The Pink Tax by Janine Rogan

Author:Janine Rogan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Janine Rogan
Published: 2023-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

18

Internalized

Capitalism

Side hustles and the gig economy have become integral parts of our life as millennials. I’ve always been a hustler, constantly finding ways to make additional income, always holding a number of jobs at any given time. I love a good side hustle because I believe that in many circumstances it can be easier to earn extra income than it can be to cut expenses. That being said, I fundamentally believe our society is broken when you need to work multiple jobs to afford “the game of life.” If you’re a single mom and need to work three part-time jobs just to put a roof over your head or food on the table, the problem is not you—it’s the society we’ve built.

Internalized capitalism ties the worth of an individual to how productive they can be. You may worry that if you aren’t working, you are lazy,1 and many people end up putting their work before their mental health. With the “work hard, play hard” mentality in so many industries, it’s no wonder we feel constantly pushed to do more. Internalized capitalism at its core is driven by white supremacy and pressures from inside families and social groups to conform. White men are rewarded for having corporate jobs that bill a lot of hours at a high rate, and everyone else is deemed as not quite as valuable because their work doesn’t advance the profits of a large company.

For some people, there is time for side hustles—maybe younger individuals with few responsibilities—but as soon as you start throwing children into the mix, mental health challenges, or any number of circumstances, it can be impossible to work sixty-plus hours per week... and no one should have to.

Capitalism has tricked us into believing that our worth is tied to our ability to be productive; even though our society has become increasingly productive, workers have not seen any benefits. There is a constant push to work more than forty hours a week, despite the fact that practices such as four-day workweeks have been shown time and time again to increase happiness and productivity.2

If you find yourself in a scenario where you can take on extra work or sell your belongings on Facebook Marketplace or Poshmark, then it’s a great practice to give that side-hustle stream of income a “job.” The money you earn from tips as a server, selling used clothing, or writing online should have a specific purpose to give you a sense of satisfaction that those extra hours of work paid off.

You might use the money to reduce debt. Paying off a credit card, personal loan, or mortgage can be incredibly freeing! When you are debt-free, your money is 100 percent yours, you don’t carry the burden of knowing you owe somebody, and you can spend it on whatever you want.

Investing is another great job for your money. Compounding returns will build a nest egg faster than simply saving—and this can be pretty inspiring. Watching the money you worked so hard for work hard for you back is a real boost.

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