "trend" doesnt die, espeacially with videos like yours around. Its also happening in china apperantly, a new trend among young chinese people, mainly among some gen z I believe. Its called "lie flat" translated. By that they mean doing nothing, not working, not starting a family, study, nothing. Reminds me a bit of the japanese "shut in" aka Hikikomori. So its not exactly like this trend among youtubers and young people here in the west but there is this overall theme of "what matters" and this "lack of control" and that people that find themselves agreeing with these ideas are presented with "life paths" and structures by a system that just doesnt seem to makes sense to them, while they are told and that they just havent figured out how to "work" it. Enter: hustle culture, sidehustle/passive income/gig economy. The amount of money people make through these "new" structures and "life paths" like onlyfans, twitch, youtube or esports, with what has always been labeled as "no future" jobs by the "mainstream" (now the youtube trending page) makes no sense to someone that grows up on the internet and at the same is told to work shifts or crazy hours at a place they think doesnt deserve to make x amount in exchange for their physical and mental health. Even if they dont dream of these jobs that are marketed as this "internet freedom" they might help contradict their idea of "labour" in our system. The idea of the internet and everyone that is on it can really highlight these contradications around labour. It may not be the ideal "trend" but I like it cause this capitalism thing is ass and we need more discourse about and around it lol. I was actually searching for Anattynooks video but found your critic. Been seeing some more videos that are more critical of these trends like the one from alice as well. Anyway, like your content and video, and as a black person it also nice to see more black faces in this space and around this topic, so thank you for this.
That’s intriguing what you say about the discrepancies between a generation growing up on the internet and then being propelled into a working life that is its complete opposite🤔: I’m going to be pondering this point for days - thank you! Coincidentally, my next video is about the “lying flat” movement and its implications in the context of China and, also, in relation to China’s dominance in the future😃. I hope I do it justice🤞. Thank you also for watching and for your thorough feedback: Every little bit helps, so I am very appreciative!
The “altruistic outsourcing” and conclusion bits are exactly what I wanted to hear. This 👏 is 👏 still 👏 capitalism👏. I *would not* call those examples of videos “leftist” personally… but I guess appropriating leftist terminology.
I feel like this video is unnecessarily wordy and complex. When explaining or arguing a point, clarity is evidence of an argument that is well thought through and understood. However if you are going for the more philosophy-paper type vibe, which caters to a certain type of person and certainly isn't accessible by everyone -- then that's cool too. As far as the argument goes, I think you make a good point about the weaknesses of the "I dream of labor" ideals such as the fact that it's not acceptable to everyone and that it is still being transactional and therefore a part of the capitalist system. However I think the ideas that those UA-camrs are trying to get across is that the system of work we all work in is broken and that the option to seek other ways to support yourself exists. The suggestions they give aren't always perfect and applicable to everyone, but I still think they are useful in providing new ways of thinking and can be used as a jumping off point to other ideas.
One suggestion I had been thinking but never heard on a english/american youtuber is the worker cooperative model. I don’t know why. If anyone is willing to give his opinion I will be happy to read it.
You have no idea how thirsty I am for this kind of intellectually oriented content… it’s kinda like going to class in college and finding yourself so lucky to be in that day’s lecture that was so well done it blew your brains.
I don't want to live to work, but I want my work to allow me to live on my terms. Hence, the one kernel of truth I resonate with in this "I don't dream of labor" discourse is separating my identity/worth from my job. For me, my job(s) is a tool to sustain my livelihood, but it's not the altar I'll sacrifice myself upon. I rather find my fulfillment outside of the marketplace and my career choices.
It always seemed crazy to me that we need to do labor in order to earn our place on the planet💀 Like anything but oxygen is not free anymore lol. I just want to vibe and live you know??? And I'm doing JUST THAT✨ I recognized that I am extremely priviledged to not HAVE to work to survive tho, amd I am extremely grateful for that. I dont care if people call me lazg or a loser or whatever, I'm living my best life and that's all I care about!
The other commonality is that they all say "I wanna tell stories. I love to tell stories" lolol I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD ONE STORY FROM THESE UA-camRS 🤣
LMAO seriously. You would think they'd be writing/directing/producing films or something like that, rather than churning out forgettable and shallow clickbait UA-cam videos.
I'm broke but I don't dream of labor either. While the people making these videos may have money I don't believe it changes the fact that no human should dream of labor. Yes we need to work but it shouldn't be at the core of my existence. I hate needing to work 40 hours just to get barely get by. I hate that we have a system that allows people like Jeff Bezos to skip paying taxes and keep hoarding wealth.
I guess you didn't understand. People don't dream of "forced" labor (most jobs today feel like a prison to many). People dream of abundance (unfortunately money is related to that in society how we know today). But we can dream of something else... dream of freedom or dream of whatever you would like. Job isn't something we dream as kids. In reality, we dream of living... we can have jobs, for sure, but in a different sense. Nobody should be in a highly demanding job that sucks there lives completely. Those jobs look incredible to many just because of the money, not because of the job. Everybody is just looking the money and not the environment. Sometimes the company you work for doesn't even follow your idea of a better world or ethics.... It can be very corruptive. Why would you work for a company that you don't even agree with... Just because of money?! In order to impress others financially and to show off your successful career?! but feeling miserable for working on something they don't agree with and that's making them unhappy?!
This has been a very insightful watch! Especially since I follow a lot of these UA-camrs and have found myself, victim, to their advice to "start a UA-cam channel!" and have multiple streams of income...but that isn't feasible for the majority and sometimes I get false hope that I can escape working my 9-5 altogether as easily as they did. It, at times, made me feel like I wasn't happy with my life but I am slowly learning more about how things in this world and society work through books and video essays like this! It helps my mental state when I know what I'm up against and that enables me to figure out what works for me and my own financial situation. These discussions are so important. Thanks so much for sharing your point of view!
Fair point. I tend to see Nordic countries as being able to, now, lean toward seemingly and at face-value 'socialist' policies because they were (and still largely are) free market economic success stories. This had to be in place _before_ creating their welfare states and very generous government aid programs. I also don't think the welfarism of Nordic countries has driven them toward becoming more socialist. Government aid is not used for socialist endeavours in many Nordic countries. For example, Sweden has a school voucher system in place which basically means the government provides every child with vouchers in a bid to promote universal school choice as the root to increasing productivity. This is interesting because it means that the Swedish welfare state with a seemingly socialist agenda (the school voucher system) is funding children going to not only public schools but also private schools and academies/charter schools/free schools (which are government funded but privately run or owned by corporations). Any organisation can start a for-profit school in Sweden, and the government (specifically local governments) pay for it. The government also ensures that schools accept children not based on their ability, socio-economic background, or ethnicity, but purely on the basis of productivity. Free market ethics comes before meritocracy because schools are in competition. Public schools are competing with private, independent schools for students who have complete freedom of choice in opting out of one in favour of the other. This doesn't seem more socialist to me. I think the social homogeneity and also the relatively small size of Nordic countries has definitely contributed to the socialist ambiance surrounding 'the Nordic model'. Looking into their particular histories and policies in relation to their demographics does not suggest socialism is the root to their successful governance and GDP. Welfarism needn't be socialist. But that's just how I see it😂.
You helped me realise and apreciate just my ordinery life. I do a lot of volunteering, drawing , reading, writing outside of my collage. I felt like a failieur for not knowing what I want to do. For not persuing a well paid degree. Now I am at peace with the idea of just working and appreciating my free time. Thank u
great vid Kidology! I've been thinking about this a lot recently and it was all pretty muddled until you drew out some really good strands of critique. as a working class girl going into a well-paying 9-5, I almost feel bad taking this opportunity as if I shouldn't be promoting myself as representation within the corporate space, but that I *should* be starting a channel and monetising it because I already have the skills to do it (I will be starting a channel one day but for fun mainly!) It also feels a little sour to be like "Don't work! It'll all be okay!" when essential workers have carried our society through the most difficult period we have ever faced as a country. There is labour that literally feeds us, provides us shelter, nurses us from ill health - this labour is crucial to society running and keeping people alive. My brother is a carpenter and he can *build a house* yet my office job is going to pay me more than he earns... why aren't we talking about how crazy this is?
i’m so grateful this video appeared in my recommendation. you really exude a mysterious vibe (tbh, i don’t have words to explain what i feel due to my lack of vocabulary but i really find you enticing) and i love the points you brought up for this topic. thanks so much
that’s not what capitalism means. capitalism is the private ownership of the means of production. it isn’t the feeling your get when you need to return the favor of someone gifting you something. and no, everyone is not a capitalist.
To me your argument can be summed up with: "They say they're against capitalism, but they still do capitalism!" Which is not a very profound observation given the fact that we NEED to do capitalism to survive in a capitalist society. You say yourself that if everyone would do what they do, nobody could do it. But thats exactly the flaw of capitalism. We're told its okay to treat workers like shit because, if you really work hard enough, you can become a CEO or a Manager too, totally ignoring that not everyone cancan become a CEO or Manager and that we're treating the majority of people like shit in order to elevate an arbitrarily chosen minority.
This video very much reminded me of the "...oh, but you LIVE in the society!" meme. It's like, no shit Sherlock. If you don't participate in capitalism, in a capitalist society, unless you inherited money, you're literally going to die. That doesn't mean that the desire to not want to be a corporate slave with no hope of a better life isn't extremely valid, and that we can absolutely do better, if it weren't for the extreme greed of those at the top. And if it wasn't for mindsets like this video that allow capitalist exploitation to continue.
Yes, exactly this! The whole "they're still practicing capitalism" argument really does become pointless since these videos are not really meant for discussing large-scale collective leftist approaches. While the leftist youtubers she mentions might personally identify themselves as leftists, they especifically state that these types of videos are more like "personal rants" and chats, and they seem to be just talking about surviving capitalism in general. So of course they weren't reinventing the wheel or proposing any groundbreaking models of society. It seems weird to point out their personal solutions are not entirely anti-capitalism, since that wasn't the intent of these videos. While I do recognize the importance of differentiating "neoliberalism" from "capitalism", at the end of the day both are unable to provide mass scale finantial and social safety for the working class.
This video was nothing that I expected. Thank you. The liberal market invading our lives in places where it shouldn’t (dating, medical quality of life, etc. ) was really illuminating. I subscribed and look forward to more.
My dream is to continue getting payrises in my current career, so that I am able to afford to cut back hours as I get older and have a better work life balance. I think I'm quite privileged to have a career job that allows me to work less hours though. Telling people that they should just work harder, just start a channel because anyone can do it, is refusing to accept their privilege and luck in ending up where they are. Not everyone can do as they do. Just like, sure anyone can get singing lessons and try and become a pop star but that doesn't mean they'll get anywhere with it or that they have the time or money to do so.
This was honestly one of the best videos I've seen on leftist politics more generally that I've seen in years. I'm generally left, though I definitely have qualms with the nu-communists that have begun to dominate leftist ideology. I'm an anthropologist who double majored psci and you nailed literally everything, I have to believe that's also your educational background as well. And seriously, I LOVE that you made a clear distinction between the Reaganomics neoliberalism that has dominated global politics for 50 years and generic capitalism. I've been really struggling with the anti-labor comments as well, both on a personal level (I'm lucky and priviledged af to be able to have pursued my dream job AND managed to built a career in it) and on a very structural level because the "no one needs to work" idea is so blindly priviledged all I can see is a recurrence of those 1830s economic theorists who touted their own economic independence while living on their sister's husband's land and being waited on daily by a maid. SOOOO many people HAVE to work for white collar people to feel like their job is meaningless, and the longer I work in a construction related industry the more I see the very valid critiques right wing people have of some of left wing ideology.
Exchange =/= capitalism. That's quite a reductive definition of capitalism and ignores the changing developments of markets and social structures from feudalism to mercantilism to capitalism. By reducing capitalism to "exchange of gifts" (in societies where the concept of "capital," or private wealth, wouldn't have existed) it paints this picture that capitalism has been the only economic system present throughout history, but that's simply not the case. Distinctions, like definitions, exist for a reason.
I love that you differentiated between capitalism and neoliberalism. In the times that we're in, it's easy for people to generalize political issues into ideological terms without seeing these ideologies from their root. Neoliberalism is the real issue the leftists are trying to fight. I love how you pointed that out so succinctly with historical references. Because there is a trend to hate capitalism, we risk advocating against the wrong enemy. We are all capitalist, and indeed all our actions are capitalist. As someone who studied Poli Sci and Econ at uni, I honestly fangirled when you clearly defined the terms and used them as a foundation of your critique. Creating a passive income to have time for a passion leads to creating more passive incomes to have more time, leading to creating more passive incomes, etc. Creating these passive incomes requires work. So, if we shouldn't dream of labor, getting into the trap of having multiple income streams would only lead to spreading ourselves thin as we work. In the end, we will be living the life we did not want to dream of. Also, outsourcing and putting the burden of your work on others so that you can generate income easily leads to the nature of exploitation that we associate with "capitalism".
