But if you do

Don’t!

But IF you do

We disavow

Yeah, you’re not a real fan, just a subscriber

I mean that’s definitely part of it. It’s also creative struggle though (hence why the time with the painter helps).

https://strikemag.org/bullshit-jobs/

I should note that in the book, Graeber recognizes that many of us work these jobs because of the noble motivations you note (partner can’t support themselves etc). Only through the transformation of society can we liberate each other from these situations

My biggest issue with Gen X is since they all got mind broken by Reagan even the libs are centrist shithead types from the ones I’ve met. Like with boomers sometimes you’ll get a union person who’s still got some of the old left fire, Millennials may be cringe but a lot are still left-libs being pipelined into socialism.

The amount of X leftists just feels really low to me.

DONT SHIT WHERE YOU EAT.

To elaborate for those who are going to “but ackshwally,” yes there’s some nuance.

If you’re in a very large org with different departments, that’s different as long as there’s not power dynamics. So if you’re sales and they’re part of quality assurance, ok, fine. Be normal ask them out and move on. Don’t carry a torch, that’s the one way to really make what could otherwise be a very normal interaction weird.

Don’t date your boss, don’t date your subordinate, don’t date your peers in your part of the office. If you absolutely have to, then BE NORMAL and just ask them out to get over it quickly and remember that the longer and weirder you make it the more likely you could lose your job in a worst case.

You’re not Jim and Pam in some slow burn romance. Crushes are for people under the age of 18 (in which case, all the not having sex with coworkers goes out the window if it’s not a real job. The amount of kids who hooked up at the pizza place I worked at… It was high).

To spell it out: you’re going to have to maintain a professional relationship with this person if they’re not interested OR if you break up. Is it worth it? There are probably many people out there you’re compatible with. Work crushes are inappropriate, especially since they can’t just leave (like, say, some person you hit on in a bar or something). They aren’t there for romance either, they’re there to work.

P.S. I speak from the fact that I’m at least somewhat socially awkward and the very thought of having to see someone who rejected me or dumped me daily was so crushing I fully embraced don’t shit where you eat mindset. There have been a few coworkers I found attractive, but I never carried a torch or crushed on them since I would never be able to act on it.