Busy Bodying and Other Types of Systematic Dehumanization

I have recently become acquainted with one of America’s favorite pastimes;

Productivity-Based Human Evaluation

If you live in a bright and bustling city as I do, you may already be familiar…

Who are you?

and

What do you do?

Behind the eye of every perfectly pressed shirt in a 5-foot radius.

They say you should never judge a book by its cover - but by all means, socio-economic status and the label that brushes the back of your neck are completely and significantly relevant.

“It’s freezing in L.A” (E.Stone)

And Las Vegas is even colder,

Icey stares will hold doors open for you bearing a bleached smile (if you’re wearing the right shoes.)

I know someone who gets preferential treatment for the density and shine of his credit card.

Mine is plastic and the ink has rubbed off some of the numbers.

Did you know I’ve built a business? You wouldn’t be able to tell from the cut-up Walmart T-Shirt I’m wearing but it’s true.

And I forgot that this morning.

I’m sitting in my favorite neighborhood cafe eating a mushroom swiss burger, and I’m getting paid while doing it-

But I cried in my car 2 hours ago.

Productivity-Based Human Evaluation

I’ve got too much time on my hands now -

And so little to do.

Unimportant

I traded in my high heels and blazers for sweatpants and green hoodies

Unkempt

And all the while I’m still earning a stable income,

dollars by each unfilled hour-

But I forgot that this morning,

And I cried in my car 2 hours ago.

America means busybodies

“Contribute to society or become irrelevant”

Get a job

Work hours a day

Skip days off

Go to the gym

Cut your hair

Wear a suit

Don’t spend time with your family…

“Contribute to society or become irrelevant”

America means being productive

If you’re not working you’re not of value.

I spent so many years inside an office I’ve forgotten what it feels like to sip coffee at your neighborhood cafe at 2 pm on a Monday with no one to report to.

I don’t know how to do it anymore.

To be still-

To stop identifying with

Who are you?

and

What do you do?

Productivity-Based Human Evaluation.