The last sentence I completely agree with you on! I thought of this as well. All of these people who have decided to stop working and no longer dream of labor do not realize that everyone cannot do that. Someone has to actually work. We cannot all go on vacation every day and do whatever we want to do because the world would simply not work 🤦🏽♀️
To be fair, some youtubers are anarchists or socialists/communists/marksists and advocating for that instead of a better capitalism. They still take part in capitalism by trying to make money, sure - and in that way it can be said "we are all capitalist." But that argument is void, because taking part is not optional. What does it say about a person that they're doing what everyone does because they would starve otherwise? Not much.
@@weareallbornmad410 but these you tubers in question are proposing a way out, without acknowledging that they have to play the same game that a lot of us are playing to survive
i liked this video a lot! but i feel what you said about marx is really unfair. ok, the dude was not exactly 100% self sufficient... he had a lot of problems in his life, sickness and death of children. this doesn't make his arguments about capitalist exploitation less valid. everything you argue about labour just validates that, i think. the idea that capitalism has always existed is really weird to me as well. to me, economy has always existed, the exchange and management of resources. this is not equal to capitalism, that would be the ideia that some people "work" and make money just by owning money (people that own companies, land etc) and exploiting who actually does the labour. like google profits from everybody here, me commenting, you making this video... just some thoughts, but i loved the video really! :)
I guess I’m not really sure what this video is trying to argue. I think the videos those people made are inherently flawed because they’re trying to figure out *how* to be anti capitalist within a capitalist system while still making a living in said system. I don’t believe they’re saying they’re building a socialist system right now, but rather trying to at least make capitalism more equitable while it’s still here. It’s very early on in the conversation and while, yes, these people aren’t defining what capitalism is, I also think it’s worth bringing into question whether neoliberalism is a natural end point of capitalism (which I believe it is). pointing out countries that are doing better are also capitalist is kind of missing the point - again because we’re in the system, I just don’t see how you could argue that that means capitalism is the only way. All of us could be working substantially less than we do - even globally - and still maintain pretty close to our current standard of living. I think a key component you’re missing here is the Internet, which does allow us to flatten hierarchies quite a bit which separates us from what the Soviet Union experienced. Not to mention that profit incentive for people with power within the Soviet Union wasnt actually gone and that it isn’t all encompassing for how socialism/communism could go. Furthermore, I just don’t believe that humans are inherently capitalist 🤷🏼♀️
I agree with everything you've said! A really well rounded critique of what the discussion has been so far. I was really looking forward to the solutions section though and then it just ended I know your focus of the critique was specifically on UA-cam creators and the issues with passive income inherent there, but wondering what your insights are on having that inter-class solidarity and what some steps are that people could take who really care about this issue. Maybe instead of destroying the 'I don't dream of labour' trend we can use it to have these important discussions and take action.
You are absolutely right! A definite downfall for me here is that I can critique till the cows come home, but ‘solutions’ are the important thing! I’m doing some reading/research now with the intent of making a video on that very soon. Thank you for your excellent feedback👍: It is so very helpful.
So glad this was recommended to me. You put so many of the thoughts I've been having into words. Your perspective here was very refreshing - I'd be curious to know more about any alternative solutions you have in mind. Thanks for posting!
OK - I agree a huge amount with your critiques of these anti-labour videos. However, as an Anthropology Grad™, I have to point out that you have misunderstood some of the concepts you bring up in the second half. Capitalism does not refer to generic exchange. Rather, capitalist exchange is based upon goods and services being assigned an abstract value which we call its 'price', which is standardised no matter who is buying. The use of money to mediate exchange in this way only really began in the late medieval period in Europe and became normalised by the 18th Century after the land, which was once all publicly owned, was forcibly privatised. This established two new classes, the bourgeoisie who controlled the resources, and the proletariat who now had to work in order to be able to afford those resources, when before they would have simply grown their food and built their home wherever land was available. Gift economies do not feature price or currency as such, and so are not capitalist. Hence your statement that we have always been capitalists is definitively false. Furthermore, when we use 'capitalist' as a noun in this context, we are not normally referring to those who live in a capitalist economy, nor even to those who are ideologically committed to capitalism, but to those in the upper class who employ workers and sell the fruits of those workers' labour to make a personal profit (Jeff Bezos, for example, who doesn't deliver anything himself, but makes a percentage off every Amazon delivery because the law (justly or unjustly) defines that he has the right to do this). This is why we call neoliberalism a form of capitalism and not something entirely different (I'm unclear if you think it's entirely different or just a subset), because neoliberalism still features all the above characteristic which define capitalism. You also misunderstand the history of the Soviet Union. The Bolsheviks did not eradicate class or even claim to have tried to eradicate class - that was an aim they had for the future. What they did was eradicate the capitalist class, so people did not work in order to make private profits for their boss, but rather labour was organised to produce goods available equally for all people. There were of course crimes committed by the political class, but they largely did succeed in their economic aim, and actually studies of post-soviet countries tend to show that most people would rather go back to Soviet times than live in the current capitalist nightmares which those countries have now devolved into. As regards the anti-labour videos, yeah I agree, they are very hypocritical and just reinforce bourgeois dreams of permanent leisure. Most working class people here in the UK at least take pride in their work and in the service that they render to the country. The aim has got to be freedom from being a cog in your boss's machine, not freedom from being useful to society at all.
@@lizah1040 I personally hate any dictatorship, but is Soviet Nostalgia not a common thing? Apparently a 2016 study found people actually missed the economic system and not just the unity: _"According to the Levada Center poll (November 2016), the people mainly miss the Soviet Union because of the destruction of the joint economic system of its 15 republics (53%); people lost the feeling of belonging to a great power (43%)"_ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostalgia_for_the_Soviet_Union#Reasons (This is no defense of the USSR, I'm sure that Confederate white Americans missed slavery)
UA-cam recommended me katherout's video and it resonated deeply with me because I've never had a "dream job" and approaching my graduation I thought I would have by now because it has been culturally engraved in me since childhood that I just had to "find myself" in a profession and that occupation would fuel me to grind towards goals that would be attached to my labor. So it was refreshing to realize that there's nothing wrong with me because my aspirations dont follow that pattern. I would bet UA-cam recommended this video because I engaged with katherout's and similar ones and I'm really glad it did because this is a very well elaborate critique which I also find pertinent and intriguing. I'm excited to watch your other work :) subbed
Tbh i haven't watched any of these videos, but i heard the "i don't dream of labour" phrase here or there and i thought it was about literally not dreaming about your job. Like, your making your job your great goal in life and your entire personality, but instead working normal jobs (that you don't hate, but you don't need to love) to be able to afford actually living (like having a comfortable home and being able to spend time with your family and friends). but now watching your video i understand it better, what they are saying and your critiques. they were great points.
Also, with the "outsourcing" mindset, there has to be an endpoint. You can't advocate for everyone to have passive income and outsource their work, because then who would actually do the work you're outsourcing. The idea of someone recommending this as a viable form of income is ridiculous. In their minds, all you have to do is make enough money to pay someone else to make you more money; which I understand is the idea of companies in the first place, but you're not a company, you're a person, and by you paying someone else to do your work, you are only guaranteeing that they never have the opportunity that you do.
I don't really like working but I found something that works for me, I'm a massage therapist, I work like 2-4 days at the spa for like 3-4h then I have the rest of the day free. Then I have another job that is 1 minute away from my house ( so no commuting, the spa is also close) I work from 11:30 to 18h, its not very draining so i'm not too tired and I have my mornings and evenings. I don't work weekends and I have a lot of time for all my hobbies. Im happy to have reached this point, I've worked a lot of random jobs or ive work a lot in mining camps which allows you to make a lot of money but you work a lot and are not home often. I also get to travel when i want since I am an independent worker (I dont get any benefits, but i dont owe them anything..) So yeah, you dont HAVE to be a youtuber to have your dream life ahaha
I’d heard the term “neoliberalism” thrown around every so often but I’d never heard it clearly defined. Thank you for this! All this time I’ve spent thinking I was anti-capitalist when I was really just against this neoliberal system
I think you’re confusing neoliberalism as an economic system when it is more of an ideology/philosophy that exists/legitimizes capitalism. An economic system simply describes the system of production, who owns the means of production, and how resources are distributed. Whereas an ideology is the way of thinking and cultural beliefs that reinforce or dissent against a current economic system. You do have a point that many of these self-proclaimed leftists/anticapitalists are contradictory while using sponsors/profit-based means, but you don’t understand socialism either. Capitalism is not commerce/exchange- that exists under both economic system. What distinguishes them is who gets to own and have power over the ways products are created, sold, transported, and how they are distributed. Lastly, Marx wasn’t ‘bourgeoisie’ even if he lived off his much more wealthier friend Engels. Nice try tho
i think you have a super valid critique here. however, all of these videos, including yours, fail to mention a huge pillar of capitalism: private ownership of the means of production. i suppose the main issue is that these words can refer to a lot of different things, and for some videos, that definition is to be inferred from the context the creator is using the word in. i agree that people should be clearly defining the terms they’re using for better understanding, but i take issue with your definition of capitalism as merely exchange for profit
She made a point to put a clip of her saying she doesn't have a political position, but then proceeds to defend that "all humans are capitalist and always have been", basically saying that capitalism is nothing more than what? Human nature? Basic human interaction? Way to not have a political position lol, her definition of capitalism was just wild
I really thought I was the only one who watched those “I don’t dream of labor “ videos and realized there solutions to maintain income is starting and maintaining a UA-cam channel 😂😂 Not everyone can quit their job and be a successful youtuber
As an economics student, I greatly thank you for differentiating between capitalism and neoliberalism. Grinds my gears that people rarely seem to get the difference between the two.
i also believe that it belittles the struggles that people endure under capitalism. i don’t think it’s good to simply quality capitalism,a WHOLE system as just an exchange,i think it’s pretty incomplete at best and misleading and wrong at worst
Not really related to the subject matter but I just wanted to say you are the most intelligent person I have ever seen. Granted, I haven't seen that many at all, since I'm still in high school :p What I mean by that, is that i guess the professors and supposed smart people act stuck-up or like they are better than others. They seem so keen on their profession/research, that they end up being out of touch with the real world. You however seem so down to Earth and yet so informed and ahh I just admire you. I wish I could articulate my thougths better (like you do), I aspire to be like you ♡
I did not think i would watch an almost 40 minute video at 2 am but here i am. This was a simply stunning criticism and really eye opening for me too. Instant subscription. Looking forward to dive deeper into your content.
The "I don't dream of labour" thing was about rejecting the idea that your job should define you and that you /must/ be passionate about it. Rejecting the idea that if you do not do something related to your hobby for a living, then you failed. I personally hate that narrative and I am extremely glad that somebody is finally saying it out lout that it is okay to have a 9 to 5 just to make money and survive and your hobbies and passions do not need to be monetized. I find it weird that people would have something against that. This movement seems to be pretty misunderstood.
This was an excellent critique. Something that's just popped into my mind is how somewhat "girlboss" this "I Don't Dream of Labour" idea is. For most of human history, people had to do jobs out of duty or necessity. And now, where, arguably, our jobs are the least demanding they've ever been - at least physically - is the point where certain people have concluded "All right, enough of this." Maybe utmost like fulfilment cannot be found in traditionally defined labour - but to be found in our relationships, communities, small joys, etc.
Also, the passive income streams being encouraged here just trades life's normal intermittent productivity (jobs) for a shorter bout of hyper productivity (content creation as a "get rich quick" solution). It's "do all _this_ work now, so I don't have to do it later." In other words, it's an investment. And an investment most won't be able to partake in - due to Pareto distributions and not everybody being creative - at that.
Hope you enjoyed the brain vomit. Great critique, once again!
Your brain vomit is always welcome. Thanks for watching and giving me something more to think about.
Awesome brain vomit 💯
amazing
I don't know. Those Amazon fulfillment workers really get worked to death and can't afford a place to live.
