My husband lost is tenured professorship when I was 36 weeks pregnant with our surprise 4th baby. The university - which had made some bad real estate deals, because that’s what universities are now, cut departments - because if faculty doesn’t have departments they don’t have tenure anymore. He had spent two decades in academia, and as an economist had been on all their committees to try to help them find other solutions. Late stage capitalism is a hellscape. I so feel for you.
This really resonates. My wife was laid off a week before returning to work from the maternity leave for our 2nd kid. In the period of her unemployment, we had to pay almost 2k a month in private insurance. Not to mention the mental toll this took, and continues to take, on her and our family.
i haven’t even graduated university yet & i’m feeling so much of what you wrote. this was beautiful. you will find better days & we will find a better system inshallah
Not sure where you're currently located (I technically work remotely, but they require that you be in Texas), but my company consistently hires developers if you need a recommendation.
I was laid off at the start of the plandemic because Warren Buffett didn't have enough billions and was too cheap to offer early retirement to the dinosaurs who didn't have families to support. In the end it was a blessing in disguise and I have been self employed since and will never go back to working for an employer again.
It angers me as much as you that those big employers have so little regard for their employees. It isn't as if they don't know that the business is going through a tough time well in advance of layoffs. Employing others should mean that in some sense one takes responsibility for those whom they employ, as bad business decisions directly affect the lives of their employees and those who depend on them.
We invest in ourselves only to become sources of productive investment for the seeds of capital. I hope that what comes after our shameful labour of the last 200 years is built on empathy, nature and the enrichment of life. Thank you for sharing and I hope you find peace.
I'm so sorry you've been forced back into this position Scarlet. The fact that anyone can be in a position like this is one of the clearest signs imaginable that our capitalist system was never built to ensure the safety and security of everyday people. My most recent layoff a couple years ago was pretty brutal - going from job to job is like jumping from life raft to life raft while in shark-infested waters. No human being should ever have to feel that level of stress and anxiety. No one should ever have to live with that constant fear of not knowing what comes next. Hopefully, the good mojo and energies of the world will rally behind you and enough of us can help contribute to keeping you afloat. No matter how many people try to scream and shout at you, the energy you put out into the world is unbelievably bright and positive - channeled in a direction truly for the greater good. Fingers crossed that a new opportunity is close by but until then, your community has your back.
I am so sorry you’re going through this and wishing you the very best. In this system you can do everything right and still get thrown under the bus. I hope things turn up for you soon.
I was laid off for about 6 weeks in the early months of 2020, right when the pandemic began. Found out by way of a late Sunday night mass email to all the people suffering the same fate. I was lucky to be at a place which managed to get things going again soon enough to bring me back into the fold, but it was such unsettling chaos. Ever since, even with numerous weeks that go well past 40 hours and can eat into nights & weekends in an instant, and as intrinsic as I've probably made myself to the function of the business, I can't help but have that nagging worry that things could yet again change in a snap and I could be back out on my ass and left to drown in my insane amounts of student loan debt with no hope of making anywhere near enough to sort of get by like I mostly do now. Idk if I'll ever get out of that debt, and even if I do, something else in this trash heap of a system is just waiting to take its place, be it needing a new car, exorbitant rent prices, unexpected medical bills, etc. There is no such thing as true stability in this rotten hellhole of a country, just a farce built upon a flimsy house of cards, awaiting the slightest breeze to send everything toppling down, and it feels impossible to not be keenly aware of the unsavory possibilities that are always one misstep (often not even one we make ourselves) away from coming to fruition.
I'm sad and sorry that you've been laid off Scarlet, and hope you're able to find new work soon. Wishing the best for you
"Disconnect from capitalism" 😂 Sorry, but this is the kind of nonsense that just isn't worth wasting time on. If nothing else, just try being a bit less judgemental maybe?
Really sorry to see this and hope you are able to find security again soon. I can’t afford a paid sub at the moment, but will be happy to support your writing when I’m able. Haven’t been a reader for too long but already greatly appreciate what you do. Take care.
I don't know exactly how it works over there but sounds even worse than in the UK. Sorry I can't offer a paid subscription, I think a lot of people are really struggling financially, me included. Don't give up the writing though. I hope something turns up for you.
"They will let millions fall into the unpersonhood of being homeless and change nothing. The people who write the laws, after all, have never had to wonder where the next meal comes from. They’ve never had to face the oblivion of having whatever they were able to carve out ripped away overnight. They could not relate less to what consumes you. "
It is almost worst when you realize that people like JD Vance, who are at the forefront of this decimation, have been through this situation, have experienced this misery, and in lieu of extending understanding to those who misfortune have befallen them, they chose disdain and disgust. Truly a testament to the role emotions play in our politics, and how capitalism can bastardize something as human as empathy.
I feel for you as you are going through this difficult period and hope that you find relief and stability soon.
My husband lost is tenured professorship when I was 36 weeks pregnant with our surprise 4th baby. The university - which had made some bad real estate deals, because that’s what universities are now, cut departments - because if faculty doesn’t have departments they don’t have tenure anymore. He had spent two decades in academia, and as an economist had been on all their committees to try to help them find other solutions. Late stage capitalism is a hellscape. I so feel for you.
