Feels like this piece misses the grander point - our alienation and isolation is crystallizing so intensely as anxious normalcy that we have now commodified relatability. What the fuck happened to getting a drink with your coworker and complaining about your job? Depressing as hell
Where I work at, getting a drink with coworkers becomes more work, it’s part of the job.
Fail to attend a couple of times in a row and eyebrows will be raised.
Say something too blatantly obvious but negative a couple of times during a one on one interaction and you will likely be met with silence.
Do it with one more person in the group, and you will receive a message on the Team’s daily sync chat group about how we as a team should be less negative and how it’s affecting “the morale and family cohesion of the team, that we strive to do things with LOVE”.
Heck, if the found out this same comment and tie it to me, some manager one on one meeting would be booked to talk about my feelings.
One thing that always struck me was the comments on Hubs videos was all the people talking about how sad and depressing it was. I really don’t think they’re being honest with themselves. The point that should be taken is that your life was not meant to be filmed and distributed to the rest of the world.
Yes! Talking to coworkers and others at work is the best part of my job. Take that away, it will become sad and depressing real soon. No acknowledgement or appreciation for the work done, no interactions is a bad way to live even at work.
Look, I’m old enough to remember when there was no internet. For pete’s sake turn your damn phone or whatever machine you are on off and go read a real book. Talk to someone in-person. Dial them up (pun intended) on an old Western Electric rotary phone (yes they still work). Go outside. Breathe. Listen to children’s laughter. Look up at the milky way tonight and ask the big questions. Just TURN THE DAMN THING OFF.
Reminds me of capitalism realism, by mark fisher - everything can be commodified, even something like the feeling of relatability. By using TikTok as the outlet for your feelings, you lessen that impact your feelings could’ve had on the drive to make meaningful changes in your life. So, capitalism sustains itself by profiting off of your feelings that came from the capitalist system we live under.
I was also thinking of Capitalist Realism while reading this...there really is no alternative, is there? Fascinating to expand from this essay and think about the self-surveillance angle - instead of a 9-5, this man now exists as work 24/7, as his life is his work and he is his own boss, condemned to constantly monitor his own performance.
Thanks for this perspective. I think you nailed it. Hubs videos would come across my YouTube shorts feed now and then. Personally, despite having a corporate 9-5 myself, I did always find his videos a little depressing, mostly because while he claimed to enjoy his work life, he always looked apathetic. Not surprised he moved on.
Your comment about not aiming too high captures the absurdity of a life lived on social media. Shouldn't everyone want to aim for their best life possible? Yet when that's built on the back of a supposed authenticity, you're shackled to whatever life you've projected on screen.
I’m glad someone else is as fascinated by Hubslife’s sellout arc as I am. He really dragged out the reveal of his “new 9-5,” and I rolled my eyes so hard when it finally became apparent that he was becoming a full-time influencer. Most of his content seems like sponsorships now (though I haven’t been following him for too long, so maybe that’s been an issue). And not to nitpick too hard, but he also left “work” at 3:00 the other day! I’ve been following along out of morbid curiosity, but probably won’t for much longer.
It did make me wonder; I sometimes see the rage comments and wonder about their veracity. I guess I have a hard time imagining the type of person who uses their (often real) identity to dunk on creators. I don't love the creator economy, but I find the comment economy baffling.
9-to-5 pretenders' is my new favorite phrase! This relatability cliff is real. One minute they're in the mud with us, the next it's Hamptons houses and caviar complaints. I feel seen, and also judged by that snark subreddit.
This post is gold! It perfectly captures the internet side-eye. Now I'm rethinking my content strategy: relatable chaos or cat pics? 🤔
Feels like this piece misses the grander point - our alienation and isolation is crystallizing so intensely as anxious normalcy that we have now commodified relatability. What the fuck happened to getting a drink with your coworker and complaining about your job? Depressing as hell
Oh man, very good point… that’s gone.
Where I work at, getting a drink with coworkers becomes more work, it’s part of the job.
Fail to attend a couple of times in a row and eyebrows will be raised.
Say something too blatantly obvious but negative a couple of times during a one on one interaction and you will likely be met with silence.