Though throughout history people have rejected the idea of necessary labour as fulfillment. Especially after the industrial revolution when big corporations grew and people began to become more alienated from the products of their labour and their own stake in it (example: before a shoemaker made shoes. He makes the creation and has control over it. He must work, but he is in control of his labour. He sells it to his community whom he has relations with. Now, shoemaker works in a factory and his only job is to press button on machine to put laces on shoe. It’s easier and more productive, but he’s removed from the fruits of his labour and the autonomy and fulfilment that comes with it. He does not have control over his time or product. It’s sold to an abstract community whom he will likely never have relations with)
The idea of it has its prominent basis in late 1800s Marxism when the modern conception of labour we know today (industrial big business) arose. The relationship with labour pre-industrial and post have always brought up this debate since their inception. It’s a bit uncharitable to say all of human history since people’s relationship to labour changed drastically after the industrial period, which is where this debate first started. I’m not saying Marx is right or anything, I’m just saying that this debate is as old as our modern system is, it’s just catching on in social media circles without the philosophy jargon now
The ideas "I no longer worship the concept of sacrfiicing myself for the sake of money from corporations that don't care about me" and "Money is essential to life under capitalism because quality of life is linked to finances" can and should coexist. My philosophy is that I don't care what I do for work because my Job is only means of income and my existence as a person is more about what I choose to do with my money as opposed to how I earned it. I don't think youtubers who's entire brand is their own life, are capable of separting work life from home life. Which is why they THINK they don't want "traditional" jobs.
There are other people who aren't youtubers who are also taking this path. You can argue that since work from home became the norm during the pandemic, there is even less boundaries between home life and work life even for "traditional work." So how is that any different? Truth is there is a growing trend of people who want to do work on their own terms, whether its work from home or being an entrepreneur or being a UA-camr. And that's the key, their own terms. This means they can choose to have a career or choose to opt out of a standard path and chill the eff out if they want.
The issue is TIME. We have to spend so much time working in order to afford to pay basic expenses (housing/food/utilities/transportation), and what you're left with isn't enough to be able to separate work life from home life. So comes wanting the work life to be more home life.
how you earn money should also matter, what are you contributing to? what progress is being made through your work? what beneficts is your work doing for yourself or those around you? and when you are at work does it provide an outlet for your capabilites or are they wasted.
you fell into the trap too if its trying to push what you do 8 hours a day out of your head . its still 1/3 of your life
@@BatsAndBadgers i agree. But many times there are no options. And the only way to grow is to create and save for some income so you have a safety net to take a risk to go back to school or apply for a more meaningful job. And to do that you need to work excessively and cant think about how the values dont align with your current job.
this greater trend actually made me feel bad about actually liking where i want to work. i want to be a genetic engineer because the pay is good, and i like the field but people like them act like that's a sin when it's just life.
These videos in a nutshell: "man, capitalism sucks. I hate working. I quit my 200k a year job and moved into a cheaper $2000/month apartment. Life is so much better now. You should do it too! Destroy capitalism! Also this video is brought to you by Skill Share and Nord Vpn!"
They have no self awareness.
I get that. I wish some people were more self-aware. But even if, what would be the alternative? One has to play by the rules of this system (neolibralism/captialism) in order to survive. I'd consider that the perfect example as to why critiquing the system makes sense.
😂! Don't forget _Honey_ !
Very well summarized
In a Capitalist society I don’t see an alternative option for them though? The bills need to be paid regardless. In your example, are they not slightly more in control? I’d rather work for myself and have more autonomy while accepting sponsorships (which I can choose) than to be under the thumb of a corporate powerhouse 40/50 hours a week.
Lmao as a “UA-camr” this is so true lmao being a content creator is still a part of capitalism! It’s just another form of it lol and we can’t forget audible 😂
It’s so easy for
Them to say they don’t dream of labor when they have money coming in lol
Haha 😂 I've just wrote here and mystery happened (my comment has been deleted). I'll repeat... I said... "Guess what?? That's what white dudes have been doing for centuries. We have just cracked the code. Labor came basically from slavery. Someone is profiting of your labor and it isn't you!!!" Just think about it.
@@elimdd and white women. don't try to pretend yall innocent
@@saraha.1336 I am poor dear 🤣🤣🤣 I live in Brazil by the way
@ria rel no, I'm not a white dude ... but if you think they are rich because of their "hard work" you are a very innocent child.
I'm definitely not the one going to Mars because of my "hard work". But if you keep working hard you can.... That's is a fucking lie. Your hard working will keep you poor anyways .... Choose wisely.
I mean I only go to work because I need money to support me and my family. It's that simple and it's the only reason. The other nonsense companies do is irritating. Everyone goes to work because your money is directly tied to your livelihood. Since everyone's livelihood SHOULD matter especially if you pay taxes. I think the power corporations yeild over their employees heads is criminal. There are jobs I would rather do like being a pilot. I don't dream of that though. I think the problem inserts itself when companies purposely pay super low wages, bribe politicians, pay less taxes than working people and then turn around and act like it's your fault you're homeless or can't afford rent. So i believe people are waking up to how unfair the system is. Making profits for someone else your entire life and then dying feels like a pointless life. I have no desire to do things for other people if I can't at a minimum pay my own bills usually do to no fault of our own. I can't think of anyone in their right mind that would purposely work a Job they 100% know doesn't even cover their rent. If anyone has that expectation, you have to realize something is wrong mentally. This really only applies to low wage earners which is the majority of the country. If you have a job that pays well over necessities, you're blessed and living life as life should be lived. I believe everyone has the right to shelter and food ESPECIALLY when you pay taxes. Unfortunately, that isn't the world we live in, so people are rising up.
Yes actually this. She said she doesnt know what system they are referring to. Which to be fair is so complex it’s hard to fully put into words. But the system we live in is rigged. If we all were paid livable wages instead of giant corps hoarding the wealth most of us wouldn’t be complaining. Now these UA-camrs complaining about capitalism while spending excessively is laughable. We all can’t have it as good as them. And in my opinion we shouldnt be striving to be a consumer like them either.
💯
Yes 10000000% to this. The culture of the working world and the fact that we are often proud of our own exploitation and tie our identities to it is a huge issue and that’s what people are waking up to
Boom 💥, well said brother ✊
Jermaine, if I'm understanding your comment correctly, you are saying that the majority of people in the country, low wage earners, have something wrong with them mentally because they are purposely working a job they know doesn't cover their rent? If this is what you are saying, then I have a question for you: what about the fact that most low-wage earners are marginalized groups of people, young people, people of color, older people, immigrants, permanent alien residents - indeed a majority of people in this country - and, due to our institutions, do not have access to higher paying jobs? Most low-wage earners are working multiple jobs to pay their rent or mortgage, because one job doesn't cover it. Does that mean that they are mentally impaired, or is it possible that our institutions are designed to keep a majority of people in this country blocked from accessing a decent standard of living? One more: your comment that everyone's livelihood should (rather than DOES) matter, "especially if they pay taxes" suggests that some peoples' lives are more valuable than others. I hope you don't actually believe that's true. I generally agree with your sentiment - that everyone has the right to shelter and food - but I think you would benefit from taking a more self-critical approach when you contribute to the conversation.
Not making enough money being a UA-camr is not a "you" problem, it's a "you're not feeding the beast what it wants" problem. UA-cam algorithm rewards consumerist content.
These are the facts, they set it up that way and if you're not pushing a product or highly engaging content to keep people locked into your channel you're no good for their business. Those who understand America, Capitalism, Business etc. Knows this.
Exactly!!!
Trash talking cops is the most fun, but the algorithm prefers me to frame the police as innocent ice cream eaters and skateboarders. Why can't I just get famous for trashing the police?
That comment really turned me off from watching any future videos from Kelly. And I was surprised that she wasn't absolutely being roasted in the comments for basically saying "lol if ur poor it's a YOU problem, sweetie." Like, especially during COVID? Where people are losing their jobs, or being forced to put their lives on the line just to keep their minimum wage ones? Like what?
Well said.
I'm so tired of UA-camrs urging us all to make UA-cam channels. The arguments they use are interchangeable with that of MLM reps. And much like with MLMs, the UA-cam market is already oversaturated.
I am just realizing the trend of UA-camrs doing that. Why do you think that is?
@@bltpod because it does well with the algorithm
@@blaisegirl420 Agree! They are "teaching" something and when people click to "learn" they get the view! its a whole tactic that viewers have played well by. Lucky them!
agreed. its all just inauthentic now because everyone's doing the same thing and saying the same thing. Its just a script.
UA-cam is not the only way to make money. A 9 to 5 is not for everyone. Ask yourself this question. "What can I do to replace my salary?" If you could create something that could generate your salary while you sleep would you cling to a 9 to 5?
I remember that in Katherouts video, one of her main points was that in these white collar professional jobs, it’s expected that you invest more hours and energy than you are actually salaried to do, in order to “advance” in the company and in her career. She warned against giving everything to a company that doesn’t care about its laborers. This was my main take away from the video, not that labor should be avoided, but perhaps the the idea of a “career”-that we sacrifice so much of our personal lives for what the elite class considers successful. I think she was saying she’d rather continue to work without the pressure of advancing in the company whose values she doesn’t necessarily agree with, not that she doesn’t want to work at all anymore. I didn’t see this idea brought up in the comment thread, so I thought I’d share. There’s a clear distinction between work and a career, and someone who doesn’t want a career, isn’t necessarily someone who doesn’t want to work.
Yeah everyone's literally critiquing the wrong things. They're actually cherry-picking a lot of the commentary from other UA-camrs to make this into some type of work ism privilege issue. The conversation now has become about how privileged people are for even having the thought of merely not wanting to work for 40 years of their life. But we really need to do is change our conversation around privilege and why we now all of a sudden thinking having privileges are a bad thing. There will never be someone in your life that does not have a privilege to do something that you do not. And now you deserve to be punished for having certain privileges or even being fatigued of what those privileges offer. What I really see is a lot of shaming other people who have decided to let go of the privilege to participate in capitalism through what they have been told is their dream career. I have not seen one UA-cam video where they have said not dreaming of Labor is equivalent to not wanting to participate in society yet all of these critique videos focus on solely that. We happily want to participate in society, we just don't want to participate in economic labor that does not allow us to participate in society in the ways which we find valuable. And then as a counter argument they're trying to shame the UA-camrs for still participating in capitalism. That's because at the end of the day not enough of us have simply let go of capitalism therefore it still exists and just because I quit my job today does not mean I suddenly don't exist in a capitalistic society anymore. It just means I'm choosing to be less capitalistic. I don't get what people don't understand about that there really isn't an alternative. If I choose not to work for a corporation, but instead work for myself by whatever means that be. That could be a UA-cam video, that could be making pottery, that could be selling art it doesn't matter I'm choosing to participate in society in the ways that I see valuablebecause me being happy with what I spend my time doing is more important than doing what society tells me I have to spend my time doing for the next 40 years.
yes finally!!
Yes !
agreed
Exactly!
Billionaires don’t dream of labor either, which is why we work for them!
This 👏
you dont need to go that high, your basic ceo or boss is just that
Soooo true 😂👌🏾
@@sonderexpeditions and that should give you the ticket to exploit people all their lives? Not paying them decent wages? Does a ceo work or worked 200x more than a factory worker?
Bingo.
You said everything perfectly in this video. It feels like these “I don’t dream of labor” videos states how the main escape from this self sacrificing capitalist society is to use what you love in order to sustain yourself however once you take something you like to do (hobbies) and turn it into something you have to do, It just turn into another form of capitalism. I wished instead of focusing on how the “9 to 5” consumes you I wish they went more into depth onto how your work is not your life and it’s ok to hate your job as long as you’re happy with your life as a whole. Capitalism makes us believe that what we do is who we are, if your a doctor, lawyers, youtuber, etc that’s all Society sees you as not as individual but just as your occupation.
Yes, I do definitely see that and agree: I, for instance, loathe my job but it’s allowed me to get a camera and computer to make UA-cam videos🤷🏻♀️. I can’t really imagine my life without my job even though, reflecting on it, I don’t ‘love’ my job in the slightest😂. So, personally, I most definitely agree with you.
The word "capitalism" is grossly misused, ironically, we don't even have capitalism (which is free market, free trade) in the west, America is more "socialist" welfare state right now that Soviet Russia and China combined ever been. What we have is commercial corporatism, when everything is about profit and every business is a part of a corporation.
@@dibelgelo i think she was using capitalism in the colloquial sense
@@nicolenoemi7869 I get that, but we are really using wrong words it it's making a mess and lead to huge misunderstandings and unnecessary arguments.
@@dibelgelo I get what you mean but capitalism by definition is an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state. This idea of free market isn’t fully real many of the worlds largest Corporations own the military, found war, have a large negative impact with global warming, have involvement with politics(from within America and out). We are playing a dangers game when we make everything we do for profit. However I get what you mean as well with the misinterpretation.
I don’t mind working, it just takes up way too much time of my life, a 4 day work week would be great..more time for things I actually enjoy! I do see that work is essential and money too but we shouldn’t have to spend so damn much time doing it..
Ikr! And when everyone would work just a little less, there would be also less people who are jobless, because every industry would need more workers too.