This really resonates. My wife was laid off a week before returning to work from the maternity leave for our 2nd kid. In the period of her unemployment, we had to pay almost 2k a month in private insurance. Not to mention the mental toll this took, and continues to take, on her and our family.
i haven’t even graduated university yet & i’m feeling so much of what you wrote. this was beautiful. you will find better days & we will find a better system inshallah
Not sure where you're currently located (I technically work remotely, but they require that you be in Texas), but my company consistently hires developers if you need a recommendation.
I sympathize.
I was laid off at the start of the plandemic because Warren Buffett didn't have enough billions and was too cheap to offer early retirement to the dinosaurs who didn't have families to support. In the end it was a blessing in disguise and I have been self employed since and will never go back to working for an employer again.
It angers me as much as you that those big employers have so little regard for their employees. It isn't as if they don't know that the business is going through a tough time well in advance of layoffs. Employing others should mean that in some sense one takes responsibility for those whom they employ, as bad business decisions directly affect the lives of their employees and those who depend on them.
We invest in ourselves only to become sources of productive investment for the seeds of capital. I hope that what comes after our shameful labour of the last 200 years is built on empathy, nature and the enrichment of life. Thank you for sharing and I hope you find peace.
I'm so sorry you've been forced back into this position Scarlet. The fact that anyone can be in a position like this is one of the clearest signs imaginable that our capitalist system was never built to ensure the safety and security of everyday people. My most recent layoff a couple years ago was pretty brutal - going from job to job is like jumping from life raft to life raft while in shark-infested waters. No human being should ever have to feel that level of stress and anxiety. No one should ever have to live with that constant fear of not knowing what comes next. Hopefully, the good mojo and energies of the world will rally behind you and enough of us can help contribute to keeping you afloat. No matter how many people try to scream and shout at you, the energy you put out into the world is unbelievably bright and positive - channeled in a direction truly for the greater good. Fingers crossed that a new opportunity is close by but until then, your community has your back.
I am so sorry you’re going through this and wishing you the very best. In this system you can do everything right and still get thrown under the bus. I hope things turn up for you soon.
Sorry to hear this Scarlet. This one hit hard. Wishing you all the best for the future. I've donated to your Ko-fi.
I was laid off for about 6 weeks in the early months of 2020, right when the pandemic began. Found out by way of a late Sunday night mass email to all the people suffering the same fate. I was lucky to be at a place which managed to get things going again soon enough to bring me back into the fold, but it was such unsettling chaos. Ever since, even with numerous weeks that go well past 40 hours and can eat into nights & weekends in an instant, and as intrinsic as I've probably made myself to the function of the business, I can't help but have that nagging worry that things could yet again change in a snap and I could be back out on my ass and left to drown in my insane amounts of student loan debt with no hope of making anywhere near enough to sort of get by like I mostly do now. Idk if I'll ever get out of that debt, and even if I do, something else in this trash heap of a system is just waiting to take its place, be it needing a new car, exorbitant rent prices, unexpected medical bills, etc. There is no such thing as true stability in this rotten hellhole of a country, just a farce built upon a flimsy house of cards, awaiting the slightest breeze to send everything toppling down, and it feels impossible to not be keenly aware of the unsavory possibilities that are always one misstep (often not even one we make ourselves) away from coming to fruition.
I'm sad and sorry that you've been laid off Scarlet, and hope you're able to find new work soon. Wishing the best for you
“I’ve survived more in this life than I’ve actually lived” reminds me so much of what Sarah Kendzior says.
"Disconnect from capitalism" 😂 Sorry, but this is the kind of nonsense that just isn't worth wasting time on. If nothing else, just try being a bit less judgemental maybe?
The suggestion to go be a colonizer in “Israel” kinda gives the game away haha
Haha incredible! I'm sure we'll be welcomed with open arms in those kibbutz's!
Really sorry to see this and hope you are able to find security again soon. I can’t afford a paid sub at the moment, but will be happy to support your writing when I’m able. Haven’t been a reader for too long but already greatly appreciate what you do. Take care.
I don't know exactly how it works over there but sounds even worse than in the UK. Sorry I can't offer a paid subscription, I think a lot of people are really struggling financially, me included. Don't give up the writing though. I hope something turns up for you.
Such powerful writing. Thank you for this.
"They will let millions fall into the unpersonhood of being homeless and change nothing. The people who write the laws, after all, have never had to wonder where the next meal comes from. They’ve never had to face the oblivion of having whatever they were able to carve out ripped away overnight. They could not relate less to what consumes you. "
It is almost worst when you realize that people like JD Vance, who are at the forefront of this decimation, have been through this situation, have experienced this misery, and in lieu of extending understanding to those who misfortune have befallen them, they chose disdain and disgust. Truly a testament to the role emotions play in our politics, and how capitalism can bastardize something as human as empathy.
I feel for you as you are going through this difficult period and hope that you find relief and stability soon.