Member-only story
Why Do We Continue to Drive the Capitalist Machine?
We continue to drive a machine that promises us nothing. When is enough, enough?
I used to declare with pride that I’ve worked since I was fifteen years old. I dabbled in babysitting before then, but my first real checks came from a receptionist job at the nursing home where my mom worked. As soon as my fifteenth birthday rolled around, I applied for my working papers which made it possible to work part-time in New York.
Unlike most teenagers, I actually earned a decent hourly wage of $11.25 but naively quit after a year for freedom away from the watchful eyes of my mom. I wanted to work at the mall with friends but didn’t factor in the significant drop in pay.
Capitalism will not care for us and will never hold our needs as priorities.
Nonetheless, I was determined to have “the things,” which included expensive hair weaves, food that I wanted to eat, designer sunglasses and clothes, and secret weekend outings with friends. Even when there was nowhere to go, it was still important for me to have money since there wasn’t plenty growing up.
Raised in a Jamaican household, no message was preached harder than the importance of education and hard work. Traditional education like attending university was non-negotiable and creative jobs like writing, painting, and design were not options worthy of exploration because the “real jobs” were nurses, doctors, and lawyers.
Rest was never part of her repertoire and in all fairness, she couldn’t.
I watched on for decades as my mom solo parented and worked multiple jobs in nursing to ensure my siblings and I had food and shelter.
Rest was never part of her repertoire, and in all fairness, she couldn’t. Family in Jamaica, including my grandparents, depended on her for financial support, which isn’t unusual for immigrant children who move to America or any country in the West.
Following my mom’s work ethic, coupled with the barrage of capitalistic and productivity messages, including the illusion of the “american dream,” I thought I understood the game…