Yes
3 day work week for ne
Well said
I 💯💯👊👊🤝🤝👏👏 agree with you
everything you said,is on point.
4 day work sounds amazing tbh. Just because it's not like you are laying in bed the 2 days off you get of rest but you're rather doing home chores and running errands.
THANK YOU. Every time i hear someone say "we can all be happy if we just make money doing what we want" .... well, we all need to eat... who will grow our food? who will distribute our food? how will our supermarkets get full? none of these jobs are glamorised by these people
i dont think anybody is necessarily arguing that people should just simply do whatever tf they want all hours of the day. its just mostly the idea that we spend *too much* of our time doing work we dont care doing. but some people also don't particularly care about their job, they just want a check and thats ok too. leftists mostly suggest that there could be a happy harmony between these ideas- we allow each other sufficient time to do what we want ( by working less hours as its been proven to increase productivity, giving each other a social safety net) and we also don't require others to work ridiculous amounts just to get by (look at the housing crisis in america)
plus there are people that do enjoy farming/necessary tasks!! its strange to think that you would suggest that these jobs are inherently undesirable... not to mention how much food is wasted because of capitalism but thats besides the point lol..
My “dream” society would be one where we work for each other and not for capital. Where someone builds a house because their community needs houses. Where everyone contributes. Not one that is absent of work or labour, but one that is absent of the systems that exploit our labour.
This is beautifully worded
YES. YES. YES. A HUNDRED TIMES, I want to work for people, I want to work for actual things and people that exists, I want to do something actual useful, grow food, build houses, teach children, take care of children and the old and all who need it, take care of nature, I don't want to play with numbers for some guy I've nerver seen to have even more numbers on his bank account, all of that just so I can live in poverty anyway
This was the actual way things work or worked in some communities and tribes. If someone needed a house in the village everyone build the house together. If someone was on their period other people helped them out.
Solidarity economy
That’s why it’s a dream
I also find it interesting that all of the UA-camrs mentioned talk about eliminating any and all labor from their lives. They just want time to pursue their often expensive hobbies, travel, and "be their own bosses". I think the conversation could also include reducing hours of labor. What if the standard was to work 3-4 days a week instead of 5-6 (given that they're paid enough to work less often)? We'd still have more time to do the things that bring us joy, spend time with people we love and not have our identities revolve around work. And as you said, it's unrealistic for all of us to "have it all" because in reality, these broadly defined systems aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but we're beginning to see companies experiment or even implement 4 day work weeks, more PTO/vacation, longer parental leave, etc. And to reiterate what others have said, we can't all be entrepreneurs and start our own YT channels and/or businesses. Who would be left to do anything else that requires the world to go around? Though I don't think it's a bad idea for people to clean their own toilets if they're capable...
The idea of working less days and hours is an intriguing idea; I do think that the week ought to end sooner/later than it does for everyone generally. I would also see this as being something which modern education should take on board. Education in its current state is incredibly archaic: So many people are left behind before they've even approached the starting line. Kids sitting in rows for hours studying from text books and regurgitating a curriculum is something I have a lot of opinions on😖. And the marketisation of it! That's where it all starts, I think.
I just wonder who's going to clean the public toilets when we're all entrepreneurs and UA-camrs, especially on the planes we're all going to use to get around for that top quality content😏.
@@KidologyCO totally agree, education systems need dramatic change! Would love to see you do a video on that if that's in the works :)
Love your comment. I use to work at a daycare and often found myself pissed at because; of how much time I was spending with other people's kids verses my own family. 5 days a week at 9 and 10hrs, just literally made me feel like work was my life and that's all I was. I ended up requesting to work only 3 days and instantly felt better and more like a person, plus I had more time to spend with myself or my own family.
I don't think there will ever be a perfect solution to everything but I do think small changes now (such as the reduction of hours,) could have a long lasting impact on the way we "view work/labor".
@@paradysetrezvant5001 yeah totally! I'm glad that you were able to advocate for yourself in that way!! that's awesome :) i think that we, as a society, should really question and reevaluate "full time" work. I feel like I can say that most people feel that "full time" is more like "all of my time"
Absolutely! I have no problem working, I know I need a job and I think it's ridiculous that people think they should be able to exist and just never work at all. That goes against nature. However 40-50 hours a week is too much. I am happy to have less money if I can just have my time back.
I found it so funny when the one (jade?) person said "this part of my job isn't so fun, so i'm gonna outsource it to some other poor sap who apparently doesn't have this figured out, like i do." haha just saying -- shouldn't that make them realize the inherent flaw in the thought process of "everyone should subscribe to this philosophy so we can all have easy lives without labor"? Loved your essay! Thanks!
Yes, I also found that quite funny😭. Thank you very much; I appreciate it greatly.
Exactly like at the end of the day someone has to do the work. & a lot of us in gen z are too emotionally unstable to even achieve financial freedom. So the person she's outsourcing the work to may be you.
Not necessarily, there are people out there whose dream job is to do what she is outsourcing so if he was stuck in another job he didn't like, there needs to be that freedom n space for him to be able to find her and live his dream. Keep in my we all have our own individual dream/ vision for our lives so maybe the people feel working for her is better than working for a company. In the end it's all labour. What everyone does is labor for their living, you just have to choose if you’ll labor to fulfill your vision or someone else’s and the difference between the two means true happy .
She probably doesn't realize that's what's she doing though.
These people are selling snake oil, just like the generations before them. Most people just want to feel important. They don't care about money. They care about the clout money can buy them.
I feel like I need to watch this video three times to fully grasp every concept. This is fantastic! The whole "just start a youtube channel" or "build passive income through outsourcing" never sat right with me
Thank you so much for your time. Yes, it's really not that straight forward or meritocratic: It's business, and business is only profitable if some succeed and many don't. At least, in my opinion!
i think the "i don't dream about labour" trend has helped me accept that i probably will never enjoy my job. it feels as if i'm being pushed the idea that i must be passionate about my job, that it provides me with some sort of community and purpose that i should be grateful for, even when that isn't the case for me.
The problem with the “IDDOL” “Why you need to start a UA-cam” spiels is that they ignore how much work goes into creating those income streams while appealing to people who don’t want to work hard while also criticizing them for exactly that. Also with all due respect having a UA-cam channel or a 7-figure business doesn’t equal entrepreneurship. & entrepreneurship, business ownership or being an influencer is just as much a job as being an employee. Do they think their viewers are that gullible to not recognize their attempts to profit off viewers FOMO/aspirations disguised as anti establishment viewpoints?
You have an extremely good point
The whole idea these people perpetuate about how you can achieve "blank" if you just put your mind to it is giving me "myth of the American dream" vibes. Both ideas place the burden on an individual without acknowledging the systems that actively stifle people from achieving said goals. It's miserably hilarious how in our journey towards"liberation" we replicate the same exact systems we try to escape.
EXACTLY! Both do not include disabled people. We have physical limitations. We need accommodations to do our jobs, but the system in place refuses to provide them. Once you mention your disability, and how systems in place keep us in poverty, they don’t have a solution or suggestions. If your plan doesn’t include disabled people, its a bad plan
:o
yea was gonna say both the “leftist” and apolitical/liberal/neo-liberal are actually proposing similar ideas and that is where I say the leftists aren’t true leftists.
Most leftists know “you cannot destroy the master’s house with the master’s tools”
@@notreallyici you definitely can destroy the house without the masters tools that's just more capitalist dogma. You can destroy the system by not engaging with said system by shedding modern life getting rid of your house rid of your material objects you can destroy the current global system. It isn't impossible to live without our modern amenities it's just harder because most wild animals are gone or severely dispersed you can eat bark and many roots. People will die looting is inevitable since it's something we've been doing since the beginning.
“I’m very disillusioned with existence.” Girlll sameeee😂😂
💀🤝
Same thoughts lmao
This is great work and analysis. Although I don't necessarily believe the "I don't dream of labour" trend needs to be destroyed and I have a special place in my heart for particularly the class conscious, leftist oriented representations of this trend à la Katherout, Lynette Adkins, Alice Cappelle and et al., there is nonetheless something about people of relative privilege being willfully oblivious to the contradictions of what they're advocating for and how they propose leaving a capitalist system through capitalism, that indeed rubs me the wrong way. They are essentially this generation's version of experiments in utopia. And we know how most of those experiments went in every generation up to now.
In any case, looks like you took Kelly Stamps' advice - you have a new subscriber 😉 we certainly need more thoughtful UA-camrs like you, particularly women of colour.
Honestly, what other way is there to go but to work for oneself, if you live in a capitalistic society and corporate culture that doesn't allow for other models? This argument feels like the "you live in a society, yet you criticize it. Interesting" meme. Is protesting against the unsustainable and undesirable aspects of corporatism and corporate capitalism supposed to mean one goes on the extreme opposite end of the spectrum and become a wholly collectivist communist shill? Also, a few companies are actually organized on a shareholder basis/lateral structure so that "employees" also feel like they are directly contributing to their own wealth and not just to the wealth of the company's owners and feel like they're not throwing their lives away to make shareholders richer. But these kinds or structures are few and far in between. Since this option isn't available for many of us, what other way should a person survive if not through the gig economy or entrepreneurial ventures? At the end of the day, the fact that people are now working for themselves and their refusal to go back to corporations who are underpaying them are giving these exploitative corporations a huge wake up call. If that's not progress, I don't know what is.
I do think noliberalism is a consequence of capitalism. The need to perpetually find profit in areas we wouldn't even think to exploit in the first place: the commodification of everything results in the neoliberal ideology in everything.
I definitely see your point. In time, I might even believe it. I do tend to be biased in favour of capitalism so that's on me. Thank you for watching and commenting!
I was trying to find a way to articulate what you said, you said it rather perfectly. I do appreciate the nuance of the video but I still believe that capitalism, unchecked capitalism is the main character.
Well said. Like she states in the video, if everyone was a Kelly Stamps there would be no Kelly Stamps making $40k/month.
Commodifying everything is a real concern.
@@KidologyCO I'm curious to know why (if you don't mind me asking)
I think neoliberalism grossly exploits capitalism and human beings natural draw towards it but I don’t think capitalism is inherently evil on its own because it’s been around since forever
I think you’ve conflated capitalism with free markets when you allege capitalism has always existed or is the state of natural exchange.
this
Capitalism arose after feudalism, no?
@@lydiamulfinger6781 Yes. It’s arguable that pockets of capitalism existed here and there before but basic commodity exchange is/was not capitalism. Even the foundational feature of capitalism- private property ( not to be conflated with personal property) has not always existed. Any remaining Hunter Gatherer will tell you this.
I also don't agree with her definition of capitalism as just an exchange. I was wondering why more people haven't noticed it, it seems to be a very controversial statement.
@@9mermaid9 Yes I just got to that part of the video and I'm shocked this isn't the top comment. Her basic definition of capitalism is very wrong!
I’m just commenting to boost your channel by this is criminally underrated
😂 You’re very kind, thank you so much.
Criminally underated indeed. Glad it was recommended to me today.
Those videos give me 'hey hun I have an amazing business opportunity for you blah blah blah flexible hours blah blah blah work from home blah blah blah unlimited income'. Basically MLMs for GenZ-ers lol
As an incoming college student this analysis is very much appreciated. For someone who desires to pursue a career in medicine, I also have other passions which I consider hobbies and may or may not want capitalized.
Ok, completely out of topic, but your voice is soo calming and soothing! I could listen to you talking all day long!
😂Thanks! That's a first!
I was about to comment the same thing
I didn’t realize it till you’d pointed it out! Yes her voice is marvelous . I needed to listen to something randomly while napping and found this channel… I’m hooked! Didn’t even realize that the creator is a block woman, awesome!
The gentle background music, a great touch. I also really loved watching this. I've been struggling with this issue so much lately. I love this communication 💓🥰
@@KidologyCOno, really. it's a beautiful voice.
this was an amazing video! you are one of the only social commentary creators i've watched who has properly dedicated time to defining terms. the fact that you even broke down the linguistic reason behind why we use "don't" or "i" is awesome. i will definitely be supporting your channel
Thank you for making this! I was also baffled by this trend of well-off, young women "not dreaming of labor." Reminds me of the tiny house movement: "you can have this life, too! Just quit your 300k/yr salary job and have your rich parents help you build a tiny house and park it in your rich friend's backyard! it's so easy!"
Funny, too, that I DO do what I love for a living...but I barely make enough to support myself and my husband.
My dream job is to be a musician/artist, I really hope I can achieve that, I'll always work at it anyway even if I get nowhere just because I love it lol
@Lc Marina Good luck, I hope you get to do your dream job too :D
I'm rooting for you👍.
@@KidologyCO Thank you so much :)
Me too! Just quit my job to work on my music !!
@@StephanieRaza Good luck!
