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I discovered the same concept when being self-driven for an extended period. I would sum it up as saying freelance allowed me to be "my most authentic self" and

I discovered the same concept when being self-driven for an extended period. I would sum it up as saying freelance allowed me to be "my most authentic self" and it was phenomenal. There's something about employment - sometimes it's the employers, sometimes the culture, mostly ourselves - that leads to a certain form of inauthenticity. Maybe this is what's know as "professionalism"? However, I did find after this realization that I was able to shape my next career choices around maintaining that authenticity with a high level of success (albeit, not perfectly).

Clubber 9y ago
>There's something about employment ... that leads to a certain form of inauthenticity. It starts with the first damn question of the first damn interaction: "Why do you want to work here?"
- ashark 9y ago
  Yeah. "I'm hoping you will give me more money for less work/irritation than other options I have, and/or will let me gain experience to land a job somewhere else that asks even less of me while paying me even more money" doesn't go over well, but everyone involved knows that's the honest answer for 9/10 or more of applicants, unless you're one of the rare employers doing something actually interesting or fulfilling on a macro level. The degree of dishonesty surrounding all business and employment, even in the best cases, makes me really uncomfortable, being so totally at odds with the way I was raised. Some of it's so pervasive that people don't seem to notice until you point it out, then usually try to come up with excuses for it. Coming to terms with all the lying has taken years, and I still don't like it.
  - Clubber 9y ago
    It makes me feel nauseous just thinking about it, just the fakeness of it all. And we have to do it to survive. Holden Caulfield irritation of "phoneys" comes to mind.
- Alacart 9y ago
  Interview idea: Honestly and bluntly tell the potential employee the worst things about working for your company, _then_ ask them why they want to work there. I bet you would get some really telling information out of their answer, and if you haven't scared them off maybe they'll be more likely to stick around.

Clubber 9y ago

>There's something about employment ... that leads to a certain form of inauthenticity. It starts with the first damn question of the first damn interaction: "Why do you want to work here?"

ashark 9y ago
Yeah. "I'm hoping you will give me more money for less work/irritation than other options I have, and/or will let me gain experience to land a job somewhere else that asks even less of me while paying me even more money" doesn't go over well, but everyone involved knows that's the honest answer for 9/10 or more of applicants, unless you're one of the rare employers doing something actually interesting or fulfilling on a macro level. The degree of dishonesty surrounding all business and employment, even in the best cases, makes me really uncomfortable, being so totally at odds with the way I was raised. Some of it's so pervasive that people don't seem to notice until you point it out, then usually try to come up with excuses for it. Coming to terms with all the lying has taken years, and I still don't like it.
- Clubber 9y ago
  It makes me feel nauseous just thinking about it, just the fakeness of it all. And we have to do it to survive. Holden Caulfield irritation of "phoneys" comes to mind.
Alacart 9y ago
Interview idea: Honestly and bluntly tell the potential employee the worst things about working for your company, _then_ ask them why they want to work there. I bet you would get some really telling information out of their answer, and if you haven't scared them off maybe they'll be more likely to stick around.