I couldn’t help but wonder… what if capitalism isn’t ‘the one’?

The world wants you to celebrate love today. So let’s talk about the most needy, manipulative, and emotionally draining partner of all: capitalism.

(I know… romantic.)

But you know that feeling like you’re always behind? Like you should be more productive, more successful, more put together? That’s not because you’re failing. That’s capitalism gaslighting you.

Think about it:

Work demands more than ever - longer hours, always-on culture, unpaid emotional labour.

The cost of living keeps rising, but wages? Suspiciously stagnant.

Side hustles, ‘monetising your hobbies,’ and ‘passive income’ are pushed as aspirational instead of a sign that regular jobs don’t pay enough.

Self-care has been turned into a billion-dollar industry, selling you products to recover from a system that shouldn’t be breaking you in the first place. (Maybe the problem isn’t your lack of adaptogenic mushrooms babes- maybe it’s capitalism wringing you dry.)

And the biggest scam of all? Convincing us that our jobs should be our passion. Because if work is your whole identity, you won’t notice that it’s also the thing making you miserable.

Capitalism needs you to be tired, because when you’re exhausted:

• You don’t have the energy to cook, so you order takeout.

• You don’t have time to actually rest, so you buy quick fixes - skincare, supplements, fancy sleep apps.

• You feel unfulfilled, so you treat yourself to retail therapy.

• You’re drained, so you book a holiday to escape - only to come back to the same grind.

And this isn’t by accident. Capitalism sells exhaustion and then profits off your attempts to fix it. Because if you were well-rested, financially secure, and truly content you wouldn’t be as profitable.

But what if the problem isn’t you?
What if the answer isn’t another purchase?
What if, instead of endlessly trying to fix ourselves, we just… stopped playing the game?

This Valentine’s Day, romanticise your life, not your job.

Take yourself on a solo date.
Romanticise slow mornings, fresh air, and deep conversations.
Invest in the real loves of your life - your friendships, your creativity, your joy.

Because here’s the truth: your job will never love you back. But your life? That’s something worth falling for.

With love (and permission to log off early),
Cass x