I’m glad the algorithm suggested this you’ve pretty much put my thoughts on this matter into words, thank you for this well put together video.
As much as I agree with your critique of the liberal/apolitical 'I don't dream of labour' trend, I tend to disagree with your critiques being extended to the leftist youtubers. My main problem stems from your definition of capitalism in particular, which I believe doesn't do justice to clearly define what exactly we refer to as capitalism, not only in economic terms but also in the 'I don't dream of labour' trend. The term capitalism, from the clips you showed of the leftist youtubers, specifically refers to the private ownership of the means of production as opposed to your definition of merely the exchange of goods and services. This is the standard definition used in Marxist theory and also in leftist discourse. Your definition is too broad and is fallacious in this context.
I understand your objective of wanting to make a point that capitalism (as you have defined it) has existed for thousands of years and that neo-liberalism is the system we are under currently. While I don't have major issues with your definition of neo-liberalism, I do disagree with your point that neo-liberalism and capitalism should not be used interchangeably as it is imprecise. Neoliberalism is distinctly a political ideology whereas capitalism is an economic model. Neo-liberalism employs the capitalist economic model, and when critiquing the economic aspects of neo-liberalism, I think it would be appropriate to use it interchangeably with capitalism.
When it comes to the "altruistic outsourcing" aspect of your video, I do agree that it does nothing but contribute to the system. Philanthropy has never worked on a large-scale to alleviate the working class within a capitalistic economy. But, as you mentioned earlier in the video, the leftist side of this trend does take a class-conscious approach to this trend, and can act as an effective way to create more class consciousness that is necessary to mobilize the masses, form coalitions and fight to overthrow capitalism. There is no way to escape any form of exploitation under capitalism because that is how the system is built. There is no way to consume without contributing to the exploitation of workers and the environment, and similarly, there is no way to fight against the system without working within the system itself. Yes it is hypocritical, but I see no other alternative.
EXACTLY!!! And also, a lot of the people labelled 'left' are often quite centrist/liberal. I'm not sure she has much idea of what the true left actually is or what they stand for.
Exactly!
very good, great comment
brilliantly written, thought the same thing and am glad to see others who did!
Yes. The other comments were giving me a fkn headache
I’m going to trade school in a month.
I have had my realization that life is so short and you can never get an hour back in your life.
And my work has told me that one hour of my life is worth $19 USD. I strongly disagree when I’m delivering mail and Amazon in mail cars that are 145 degrees inside. I hate the USPS they are corrupt. The workers work in inhuman conditions.
I want to say that you’re loved and appreciated. And I appreciate your work. Y’all work hard and truly be taken for granted. Thank you for delivering our mails through any weather and being a service for all of us. Like I said you’re loved and beautifully/wonderfully made by God💙
@@Araksi_N I used to work for the post office and I quit with no regrets. They had us working in a snow storm, I twisted my ankle. And they still wanted me to keep working. USPS is modern day slavery.
Imagine your hour being worth $2.6 as it's in my country, that's if you're lucky. Nope, not gonna work :)
@@lucibrdf1 What country do you live in?
Using the word "leftist" when talking about neoliberal youtubers can be misleading and dangerous. Me and a lot of my close leftist friends and loved ones don't think outsourcing is a solution to capitolism, and we're not "Anti Labor" as in nobody should do work ever. We are anti labor for survival. We don't think everyone should start a business. We just want everyone to have their basic needs met and we see the benifits of a world without currency. Economies as they are today should not be seen as default. There are so many jobs that can be automated (and I dont mean by outsourcing) or just removed altogether, but we just need the labor to make money to eat and have a roof.
I also don't dream of labor. We just need it to survive because of the people hoarding the Earth's resources. That is the capitolist system we live under and that is what the focus should be on.
These youtubers dont have the right idea, but that's not because they're leftists. They are neoliberal.
I totally agree with your points. Just because the youtube channel worked for them doesn‘t mean it could work for everybody and there can only be a certain amount of people „at the top“. I also find it problematic that they often just think about what they could do with the time they had if they didn‘t have to work, but they think about the options as if they are still in the same capitalistic world as before. But if everyone doesn‘t have to work to sustain a living, then you probably can‘t travel that easily and you‘d need to do more to get food, clothes or a house.
So, either some people can have it all and live a life without working much by outsourcing capitalism or all have to work to even have their basic needs and there‘s less abundance since no one is „outsourced“ (communism/socialism).
You made a great point by saying that if no one does the work, how would we be able to be in the state of vacation. That is so true.
The majority of work present in this society is important. Some are there for people who do not have the ability to learn topics that today’s society deem valuable. Some are there for those who are extremely brilliant. Other jobs are present in order to relieve the stress of our day to day life, etc…
The fun part of life, according to me, is to become a better person than I was yesterday.
One cannot always stay at the same place by not working, not trying to do something to improve one’s life, or even not helping to improve other people’s lives.
I think it brings satisfaction to see that yesterday, we were so low, and today we are at a much better state, and in the future, probably, if we work hard enough, we will be at a higher level (Of course hard work does not always pay off, but idk I don’t see a life without not working).
Yes, it is not fun to work. But it is also boring to be in a state of leisure all the time. This is why meaningful work is important. It helps us to be independent and sustain to our needs, it allows us to extend a hand to others who are struggling, it gives us the opportunity to create meaning to our lives. At the same time, it is also important to have a vacation since it helps us to recharge and enjoy life in some other ways.
Omg the Kelly Stamps camp is so rugged individualist it’s insane. I guess they claimed not to be but for “butting against capitalism” and “making the system work for you” they certainly echo a lot of capitalist ideas. In particular the idea that anybody can “pull themselves up” as long as they have the will and the skill to do so and succeed. But those capitalists who expressed rugged individualism over the course of the past 300 years often either had many advantages or unique talents that aren’t easy to replicate. And I believe these UA-camrs are coming from the same place.
@@natalyaakselaleksander4502 I agree with everything except for the last part, capitalism is unethical period. Its resulted in sweatshops and mass pollution and people complain because it is destroying our planet. Capitalism is terrible but any other economic systemic would be just as bad or most likely fail due to human nature. But people don’t just hate capitalism for selfish reasons.
"that aren’t easy to replicate."
Nobody ever said capitalism was ez.
@@tanishapandey8510 I agree with you. They just don't hate it for selfish reasons but we can all agree that no system will ever be good enough for everybody. Someone will always complain about their economic system and it has been that way for as long as history can record. Americans glamourize Scandinavia but some Scandinavians don't like their systems and some other Americans don't like it as well. So, yes, capitalism is unethical and has led to a lot of issues, but tell me a system that hasn't.
@@natalyaakselaleksander4502 exactly
@@natalyaakselaleksander4502 Well said.
Honestly, as a leftist who has identified as an “anti-capitalist” for a while, this video has definitely helped me think more about convenience vs accuracy, because capitalism is shorter than neo-liberalism, but neo-liberalism is much more accurate. I also really appreciate the dream job bit.. I’ve never necessarily had a dream job because I can’t imagine willingly doing something all day so that I can make money, realistically I would just want the money to come to me 🙄😭Thank you so much for the great video!
Leftists have to work too. Why do young wannabe leftists think they won't have to work in a leftist state? I lived in a socialist/communist country and everyone had to work.
At some point in the USSR (Soviet Russia) unemployment was an offence you'll go to jail for. (There was no benefit/welfare for unemployed either, unless you severely disabled). So if you think leftist/anti-capitalism grants you life of leisure, I have a bad news for you :)
I identify as anti capitalist for other reasons, but I definitely still think you got to do something, you eat everyday, wear clothes, drive on roads, consume content etc. all of that has to be made for you to enjoy, we don't get to have the lives we have if the other people around us don't work to create it, so I would say not working if you are able to work kind of makes you an asshole, you keep taking, but you don't want to give back, you need to get the value from other peoples work in order to survive and have the lifestyle that you have so you should figure out how to put some value back in to society to compensate for what you are taking, if you don't want to work and just want to have the money flowing in, then you would actually need to be a capitalist, and have other people work for you so you don't have to. If you can find a way to bring value in the society in a way that gives some meaning to you, if you also see a value in the work you do along with the value of being payed for it, then that will make your life a lot easier, it also helps if you are making more money then you are spending, that way you can always plan and work towards bringing yourself to something better by investing, on the other hand if you are working for something that you see no value in, or as actually harmful for the world and you are only paid enough to slowly keep spiraling in to greater and greater debt then yes that is really depressing but still a reality for a lot of people, that is where my anti capitalist part kicks in, we should build infrastructures to provide meaningful work for most of the people, which provides them with a way to always improve their positions in society if they are doing something for the society , working full time and getting poorer as we have the richest people in the world literally escaping to space is just too wild of a late stage capitalism reality, there are ways to better our world at every corner and doing it requires work, unfortunately no one is doing cause we are to busy flipping burgers, trading stonkz ,setting up facebook adverts etc. because the profit incentives to me seem like they are not allocating our resources wisely as the system was supposed to do.
@Jennifer Miley Hyper capitalism? US is more "socialist" welfare state that Soviets ever been! So I have no idea why "leftists" complaining, current system is perfect for social parasites/freeloaders.
@Jennifer Miley Studied? That's the problem with people like you, you've red some divorced from reality books and think you know much. I grew up in Soviet country and now living in a "western" country, I have direct experience of both and know what I'm talking about.
And don't even bother to answer, I didn't hear anything meaningful from you, that's enough time wasted.
My interpretation of these videos was less “anti-labor” and for more survivable wages and a better more balanced work environment, but I can see how they are still a bit out of touch
Brilliant analysis, however I have one feedback to give. It is on your definitiom of capitalism. Capitalism isn't defined by a transaction that exists between individuals; it is defined by the private ownership of the means of production. In that lens, the altruistic outsourcing is seen for what it is: a good marketing technique. It whitewashes the unequal labour relations, as the aim is to generate surplus labour and take that as profit, where 'giving opportunities' and training people are seen as a philanthropic act. It's like moving from Britain to the Americas to settle and establish colony; you haven't settles on a new world; you just reinvented the wheel but with modern aesthetics.
They're just asking you to be an entrepeneur, without the toxic bile of modern entrepreneurship spewing over to their side. Maybe they don't even see it as entrepreneurship; but this market ontology that capitalist realism has instilled in us will always push us to recreate these patterns. Having a fresh perspective injected into it isn't countercultural; it is vital to It's reinvention to survive the changing times.
thank you this is so well thought out.
Thank you for the feedback. I'm thinking of making a revision video - pointing out where I have clearly gone wrong and where viable criticisms have shed light on things for me - and would love to use your comment if I may?
I've been inclined to see your definition of capitalism as Marx's later definition which is a credible and highly influential one. I've never been sympathetic toward it because of the fate it bestows on 'private individuals'. But I do see your definition as applicable to _modern_ capitalism as opposed to being relevant to where it all began and manifested from. I don't see any transaction as equal, and whether transactions can be equal is another story altogether. But I do see them as being central to the idea of capitalism because, historically, capitalism was born from 'free enterprise'.
In the modern age, that understanding of capitalism has morphed into what you define it as. The 'private ownership of the means of production' only makes sense in the context of industrial and urban life, surplus labour, etc. If capitalism were defined as such, the implication is that capitalism only came into being when industrialisation and urbanisation came to be. This is not the case.
An issue I have with modern capitalism is that it is so intertwined with neoliberalism which has taken over every facet of life and all our time via its universal commodification of it. I think this undermines efforts at "recreating these patterns" as you said. Reinvention and new ideas are at the core of 'free enterprise'. Feudalism to mercantilism, imperialism, and free trade show how, historically, capitalism successfully reinvented itself whenever it needed. I don't see that as a possibility now because of how successfully all-encompassing neoliberal ideologies and authoritarian ones have been in our age. In rather harsh terms, capitalism has a pretty parasitic relation to neoliberalism. I think, for instance, this is why capitalism has been rather unsuccessful at reinventing itself in as impactful a way as it needs to in response to climate change.
@@KidologyCO Using the definition of capitalism that Hyperreal just stated, I think of neoliberalism as the current iteration or mode of capitalism now. So neoliberalism is then a type of capitalism. About neoliberalism, I would recommend checking out David Harvey -- I found "The Enigma of Capital and the Crises of Capitalism" to be a valuable read.
Yes, exactly, thank you. Capitalism is not a synonym for trade or economic activity as defined in this video essay. These concepts have been around for literally millennia, while capitalism is a few hundred years old. And neoliberalism is just the latest, 'postmodern' stage of capitalism.
