Is self-employment a cult?

I read Amanda Montell’s brilliant book Cultish last year. It does a great job of talking about how everyday things can become a little cult-like. From yoga to cross fit, Instagram to Peloton - we’re all a bit culty, says the book. After reading it, I’ve noticed a few culty qualities in the world of self-employment. We’ve been promised freedom, control, a way out of the cult of the office, but have we jumped into another one?

Culty qualities of working for yourself
Us vs them positioning is a clear sign of cultish behaviour according to the book, and it's rife in self-employment. Working for yourself is glamourised and held up as somehow different that other work. We’re sold a dream, a lifestyle. I’m all for big dreams but work is still work. Self-employment is different but it’s not definitively better or worse that other jobs.

Self-employed folks are made to feel special, often by people trying to sell us something, or commodify the self-improvement industry that goes hand in hand with entrepreneurship. And while I don’t discount the ‘journey’ that we all go on with working for yourself, it’s not the only route to success. I’ve seen people likening business to spiritual fulfilment (and selling you courses to help you get there). That sounds like it could be great, but could it just be capitalism mascaraing as self-development? I’m not sure if toiling away at your business will necessarily lead to enlightenment. It might, but it might just be the very thing that so many of left employment for – the glorification of work.

We’re in the midst of the great resignation. And it's great that people are getting the option to quit toxic workplaces to start up on their own, but what’s the point if working for yourself comes with its own toxic culture?

We’ve been promised free time, and four-day weeks. And yet, most self-employed people I know struggle to switch off. We’re striving all the time. Fear or failure and paying the bills is ever present. So often, we fill our time doing unpaid work on social media, marketing, endless self-promotion or saying yes to every piece of work even if it’s not a good fit. It might not be 9-5 but maybe it’s 24/7.

I’ve noticed a lot of backlash against that hustle so far this year, with more people setting their own rules and refusing to get sucked in to the message that we have to do more to be successful. Perhaps if we accepted that we don’t have to do it all, the cult of self-employment would be less all consuming.

Self employment is still work
Maybe we asking too much from our work as self-employed people, if we expect it to pay the bills, become integral to our sense of identify and fulfil us creatively. I loved this article from the Guardian about why it’s okay if work doesn’t give you a sense of purpose or identify. This is something I know a lot of self-employed people struggle with – and maybe our expectations need a little work.

Ultimately, there is nothing better or worse about working for yourself or someone else. If we could move on from the idea of self-employment as better or harder, it would feel less like a secret club and more like a viable option with different pros and cons.

When you look at it, traditional work is pretty culty too. We're all fairly indoctrinated at this point and have learned to adhere to its rules and ritual - like working 9-5 or starting to dress and talk the same as everyone else (shared language is a key part of how cults work). But there are cultish things in working for yourself too – I’m sure I’m not the only one who adopts a work uniform of dungarees and slippers and talks to my self-employed friends in jargon about invoicing, leads and pipelines.

That said, I’m not sure self-employment has a charismatic leader – another key cult quality. And the cost of exit isn’t necessarily really high – of course it might be depending on your circumstances – but for most of us the exit cost will mean getting a traditional job again.

So, have we unwittingly joined the cult of self-employment? Maybe, but as Montell’s book explains, seeking community and answers is a part of the human experience, and it’s okay if cultish things give that to you. I have found an incredible support network, friends and inspiration from the self-employed people I’ve met over the last two years. I love feeling part of a community (and getting new dungarees recommendations). But I know it’s on my own terms, and I am the boss for now. So even if my cult is tiny, I’m okay with that being part of a bigger one on some level because after all connection and community is what makes everything worthwhile.