As we approach month 12 of the pandemic, I can’t help but think how our capitalist system has only made life more difficult for so many of us. But don’t worry: If capitalism has taught me anything, it’s that all I have to do is buy a $40 subscription to a mediation app, hire a wellness coach for $200 a month, and possibly commodify a hobby of mine to find happiness.
So many have lost their jobs, lost their health insurance, aren’t able to pay rent, can’t afford childcare etc., and yet capitalism has allowed the wellness industry to blossom without actually addressing why so many are struggling to manage their mental health. Money can’t buy happiness, but financial instability is a pretty powerful stressor. It’s hard to find mental stability when you’re constantly worried about whether you can support your family, pay the medical bills and the mortgage, and build enough credit to make your existence actually count for something in the financial world.
Capitalism in the U.S. has made surviving a pandemic demoralizing and nearly impossible. Billionaires have only become richer peddling consumerism while refusing to provide their employees with sick leave. But, hey, at least we’ve got $1,800 from the government. Call me a radical, but I really don’t think families should worry about being evicted from their homes (whether or not it’s a pandemic), and maybe counseling shouldn’t cost $150 an hour and maybe childcare should be socialized, and maybe, just maybe, if we didn’t have to worry about every single basic need being ripped away from us at any moment, then collectively our mental health would be better.
Comments