I’ve wanted to start a UA-cam channel since before you could monetize off of it, and thought now would be a great time esp since I could potentially make some money off it. (Those sponsorship checks sound fat)
And I used to be on board with the people you mentioned in the video; I do not like labor because I happen to be an artist and wish I could just live my life and make my art, but it makes no sense to just make a lot of money for myself to be comfortable because I care more about changing the system so everyone can actually be comfortable as opposed to making my own bag then giving back as they said. Like I don’t strive or care at all to make large sums of money because I want society to move into a place where at least basic human needs are not tied to money
I also hate the thought of a company giving you a lot of money for a sponsorship and then me not being able to freely speak my ideas and thoughts, esp political ones, just because they gave me money
Exactly! It's a difficult one to fathom. There's a UA-camr called _Alizee_ who navigates the contradiction between being sponsored by a company she 'definitely does support' with making it clear to her audience that she 'definitely does support' them. It's a really interesting running joke with her and her viewers because the company seems absolutely oblivious to how sarcastic her promo of them is😂. It's not political, but it's pretty brave and funny to watch. I guess you can sell your soul to the devil but still be sarcastic about it to keep some sanity!
I hope your art thrives👍.
🥳
Glad you made this video. Kelly Stamps was the UA-camr that finally convinced me to try UA-cam again and it failed miserably. Hours wasted editing and recording. Even bought a video editing app for $12. I unsubscribed because she made it seem like SO EASY and I just had to be patient but that is not how it works. Kelly basically said that she makes income off ad revenue and sponsors BUT I realized that you cannot begin having ads until you have 1,000 subscribers. It's difficult enough getting 10. Sponsors don't give a shit about you until you have like 100,000 subscribers.
I did my college thesis on the neoliberal free market ideology as a quasi-"religious" belief surrounded in mysticism and reliant on an ineffable force (the free market itself). This video took me back. Excellent analysis, although I think the definition of "capitalism" definitely requires more rigorous treatment than was allowed for in this video (especially as a term invented by socialists in contrast to their ideals, which is a relevant history). I deeply appreciate anyone advocating for the defining of terms! It's a huge part of communicating effectively and efficiently, especially when dealing with abstract or polarizing terms. Loved this video and I am now subscribed.
I think you have a misconception there
The term capitalism wasnt "invented by socialists in contrast to their ideals"
Marx coined the term analyzing the system and developed modern socialism together with Engels as an answer
They analyzed the system of capatlism and developed modern socialism in contrast to that, as a solution to its contradictions
Wether or not you subscribe to the socialist/communist/anarchist or whatever ideology I would recommend you read "Socialism, Utopian and Scientific" because it explains the basic concepts very well, much better than I can (especially in english lol) and could be really interesting considering your economic background :)
21:40 How is it that you define capitalism in such a manner without any reference to the ownership and control of property and the means of production? This is incredibly simplistic, not to mention incomplete.
While the problems of neoliberalism do indeed adversely affect modern life such that issues of inequality further alienate us from our "work," that alienation has always existed with capitalism itself. Basically, in capitalism, the worker/laborer is alienated from his work or output because he has no control over the means of production. This is basic Marx, and this kind of alienation brought about by the division of labor and the industrial revolution is also what sparked the Romantic era (which can be argued is the 18th century version of cottage core and I do not dream of labor philosophy). I think it's incredibly remiss to even ignore the significance of how the lack of control over the means of production, which alienates the worker from their work/the product, is very much a capitalist concept in its core, and not a primarily liberalist or a neoliberalist concept devoid of any relation to capitalism. (This is probably why you were confused on Nat's reference to late stage capitalism, which references Marxist thought.) And we can still see this even in modern working life under the modern economy - you are but a cog in a hamster wheel constantly running and chasing toward something that ultimately serves a business' interests but not your own goals and interests (unless you're lucky enough to work on something or for a company that aligns with your own interests and values). At the end of the day, for many of the left leaning types that have done videos on this topic, it's this alienation from the achievement/hustle culture and the lack of true ownership and enjoyment over what theyre doing that is driving this trend. To own and control the means of ownership over your production/output is necessary and not at all contradictory if they will address the alienation that was originally brought about by the capitalistic mode of production, and to own your labor doesn't necessarily need to be capitalistic because other models within the extremes of the solo entrepreneur corporate giant exist - e.g. groups forming cooperatives so they can all own a share of a company, so that each laborer coowns and has a say in the use of the means of production. But no one ever thinks of that possibility when critiquing leftist models, do they? At least UA-cam allows their creators to actually own their content and make money off it, it's not capitalistic in the sense that they have to rent or use equipment directly from UA-cam, just the platform.
Neoliberalism comes in because it's made alienation much worse - it's not enough that you have a job you don't like to fund your basic necessities and interests, you have to chase achievements, get more advanced degrees and promotions to keep up so you can continue to participate in the economy _successfully_ or even survive, while those at the top continue to make barriers to entry much higher. If even the supposed "privileged" UA-camrs you question cannot keep up with the stress of the corporate ratrace, what does that say for the rest of us? If anything this trend against taking a pittance in exchange for most of your waking hours ("proactive engagement with tasks") at the expense of your quality of life is waking up many companies how important work life balance is.
This is perfect. Thank you thank you thank you. I did recently quit my job without a backup plan because the conditions were so horrifically toxic and unsafe, but that's not to say it would be reasonable to run with the idea that labor is "so yesterday" in terms of human/societal evolution and we should all just make art and run around in the forest for a living. I've worked manual labor jobs since high school (maintenance, forestry work in the mountains, tree climbing, farm work, etc.), and although they are hard as hell and demand a certain level of resilience, I can say you will learn *so much* about yourself, other people, and life, being in these kinds of roles that take everything out of you at times.
I am currently unemployed without money coming in and… I still don’t dream of labor (if that’s a first world mindset 😬)
same lmao
Same! I'm learning to grow all of my own food too. Not gonna work for anybody else, I'll just do it my way.
@@lucibrdf1 thats cool! how are you planning to do that?
@@sookie0327 Hey, I bought a small piece of suburban land (8600sq ft) with the few years I managed to stand a job, in a place I didn't even know about, but it was the cheapest here literally. I built myself a small cabin with second hand wood I bought cheap.
Now I'm working towards planting the whole lot, which is hard to do right away because it's full of rocks and buried garbage, but I've been saving my own seeds already. I've researched and tried different ways of planting, and I think the best for my size of land, my type of soil and my objective is the bio-intensive method.
I have a lot of bamboo in the back of the plot which I use for a rocket stove to cook.
I know there are people in the mountains of China and other places in the world living totally free. But no one wants those lands there. Here our land is really good and ppl from all over the world come to buy country land for toxic-agriculture and animal farming, so there's no way I can go in the middle of nowhere and build something there without no one complaining, unfortunately.
I miss being unemployed. I was struggling financially but boy was I free! Now that I been working for almost a year, I feel stucked in that system, and just "waiting for the right time" to quit.. hopefully, it won't last a decade 😭!
BTW I'm from a developing country and I don't dream of labour too. 😭🤣
I have been a very avid “anti-capitalist” for a while when I was really advocating for the death of neoliberalism the whole time lol. Thank you for this critique and teaching me a new word so I can better shape my beliefs on our current economic structure. It’s odd to me that some of these videos of “I don’t dream of labor” are just people turning into the very outsourcing big bad bosses they’ve come to hate. It’s pretty much impossible to exist in this society without making money, and I think what some of them were trying to say is they’d rather make that money doing something they enjoy than slaving away at an unfulfilling desk job. I myself am disabled and can’t actually hold a steady income at a job, so I have no other alternative than to work for myself and attempt to make money with my art. My gripe with our current system (in the US at least) is people like me who physically/mentally can’t work still have to if they want to survive or else we’ll be homeless. There should be better systems in place to support people when they can’t support themselves. I’m lucky my family has the means to provide for me in the meantime while I work on my art, but lots of others don’t have that privilege and it’s unfair.
Are you serious? US is a welfare state of a welfare states, people live for generations without working, housing, food stamps, everything is provided for them! Maybe you doing something wrong or simply unaware how you can claim those benefits?
@CheyenneLovesCats To summarize in short: US is not a welfare state, but it has but if offers bunch of free stuff to unemployed, like housing, food etc. Which is exactly what I mean by "warfare state"!
In my country former Soviet country the if NO unemployment benefits at all! Either you have s job or support from a family or starving on the street! Even disability pension is so small, it will not allow you to survive without a family support. There is no free food programmes from the government! Social homes only for those with like 10 kids.
'Naturalbornsceptic' that's an ironic name. Someone doesn't know the first thing about US welfare 'generations living without working' lmao what fantasy world are you living in???
@@kat8559 he’s (or she’s) living in Russia… enough said 😂
You should be able to fill for disability benefits. Otherwise idk what your talking about.
congrats @Kidology! you hopped onto the algorithm and rubbed it just the right way. But make no mistake, the reason so many people watched this video is because it is stupendously well thought out and articulated. I got here in a defensive mood but just kept on agreeing and being convinced. Keep going, and good luck, hope to see your channel blow up. subbed.
Interesting video! I struggle to accept the idea that transactions always have to be a form of capitalism though. To me a transaction, or an exchange, is swapping an item or a service for another item or a service. I feel like this is just a biological/philosophical (?) agreement we as people posess. Indeed, capitalism builds off of this idea but to me capitalism takes it to another level, where we begin to trade things for intangible items (money, stocks ect) that our society values for some reason, and people are allowed to build up an excess of these intangible items, and this perpetuates the society we live in, one completely focused on money. I think the consequence of this is neoliberalism. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Again, thanks for the video!
Yes, I see your point and I do think I went in a bit of a circular argument: I was thinking that, like a gift-giving economy, capitalism - in order to work to its full and intended potential - must have human relations of _trust_ at its core. The 'added bonus', I think, is that individuals have a great deal more freedom in choosing and foresight of the items (which, for me, is that other level). In this, I probably give more credit to capitalism than it deserves...When you exchange gifts, genuine relationships, conventions, and ties are built that are beyond value. Capitalism doesn't build these genuine, long-term relationships, and, like you said, the unequal distribution of intangible items demonstrates that.
I feel an issue with our societies is that they are so large and complex that the common thing we relate on is money: It's the only thing that, apparently, brings us all together and everybody understands what it is, what it does, etc. Societies have tried to find other forms of indisputable unity and function in race, religion, determinist ideologies, etc., but they have tended to end terribly (e.g., the Third Reich).
Perhaps I'm biased, but at this point in time I do see capitalism (as I understand it) as the lesser of all known evils. I do think that neoliberalism is distinct from capitalism rather than a consequence of it. If anything, it seems to have a parasitic relation to capitalism because it is, I believe, preoccupied with global and _political_ freedom/agendas before domestic and monetary/economic ones. George Bush Jr. and Tony Blair's 'mission' in Iraq was, I'd argue, a perfect example of neoliberal ideology in practice: The goal wasn't as much 'capitalism' as it was globalising the philosophical ideals of laissez-faire and minimal-to-non-existent state authority in order to justify future US/UK dominance in world politics.
Apologies for the lengthy response: You gave me a lot to ponder😂. Thank you very much for your great comment; it's much appreciated! I'm going to need to think about this one...
@@KidologyCO thanks for the reply. I think that neoliberalism is the inevitable consequence of the development of capitalism though. I think any society that runs on money is doomed to become corrupt and unjust eventually. If you heavily regulated capitalism but still allow it to an extent I feel like you're just in between capitalism and socialism/communism and the society is waiting to become one or another and it's just a matter of events/policy shifts that will tip it one way or the other. I feel like as a society we need to break beyond this dichotomy and invent a new system beyond these models but I don't know what that is!
I have been feeling like this for some time and I look at those videos as a a way for some of them to just rant, I agree with what you said about them not being specific. Its just not that nuanced yet but they might get there eventually, if this "trend" doesnt die, espeacially with videos like yours around. Its also happening in china apperantly, a new trend among young chinese people, mainly among some gen z I believe. Its called "lie flat" translated. By that they mean doing nothing, not working, not starting a family, study, nothing. Reminds me a bit of the japanese "shut in" aka Hikikomori.
So its not exactly like this trend among youtubers and young people here in the west but there is this overall theme of "what matters" and this "lack of control" and that people that find themselves agreeing with these ideas are presented with "life paths" and structures by a system that just doesnt seem to makes sense to them, while they are told and that they just havent figured out how to "work" it. Enter: hustle culture, sidehustle/passive income/gig economy.
The amount of money people make through these "new" structures and "life paths" like onlyfans, twitch, youtube or esports, with what has always been labeled as "no future" jobs by the "mainstream" (now the youtube trending page) makes no sense to someone that grows up on the internet and at the same is told to work shifts or crazy hours at a place they think doesnt deserve to make x amount in exchange for their physical and mental health. Even if they dont dream of these jobs that are marketed as this "internet freedom" they might help contradict their idea of "labour" in our system. The idea of the internet and everyone that is on it can really highlight these contradications around labour.