Do it with one more person in the group, and you will receive a message on the Team’s daily sync chat group about how we as a team should be less negative and how it’s affecting “the morale and family cohesion of the team, that we strive to do things with LOVE”.
Heck, if the found out this same comment and tie it to me, some manager one on one meeting would be booked to talk about my feelings.
Everything is computer and everything is performance. Good piece!
bad life! bad life!!! (and thank you!)
One thing that always struck me was the comments on Hubs videos was all the people talking about how sad and depressing it was. I really don’t think they’re being honest with themselves. The point that should be taken is that your life was not meant to be filmed and distributed to the rest of the world.
Yes! Talking to coworkers and others at work is the best part of my job. Take that away, it will become sad and depressing real soon. No acknowledgement or appreciation for the work done, no interactions is a bad way to live even at work.
Look, I’m old enough to remember when there was no internet. For pete’s sake turn your damn phone or whatever machine you are on off and go read a real book. Talk to someone in-person. Dial them up (pun intended) on an old Western Electric rotary phone (yes they still work). Go outside. Breathe. Listen to children’s laughter. Look up at the milky way tonight and ask the big questions. Just TURN THE DAMN THING OFF.
Frank “ok boomer” Boyle
Knoxville, MD
This is a terrific read!
thanks, matt!!
Reminds me of capitalism realism, by mark fisher - everything can be commodified, even something like the feeling of relatability. By using TikTok as the outlet for your feelings, you lessen that impact your feelings could’ve had on the drive to make meaningful changes in your life. So, capitalism sustains itself by profiting off of your feelings that came from the capitalist system we live under.
I was also thinking of Capitalist Realism while reading this...there really is no alternative, is there? Fascinating to expand from this essay and think about the self-surveillance angle - instead of a 9-5, this man now exists as work 24/7, as his life is his work and he is his own boss, condemned to constantly monitor his own performance.
Thanks for this perspective. I think you nailed it. Hubs videos would come across my YouTube shorts feed now and then. Personally, despite having a corporate 9-5 myself, I did always find his videos a little depressing, mostly because while he claimed to enjoy his work life, he always looked apathetic. Not surprised he moved on.
Your comment about not aiming too high captures the absurdity of a life lived on social media. Shouldn't everyone want to aim for their best life possible? Yet when that's built on the back of a supposed authenticity, you're shackled to whatever life you've projected on screen.
I loved your thoughts — and snorted at this "a place that I should stop looking at if I want to get into heaven."
I’m glad someone else is as fascinated by Hubslife’s sellout arc as I am. He really dragged out the reveal of his “new 9-5,” and I rolled my eyes so hard when it finally became apparent that he was becoming a full-time influencer. Most of his content seems like sponsorships now (though I haven’t been following him for too long, so maybe that’s been an issue). And not to nitpick too hard, but he also left “work” at 3:00 the other day! I’ve been following along out of morbid curiosity, but probably won’t for much longer.
This is very well written. Kudos.
It did make me wonder; I sometimes see the rage comments and wonder about their veracity. I guess I have a hard time imagining the type of person who uses their (often real) identity to dunk on creators. I don't love the creator economy, but I find the comment economy baffling.
Great piece.
9-to-5 pretenders' is my new favorite phrase! This relatability cliff is real. One minute they're in the mud with us, the next it's Hamptons houses and caviar complaints. I feel seen, and also judged by that snark subreddit.
This post is gold! It perfectly captures the internet side-eye. Now I'm rethinking my content strategy: relatable chaos or cat pics? 🤔
"... cognitive cleansing via watching internet strangers perform mundane tasks."
Cleansing of, or corruption of? Be mindful of what you load your mind with.
Very much an Icarus conundrum. To low and the wave gets you, to high and the sun melts your wings. Sage to stick to the 9-6 without the camera.
Hubs didn’t even have a real 9-5 job to begin with. “Senior benefits analyst” is a bullshit HR job.
Doesn’t that make it even more real…?
How are you defining bullshit here?
The Grift Economy -
Curate a dream online, cash it in, then live your dream life on everyone else's backs.
There has to be a better way.
Well written. But the fact that there is now a profession called influencer is yet another sign of the apocalypse.