Is side hustling a scam?
Are our hobbies threatened to be our next side hustle?
Here I am, already late to publish the second post, but we move on nonetheless. I’ve been working a lot this past week, between a work meeting in Lafayette and rushing to make two article deadlines on Friday. Why I do this to myself, I don’t know. By “this,” I mean, writing (lol).
My first freelance gig*
*technically my first freelance gig was making presentation decks on Fiverr, but that didn’t amount to more than a couple of jobs
I’ve written for ANTIGRAVITY Magazine only a number of times. I stumbled upon the black-and-white zine in a coffee shop years ago. It gave such a real, grittier version of New Orleans that I’ve come to love, covering stories on community organizers, anti-police demonstrations, and the local music scene. The editor is an O.G. punk dude (think MxPx) so I really dig the music coverage and has been the best source of new bands.
My first piece for them was published in February. It was a sociopolitical commentary and reporting on the “NoLaToya” mayor recall effort that eventually failed. It was my first big article that I was really proud of and took me probably a month to write, threading multiple sources and stories to try and piece it together.
I received lots of support along the way, was humbled by the editing process, and learned a little about how to write better stories. I had to swallow the tough pill that not everything I write is useful, interesting, or provocative, no matter how interesting the topic is to me personally. Which is okay because the editors are there to workshop the piece with you to funnel down the story into something more concentrated, more substantive, and more likely to capture a reader’s attention and have them turn the page for more.
I started writing because I thought it would be a good way to make a few extra bucks while practicing this narrative muscle. I have lots of passions that involve writing, such as in tabletop games where writing lore and threading plot hooks are essential to a cohesive game. And I liked that so much, I wanted to try my hand at independently publishing my material. I have some distant aspirations to eventually break into the tabletop industry as a content writer. I’m also still toying with the idea of tabletop journalism, but that’s more ambitious, especially with the depth of knowledge that some journalists possess of the industry.
But why do all of this work and for what? Maybe a couple hundred bucks every other month? A minuscule amount of notoriety? It’s not going to make a dent in my bills or loans over the years, but I’ve got it in my head that if I’m not doing anything, I’m not helping — a very Virgo tendency. I believe many folks feel this way though, that if you do a hobby or passion, we may as well share that with others and make a little cash from it. Though we’d only be afforded that luxury if we had a stable job, it usually never pays enough. Enter the side hustle.
Side hustles: kid-tested, capitalism-approved
There’s a growing trend for this generation to take their time and energy into their own hands by starting a side hustle - jewelry making, crotcheting, digital art, jammed preserves, bakery pop-ups, and the list goes on. They’ve made a huge break from pursuing the insufficiently salaried 9-to-5 job that’s been perpetuated by our parents. It’s become increasingly difficult for the proverbial steady job to get you the car or the house, but more likely to give you (I mean, me) the stability to finally try writing a few hours a week to go on a dinner date or eventually save enough for a vacation.
Side hustles aren’t bad. It gives lots of people agency to try new things, develop new skills, and while making a second income. It’s just bad that we would so easily consider it to begin with. It’s an indication of a failure somewhere in the system, all while our culture celebrates entrepreneurs and self-starters. Could you imagine if everyone was paid a fair living wage or adequate salary to accommodate living expenses that we wouldn’t have to rely on gigs to make ends meet but just do it for pure enjoyment? We wouldn’t be put in such a position of scarcity to convince ourselves to start a side hustle.
A friend told me once that he’ll never make a job out of his hobbies. At first, I thought that was a little short-sighted because if you’re having fun doing it, you might be able to keep it up consistently. But the downside is that you’d never be able to do that hobby for fun anymore because it’s now something to capitalize on. Suddenly, the weekend bakes your family enjoyed are now $5 specialty pastries sold online.
The passion becomes commodified, cut, and divvied up to the masses.
Trust me though, I love writing this for you guys. It feels good to openly share my thoughts and connect with y’all. While I apologize for the tardiness of this post, I have to blame the invisible hand of the market that made me prioritize the jobs that pay versus the hobbies I do just for fun. I hope I have your grace for that!
A positive practice I’ve seen from people I know who’ve started a side hustle is intentionally grounding in their purpose. The purpose is not to make money or get famous, but rather for joy, healing, and happiness. Sometimes, it can’t be more complicated than that, and reminding ourselves of our intentions keeps us focused on what matters the most.
Side hustles aren’t enough for the lowest paid workers
We’re unfortunately all products of capitalism, but that also means we can choose to support each other (and our hustles). Side hustles can be a form of rebellion against the corporate world that preaches complacent jobs and cookie-cutter consumerism, though we should also advocate for better, fair pay for sustainable living. A labor movement is crashing through America right now, from automotive factory workers to Hollywood writers, and even in our own backyard at New Orleanian coffee shop French Truck. These workers either can’t sustain a side gig or already have a second job and still are unable to afford rent or healthcare. This is a cry for help from America’s working class.
Sorry, I got carried away into a dark hole for a moment. I don’t want to conflate people who aren’t making enough money with workers being exploited by the corporate industry - that’s an unfair comparison. However, it’s both sides of the same coin that living expenses have increased drastically in the last several years and people are struggling more than ever.
Side hustles are the double-edged sword of corporate capitalism; support small businesses but also don’t be complacent with your local purchase and let corporations get away with wage slavery.
Please comment and let me know if you share any of these thoughts or want to discuss these topics more.
This week’s jams (paid subscribers only)
This week, I’ve been jamming to…
heavy shoegaze, so if Deftones is your jam, I found a whole new set of bands I simply can’t get enough of that I hope you enjoy. Here are a few bands I want to highlight:
Narrowhead and Bleed are brother bands, sharing past and present members so that each band sounds unique but retains the familiar melodies and powerful riffs.
Superheaven is reminiscent of your favorite dad rock band, but make them hopeful, single fathers. It’s a vibe.
Static Dress is an instant classic, blending shoegaze dreaminess with the energy of early-2000s post-hardcore.