It may not be the ideal "trend" but I like it cause this capitalism thing is ass and we need more discourse about and around it lol.
I was actually searching for Anattynooks video but found your critic. Been seeing some more videos that are more critical of these trends like the one from alice as well. Anyway, like your content and video, and as a black person it also nice to see more black faces in this space and around this topic, so thank you for this.
That’s intriguing what you say about the discrepancies between a generation growing up on the internet and then being propelled into a working life that is its complete opposite🤔: I’m going to be pondering this point for days - thank you!
Coincidentally, my next video is about the “lying flat” movement and its implications in the context of China and, also, in relation to China’s dominance in the future😃. I hope I do it justice🤞. Thank you also for watching and for your thorough feedback: Every little bit helps, so I am very appreciative!
The “altruistic outsourcing” and conclusion bits are exactly what I wanted to hear. This 👏 is 👏 still 👏 capitalism👏. I *would not* call those examples of videos “leftist” personally… but I guess appropriating leftist terminology.
The youtubers mentioned here never claimed to be leftist nor anticapitalist.
I feel like this video is unnecessarily wordy and complex. When explaining or arguing a point, clarity is evidence of an argument that is well thought through and understood. However if you are going for the more philosophy-paper type vibe, which caters to a certain type of person and certainly isn't accessible by everyone -- then that's cool too.
As far as the argument goes, I think you make a good point about the weaknesses of the "I dream of labor" ideals such as the fact that it's not acceptable to everyone and that it is still being transactional and therefore a part of the capitalist system. However I think the ideas that those UA-camrs are trying to get across is that the system of work we all work in is broken and that the option to seek other ways to support yourself exists. The suggestions they give aren't always perfect and applicable to everyone, but I still think they are useful in providing new ways of thinking and can be used as a jumping off point to other ideas.
Thank you for the feedback. It helps me out a lot and gives me something to work on in future👍.
One suggestion I had been thinking but never heard on a english/american youtuber is the worker cooperative model. I don’t know why. If anyone is willing to give his opinion I will be happy to read it.
You have no idea how thirsty I am for this kind of intellectually oriented content… it’s kinda like going to class in college and finding yourself so lucky to be in that day’s lecture that was so well done it blew your brains.
@@KidologyCO personally i enjoyed the style of this video! i like getting down to the nitty gritty and acknowledging complexity
I don't want to live to work, but I want my work to allow me to live on my terms. Hence, the one kernel of truth I resonate with in this "I don't dream of labor" discourse is separating my identity/worth from my job. For me, my job(s) is a tool to sustain my livelihood, but it's not the altar I'll sacrifice myself upon. I rather find my fulfillment outside of the marketplace and my career choices.
It always seemed crazy to me that we need to do labor in order to earn our place on the planet💀 Like anything but oxygen is not free anymore lol. I just want to vibe and live you know??? And I'm doing JUST THAT✨ I recognized that I am extremely priviledged to not HAVE to work to survive tho, amd I am extremely grateful for that. I dont care if people call me lazg or a loser or whatever, I'm living my best life and that's all I care about!
the thing is i dont want to do youtube for "money" i just want to create my own lil community of people
same!!
same 😭 i could care less about the money
I needed a different point of view to look at this trend. Thank you so much for uploading this!
You made my day by hearting my comment! Thank you ❤️
The other commonality is that they all say "I wanna tell stories. I love to tell stories" lolol I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD ONE STORY FROM THESE UA-camRS 🤣
I tend to look at is the storytelling lies in who they are trying to convince you (the viewer) they are.
LMAO seriously. You would think they'd be writing/directing/producing films or something like that, rather than churning out forgettable and shallow clickbait UA-cam videos.
Just commenting to boost your channel, more people need to see this.
Is this Kelly Stamps’ British twin? 🤯 You do resemble her. Aside from that, hello 👋 subscribed!
I'm broke but I don't dream of labor either. While the people making these videos may have money I don't believe it changes the fact that no human should dream of labor. Yes we need to work but it shouldn't be at the core of my existence. I hate needing to work 40 hours just to get barely get by. I hate that we have a system that allows people like Jeff Bezos to skip paying taxes and keep hoarding wealth.
Exactly! Same same same
I guess you didn't understand. People don't dream of "forced" labor (most jobs today feel like a prison to many). People dream of abundance (unfortunately money is related to that in society how we know today). But we can dream of something else... dream of freedom or dream of whatever you would like. Job isn't something we dream as kids. In reality, we dream of living... we can have jobs, for sure, but in a different sense. Nobody should be in a highly demanding job that sucks there lives completely. Those jobs look incredible to many just because of the money, not because of the job. Everybody is just looking the money and not the environment. Sometimes the company you work for doesn't even follow your idea of a better world or ethics.... It can be very corruptive. Why would you work for a company that you don't even agree with... Just because of money?! In order to impress others financially and to show off your successful career?! but feeling miserable for working on something they don't agree with and that's making them unhappy?!
Forced labor has been around forever just has taken on a different form.
This has been a very insightful watch! Especially since I follow a lot of these UA-camrs and have found myself, victim, to their advice to "start a UA-cam channel!" and have multiple streams of income...but that isn't feasible for the majority and sometimes I get false hope that I can escape working my 9-5 altogether as easily as they did. It, at times, made me feel like I wasn't happy with my life but I am slowly learning more about how things in this world and society work through books and video essays like this! It helps my mental state when I know what I'm up against and that enables me to figure out what works for me and my own financial situation. These discussions are so important. Thanks so much for sharing your point of view!
The thing with the Nordic countries is that they tend to lean more socialist. That’s the one thing I think that was missed.
Fair point. I tend to see Nordic countries as being able to, now, lean toward seemingly and at face-value 'socialist' policies because they were (and still largely are) free market economic success stories. This had to be in place _before_ creating their welfare states and very generous government aid programs.
I also don't think the welfarism of Nordic countries has driven them toward becoming more socialist. Government aid is not used for socialist endeavours in many Nordic countries. For example, Sweden has a school voucher system in place which basically means the government provides every child with vouchers in a bid to promote universal school choice as the root to increasing productivity. This is interesting because it means that the Swedish welfare state with a seemingly socialist agenda (the school voucher system) is funding children going to not only public schools but also private schools and academies/charter schools/free schools (which are government funded but privately run or owned by corporations). Any organisation can start a for-profit school in Sweden, and the government (specifically local governments) pay for it. The government also ensures that schools accept children not based on their ability, socio-economic background, or ethnicity, but purely on the basis of productivity. Free market ethics comes before meritocracy because schools are in competition. Public schools are competing with private, independent schools for students who have complete freedom of choice in opting out of one in favour of the other. This doesn't seem more socialist to me.
I think the social homogeneity and also the relatively small size of Nordic countries has definitely contributed to the socialist ambiance surrounding 'the Nordic model'. Looking into their particular histories and policies in relation to their demographics does not suggest socialism is the root to their successful governance and GDP. Welfarism needn't be socialist.
But that's just how I see it😂.
You helped me realise and apreciate just my ordinery life. I do a lot of volunteering, drawing , reading, writing outside of my collage. I felt like a failieur for not knowing what I want to do. For not persuing a well paid degree. Now I am at peace with the idea of just working and appreciating my free time. Thank u
great vid Kidology! I've been thinking about this a lot recently and it was all pretty muddled until you drew out some really good strands of critique. as a working class girl going into a well-paying 9-5, I almost feel bad taking this opportunity as if I shouldn't be promoting myself as representation within the corporate space, but that I *should* be starting a channel and monetising it because I already have the skills to do it (I will be starting a channel one day but for fun mainly!)
It also feels a little sour to be like "Don't work! It'll all be okay!" when essential workers have carried our society through the most difficult period we have ever faced as a country. There is labour that literally feeds us, provides us shelter, nurses us from ill health - this labour is crucial to society running and keeping people alive. My brother is a carpenter and he can *build a house* yet my office job is going to pay me more than he earns... why aren't we talking about how crazy this is?
i’m so grateful this video appeared in my recommendation. you really exude a mysterious vibe (tbh, i don’t have words to explain what i feel due to my lack of vocabulary but i really find you enticing) and i love the points you brought up for this topic. thanks so much
that’s not what capitalism means. capitalism is the private ownership of the means of production. it isn’t the feeling your get when you need to return the favor of someone gifting you something. and no, everyone is not a capitalist.
She explained everyone(normal human behavior) inherently has capitalist behavior, not that everyone is literally a capitalist
@Monie ‘capitalist behavior’? what does that even mean
Shhhh they make up their own definitions now
To me your argument can be summed up with: "They say they're against capitalism, but they still do capitalism!"
Which is not a very profound observation given the fact that we NEED to do capitalism to survive in a capitalist society.
You say yourself that if everyone would do what they do, nobody could do it. But thats exactly the flaw of capitalism. We're told its okay to treat workers like shit because, if you really work hard enough, you can become a CEO or a Manager too, totally ignoring that not everyone cancan become a CEO or Manager and that we're treating the majority of people like shit in order to elevate an arbitrarily chosen minority.
yes exactly
This video very much reminded me of the "...oh, but you LIVE in the society!" meme. It's like, no shit Sherlock. If you don't participate in capitalism, in a capitalist society, unless you inherited money, you're literally going to die.
That doesn't mean that the desire to not want to be a corporate slave with no hope of a better life isn't extremely valid, and that we can absolutely do better, if it weren't for the extreme greed of those at the top. And if it wasn't for mindsets like this video that allow capitalist exploitation to continue.
Slow clap. It’s so obvious but so few see this point. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, exactly this! The whole "they're still practicing capitalism" argument really does become pointless since these videos are not really meant for discussing large-scale collective leftist approaches.
While the leftist youtubers she mentions might personally identify themselves as leftists, they especifically state that these types of videos are more like "personal rants" and chats, and they seem to be just talking about surviving capitalism in general.
So of course they weren't reinventing the wheel or proposing any groundbreaking models of society. It seems weird to point out their personal solutions are not entirely anti-capitalism, since that wasn't the intent of these videos.
While I do recognize the importance of differentiating "neoliberalism" from "capitalism", at the end of the day both are unable to provide mass scale finantial and social safety for the working class.
I wouldn't say that it's the only thing she talks about. She looks into this from different angles
This video was nothing that I expected. Thank you. The liberal market invading our lives in places where it shouldn’t (dating, medical quality of life, etc. ) was really illuminating. I subscribed and look forward to more.
"I'm very disillusioned by existence" need that on a tshirt haha
I'll keep that in mind if I ever sell my soul and merchandise😭.
@@KidologyCO id purchase - and I might just start using it IRL in the meantime hahaha
@@KidologyCO please do that!
@@KidologyCO dude make the t-shirt and outsource labor to create neo-liberal passive income 😜
My dream is to continue getting payrises in my current career, so that I am able to afford to cut back hours as I get older and have a better work life balance. I think I'm quite privileged to have a career job that allows me to work less hours though. Telling people that they should just work harder, just start a channel because anyone can do it, is refusing to accept their privilege and luck in ending up where they are. Not everyone can do as they do. Just like, sure anyone can get singing lessons and try and become a pop star but that doesn't mean they'll get anywhere with it or that they have the time or money to do so.
This was honestly one of the best videos I've seen on leftist politics more generally that I've seen in years. I'm generally left, though I definitely have qualms with the nu-communists that have begun to dominate leftist ideology. I'm an anthropologist who double majored psci and you nailed literally everything, I have to believe that's also your educational background as well. And seriously, I LOVE that you made a clear distinction between the Reaganomics neoliberalism that has dominated global politics for 50 years and generic capitalism.
I've been really struggling with the anti-labor comments as well, both on a personal level (I'm lucky and priviledged af to be able to have pursued my dream job AND managed to built a career in it) and on a very structural level because the "no one needs to work" idea is so blindly priviledged all I can see is a recurrence of those 1830s economic theorists who touted their own economic independence while living on their sister's husband's land and being waited on daily by a maid. SOOOO many people HAVE to work for white collar people to feel like their job is meaningless, and the longer I work in a construction related industry the more I see the very valid critiques right wing people have of some of left wing ideology.
Exchange =/= capitalism. That's quite a reductive definition of capitalism and ignores the changing developments of markets and social structures from feudalism to mercantilism to capitalism. By reducing capitalism to "exchange of gifts" (in societies where the concept of "capital," or private wealth, wouldn't have existed) it paints this picture that capitalism has been the only economic system present throughout history, but that's simply not the case. Distinctions, like definitions, exist for a reason.
