I’m at a crossroads and seeing the disgusting capitalist in me come out. I’m not sure which way to go.
The company I currently work for (a certified B corp) claims to operate on values that, in part, align with mine. Our clientele comes from all walks of life, but skews wealthier at my work location because of the neighborhood we’re in. Management, including that directly above me, is annoyingly bad and both culture and morale are on a downslope. My job is incredibly fast-paced and leaves me without much energy for other things or people in my life. Without going into more detail, the good no longer outweighs the bad and I’m looking for a way out.
I’ve landed a couple of interviews at small businesses that operate in the same industry, though are distinctly targeted toward the 1%. I’d be charging 3-4x the price of the product I’m selling now at these new places, entering at ground level, but not taking a pay cut from what I’m making in a bottom-rung management position now.
I’m not interested in ladder climbing and don’t want more responsibility. I want to leave work at work, have at least one weekend day off, and not be a corporate cheerleader. But, I cringe at the idea of selling my labor to customers who hoard wealth; to me, it implies that I support their lifestyle. It’s bad enough that my labor is lining someone else’s pockets to begin with. I also feel like I can be a more authentic version of myself at my current job, whereas I would need to put on a face and an outfit at these other places.
Is it selling out if I’m putting myself in an environment that’s less demanding of my mental and emotional labor?