I love that you differentiated between capitalism and neoliberalism. In the times that we're in, it's easy for people to generalize political issues into ideological terms without seeing these ideologies from their root. Neoliberalism is the real issue the leftists are trying to fight. I love how you pointed that out so succinctly with historical references. Because there is a trend to hate capitalism, we risk advocating against the wrong enemy. We are all capitalist, and indeed all our actions are capitalist. As someone who studied Poli Sci and Econ at uni, I honestly fangirled when you clearly defined the terms and used them as a foundation of your critique.
Creating a passive income to have time for a passion leads to creating more passive incomes to have more time, leading to creating more passive incomes, etc. Creating these passive incomes requires work. So, if we shouldn't dream of labor, getting into the trap of having multiple income streams would only lead to spreading ourselves thin as we work. In the end, we will be living the life we did not want to dream of.
Also, outsourcing and putting the burden of your work on others so that you can generate income easily leads to the nature of exploitation that we associate with "capitalism".
Yes love 💕 💯
The last sentence I completely agree with you on! I thought of this as well. All of these people who have decided to stop working and no longer dream of labor do not realize that everyone cannot do that. Someone has to actually work. We cannot all go on vacation every day and do whatever we want to do because the world would simply not work 🤦🏽♀️
Wow, “we will be living the life we did no want to dream of”
To be fair, some youtubers are anarchists or socialists/communists/marksists and advocating for that instead of a better capitalism. They still take part in capitalism by trying to make money, sure - and in that way it can be said "we are all capitalist." But that argument is void, because taking part is not optional. What does it say about a person that they're doing what everyone does because they would starve otherwise? Not much.
@@weareallbornmad410 but these you tubers in question are proposing a way out, without acknowledging that they have to play the same game that a lot of us are playing to survive
i liked this video a lot! but i feel what you said about marx is really unfair. ok, the dude was not exactly 100% self sufficient... he had a lot of problems in his life, sickness and death of children. this doesn't make his arguments about capitalist exploitation less valid. everything you argue about labour just validates that, i think. the idea that capitalism has always existed is really weird to me as well. to me, economy has always existed, the exchange and management of resources. this is not equal to capitalism, that would be the ideia that some people "work" and make money just by owning money (people that own companies, land etc) and exploiting who actually does the labour. like google profits from everybody here, me commenting, you making this video... just some thoughts, but i loved the video really! :)
I guess I’m not really sure what this video is trying to argue. I think the videos those people made are inherently flawed because they’re trying to figure out *how* to be anti capitalist within a capitalist system while still making a living in said system. I don’t believe they’re saying they’re building a socialist system right now, but rather trying to at least make capitalism more equitable while it’s still here. It’s very early on in the conversation and while, yes, these people aren’t defining what capitalism is, I also think it’s worth bringing into question whether neoliberalism is a natural end point of capitalism (which I believe it is). pointing out countries that are doing better are also capitalist is kind of missing the point - again because we’re in the system, I just don’t see how you could argue that that means capitalism is the only way. All of us could be working substantially less than we do - even globally - and still maintain pretty close to our current standard of living. I think a key component you’re missing here is the Internet, which does allow us to flatten hierarchies quite a bit which separates us from what the Soviet Union experienced. Not to mention that profit incentive for people with power within the Soviet Union wasnt actually gone and that it isn’t all encompassing for how socialism/communism could go. Furthermore, I just don’t believe that humans are inherently capitalist 🤷🏼♀️
Exactly
I agree with everything you've said! A really well rounded critique of what the discussion has been so far. I was really looking forward to the solutions section though and then it just ended I know your focus of the critique was specifically on UA-cam creators and the issues with passive income inherent there, but wondering what your insights are on having that inter-class solidarity and what some steps are that people could take who really care about this issue. Maybe instead of destroying the 'I don't dream of labour' trend we can use it to have these important discussions and take action.
You are absolutely right! A definite downfall for me here is that I can critique till the cows come home, but ‘solutions’ are the important thing! I’m doing some reading/research now with the intent of making a video on that very soon. Thank you for your excellent feedback👍: It is so very helpful.
So glad this was recommended to me. You put so many of the thoughts I've been having into words. Your perspective here was very refreshing - I'd be curious to know more about any alternative solutions you have in mind. Thanks for posting!
i like the piano in the background constantly, very existential
If you know, please, tell the name of the song 🙏🏻
OK - I agree a huge amount with your critiques of these anti-labour videos. However, as an Anthropology Grad™, I have to point out that you have misunderstood some of the concepts you bring up in the second half. Capitalism does not refer to generic exchange. Rather, capitalist exchange is based upon goods and services being assigned an abstract value which we call its 'price', which is standardised no matter who is buying. The use of money to mediate exchange in this way only really began in the late medieval period in Europe and became normalised by the 18th Century after the land, which was once all publicly owned, was forcibly privatised. This established two new classes, the bourgeoisie who controlled the resources, and the proletariat who now had to work in order to be able to afford those resources, when before they would have simply grown their food and built their home wherever land was available. Gift economies do not feature price or currency as such, and so are not capitalist. Hence your statement that we have always been capitalists is definitively false. Furthermore, when we use 'capitalist' as a noun in this context, we are not normally referring to those who live in a capitalist economy, nor even to those who are ideologically committed to capitalism, but to those in the upper class who employ workers and sell the fruits of those workers' labour to make a personal profit (Jeff Bezos, for example, who doesn't deliver anything himself, but makes a percentage off every Amazon delivery because the law (justly or unjustly) defines that he has the right to do this). This is why we call neoliberalism a form of capitalism and not something entirely different (I'm unclear if you think it's entirely different or just a subset), because neoliberalism still features all the above characteristic which define capitalism. You also misunderstand the history of the Soviet Union. The Bolsheviks did not eradicate class or even claim to have tried to eradicate class - that was an aim they had for the future. What they did was eradicate the capitalist class, so people did not work in order to make private profits for their boss, but rather labour was organised to produce goods available equally for all people. There were of course crimes committed by the political class, but they largely did succeed in their economic aim, and actually studies of post-soviet countries tend to show that most people would rather go back to Soviet times than live in the current capitalist nightmares which those countries have now devolved into. As regards the anti-labour videos, yeah I agree, they are very hypocritical and just reinforce bourgeois dreams of permanent leisure. Most working class people here in the UK at least take pride in their work and in the service that they render to the country. The aim has got to be freedom from being a cog in your boss's machine, not freedom from being useful to society at all.
@@lizah1040 I personally hate any dictatorship, but is Soviet Nostalgia not a common thing? Apparently a 2016 study found people actually missed the economic system and not just the unity:
_"According to the Levada Center poll (November 2016), the people mainly miss the Soviet Union because of the destruction of the joint economic system of its 15 republics (53%); people lost the feeling of belonging to a great power (43%)"_
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostalgia_for_the_Soviet_Union#Reasons
(This is no defense of the USSR, I'm sure that Confederate white Americans missed slavery)
i feel genuinely privileged to have found your channel ilysm
💋 That means a lot, thank you!
Here before this blows up. I loved this video and you are so beautiful!
UA-cam recommended me katherout's video and it resonated deeply with me because I've never had a "dream job" and approaching my graduation I thought I would have by now because it has been culturally engraved in me since childhood that I just had to "find myself" in a profession and that occupation would fuel me to grind towards goals that would be attached to my labor. So it was refreshing to realize that there's nothing wrong with me because my aspirations dont follow that pattern.
I would bet UA-cam recommended this video because I engaged with katherout's and similar ones and I'm really glad it did because this is a very well elaborate critique which I also find pertinent and intriguing.
I'm excited to watch your other work :) subbed
I wouldn’t be surprised if I see these words in a textbook someday
😂 This is honestly the nicest thing someone has ever said to me. All I can say is thank you!
Tbh i haven't watched any of these videos, but i heard the "i don't dream of labour" phrase here or there and i thought it was about literally not dreaming about your job. Like, your making your job your great goal in life and your entire personality, but instead working normal jobs (that you don't hate, but you don't need to love) to be able to afford actually living (like having a comfortable home and being able to spend time with your family and friends). but now watching your video i understand it better, what they are saying and your critiques. they were great points.
Also, with the "outsourcing" mindset, there has to be an endpoint. You can't advocate for everyone to have passive income and outsource their work, because then who would actually do the work you're outsourcing. The idea of someone recommending this as a viable form of income is ridiculous. In their minds, all you have to do is make enough money to pay someone else to make you more money; which I understand is the idea of companies in the first place, but you're not a company, you're a person, and by you paying someone else to do your work, you are only guaranteeing that they never have the opportunity that you do.
I don't really like working but I found something that works for me, I'm a massage therapist, I work like 2-4 days at the spa for like 3-4h then I have the rest of the day free. Then I have another job that is 1 minute away from my house ( so no commuting, the spa is also close) I work from 11:30 to 18h, its not very draining so i'm not too tired and I have my mornings and evenings. I don't work weekends and I have a lot of time for all my hobbies. Im happy to have reached this point, I've worked a lot of random jobs or ive work a lot in mining camps which allows you to make a lot of money but you work a lot and are not home often. I also get to travel when i want since I am an independent worker (I dont get any benefits, but i dont owe them anything..) So yeah, you dont HAVE to be a youtuber to have your dream life ahaha
I’d heard the term “neoliberalism” thrown around every so often but I’d never heard it clearly defined. Thank you for this! All this time I’ve spent thinking I was anti-capitalist when I was really just against this neoliberal system
I think you’re confusing neoliberalism as an economic system when it is more of an ideology/philosophy that exists/legitimizes capitalism. An economic system simply describes the system of production, who owns the means of production, and how resources are distributed.
Whereas an ideology is the way of thinking and cultural beliefs that reinforce or dissent against a current economic system.
You do have a point that many of these self-proclaimed leftists/anticapitalists are contradictory while using sponsors/profit-based means, but you don’t understand socialism either. Capitalism is not commerce/exchange- that exists under both economic system. What distinguishes them is who gets to own and have power over the ways products are created, sold, transported, and how they are distributed.
Lastly, Marx wasn’t ‘bourgeoisie’ even if he lived off his much more wealthier friend Engels.
Nice try tho
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i think you have a super valid critique here. however, all of these videos, including yours, fail to mention a huge pillar of capitalism: private ownership of the means of production.
i suppose the main issue is that these words can refer to a lot of different things, and for some videos, that definition is to be inferred from the context the creator is using the word in. i agree that people should be clearly defining the terms they’re using for better understanding, but i take issue with your definition of capitalism as merely exchange for profit
She made a point to put a clip of her saying she doesn't have a political position, but then proceeds to defend that "all humans are capitalist and always have been", basically saying that capitalism is nothing more than what? Human nature? Basic human interaction? Way to not have a political position lol, her definition of capitalism was just wild
Interesting perspective about commodities! Definitely have mixed feelings about this "trend" but I'm glad it's starting a conversation
Most definitely! All the fun’s in the conversation🤣.
@@KidologyCO looking forward to more!
I really thought I was the only one who watched those “I don’t dream of labor “ videos and realized there solutions to maintain income is starting and maintaining a UA-cam channel 😂😂
Not everyone can quit their job and be a successful youtuber
Very nice choice of background music
It's Satie, isn't it?
As an economics student, I greatly thank you for differentiating between capitalism and neoliberalism. Grinds my gears that people rarely seem to get the difference between the two.
This is my favourite comment section I've read on UA-cam. Thank you for creating space for such discussion : ))))
It's extremely reductionist to define "capitalism" as simply "exchange." It makes the term useless.
i also believe that it belittles the struggles that people endure under capitalism.
i don’t think it’s good to simply quality capitalism,a WHOLE system as just an exchange,i think it’s pretty incomplete at best and misleading and wrong at worst
Not really related to the subject matter but I just wanted to say you are the most intelligent person I have ever seen. Granted, I haven't seen that many at all, since I'm still in high school :p
What I mean by that, is that i guess the professors and supposed smart people act stuck-up or like they are better than others. They seem so keen on their profession/research, that they end up being out of touch with the real world. You however seem so down to Earth and yet so informed and ahh I just admire you. I wish I could articulate my thougths better (like you do), I aspire to be like you ♡
Anyone can make it, but everyone can't
I did not think i would watch an almost 40 minute video at 2 am but here i am. This was a simply stunning criticism and really eye opening for me too. Instant subscription. Looking forward to dive deeper into your content.
Your voice is so so soothing!🥺
The "I don't dream of labour" thing was about rejecting the idea that your job should define you and that you /must/ be passionate about it. Rejecting the idea that if you do not do something related to your hobby for a living, then you failed. I personally hate that narrative and I am extremely glad that somebody is finally saying it out lout that it is okay to have a 9 to 5 just to make money and survive and your hobbies and passions do not need to be monetized. I find it weird that people would have something against that. This movement seems to be pretty misunderstood.