I'm sorry about your job, Jeremy — even if/when you know it might be coming, it's still a bummer. I was laid off from my first job ever when I was 24, and it was quite unsettling. And/but, it led to better things, and I have no doubt the same will be true for you.
I'm sorry about your job situation. My company decided to close its Denver office in July 2026, so I know some time between now and then (probably much closer to now) I will be in the same boat.
Because I like to hike, I'm going to have to take a stab at Hiking with Nietzsche. I just started reading Walden again, and it's really resonating, possibly due to my job situation and the wondering about how "men labor under a mistake" of laying up our treasures here and now.
I'm sorry about the job situation, friend. (Jane hinted at the possibility recently, so I'm sorry to see it's come to pass.) But hey, you & I can be severance buddies! Excited for your next endeavors.
I'm intrigued by the book. It's one I perhaps ought to read given that I've long been skeptical of Nietzsche's whole project of 'self-making'. I'd venture to say the Nietzschean framework has, by now, achieved massive cultural saturation in the West, and the results aren't pretty...let's just say I think the world is buckling under the egos of will-to-power types enough already. It may also be that I'm too convinced that there's no such thing as a "true self" in the first place. The very notion that you could (to say nothing of whether one should) take a wrecking ball to all the accretions of culture, values, morality, history, and education that shaped you and re-fashion yourself into some other thing, and for that new thing to supposedly be more authentic...feels dubious.
All that said, I also believe there's value in testing my beliefs and assumptions. I am curious about Kaag's journey with these ideas, and I love a book framed by outdoor adventures! Thanks for the recommendation, as always.
Re: Nietzsche — yes, he's definitely a bit in vogue with the tech bro crowd and certainly appeals to those types. What's interesting and mature about Kaag is that he realizes the "true self" changes over time. Part of "becoming who you are" is realizing that and not stubbornly sticking to one way of life or mode of thinking. I appreciated his nuanced ideas for sure.
As for philosophers writing accessible books, it seems like philosophy used to be more accessible to the average reader. It doesn't take loads of specialist knowledge to read Nietzsche for instance. Or Arthur Schopenhauer for that matter. It doesn't mean they aren't harder reads, but that they aren't bogged down with the kind of mental gymnastics you find in later academic philosophers who had to spin circles around the insides of their own heads and obfuscate philosophy from the masses, making it more and more specialized, and as it became so, less and less relevant to daily life. I remember Hiking With Nietzsche when it came out. I have an advance reader copy of I Am Dynamite! that I picked up too, when that came out, at home. I'll have to add these both back to the list. Best wishes.
You definitely have a point; it's probably just the case that reading philosophy isn't as common as it once was (especially in schools), so as an entire society, we've slowly lost the mental muscle it takes to read that kind of writing.
So interesting how the company and people who chose to stay are spinning what happened this week as optional for those who left. Always more to the story! Sounds like you will stay busy with things you enjoy and are open to lots of possibilities. Here’s hoping you and the next right thing find each other in good time.
I'm sorry to hear this Jeremy but excited to see what you do next! And I hope you're able to take some to relax as well. For publishing jobs I find Shelf Awareness and Publisher's Weekly to have useful listings (along with following all the publishers on Linkedin), I don't work in those spaces but I do work in comms so happy to share things as I see them
Really sorry to hear about the job, Jeremy, but to echo everyone else here, I'm sure you'll move on to bigger and better things. I've been there, so I know what it's like! It's no fun, especially when you have a family to take care of, so my heart goes out to you.
Also -- I've been reading (on and off) the Kaag book too, so it was really cool to see that in your post this morning. Have you read his one about William James? (I think it's William James) -- I loved it too.
Thank you! Yes, WordPress is a bit of a mess right now. Your site is likely okay, but it's honestly hard to know. I used Squarespace for my new site and it's worked out quite well.
Oh dear. My tummy just did a flipflop at the very idea of having to move my author site. Gee, how many places have that URL? Sigh. Anyway, I’ll keep an eye out for opportunities. Are you on LinkedIn? Put the word out there. And check out Authormedia.social. Hang in there!
I won't say sorry, because I fully expect this change in your life to turn out to be a change for the better.
Years ago I was rear-ended in a car accident which led to back pain that led me to working less in my office and more at home. That led me to going freelance and quitting my wonderful job as EIC at a small press (two of my best friends now run the press and I still work with them). It was absolutely the best thing for me and allowed us to live & travel on our boat (my husband teaches college courses online).
Without that time, I never would have finished my first book, found a publisher, or had the time to spend promoting and marketing for over a year, including launching my Substack (and finding your Substack, btw).
At the risk of sounding like Pollyanna, you've got so many skills, a great attitude, and a devoted following; I predict opportunities opening up for you, revealing new paths and more creative freedom.
Sorry about the unexpected job twist! I hope it goes well and you find somewhere great. Fully support you experimenting with different things on Substack!
The job situation is clearly a leap of things to come ( if you are any thing like me , loyal to a tee. It needs company restructuring to get you out and up) it’s all good. When I get my derrière writing something worth this light of day I’ll seek your editing services. Meanwhile, I remain reading your beautiful posts and reliant on your book reviews. 🤗
I'm sorry about your job, Jeremy — even if/when you know it might be coming, it's still a bummer. I was laid off from my first job ever when I was 24, and it was quite unsettling. And/but, it led to better things, and I have no doubt the same will be true for you.
Thanks Mel, really appreciate it!
I'm sorry about your job situation. My company decided to close its Denver office in July 2026, so I know some time between now and then (probably much closer to now) I will be in the same boat.
Because I like to hike, I'm going to have to take a stab at Hiking with Nietzsche. I just started reading Walden again, and it's really resonating, possibly due to my job situation and the wondering about how "men labor under a mistake" of laying up our treasures here and now.
I may be crazy, but I think Walden applies just as much to midlife (and beyond) as it does to our youthful years. Such timeless wisdom.
Godspeed with your own journey, Bob!
I'm sorry about the job situation, friend. (Jane hinted at the possibility recently, so I'm sorry to see it's come to pass.) But hey, you & I can be severance buddies! Excited for your next endeavors.
I'm intrigued by the book. It's one I perhaps ought to read given that I've long been skeptical of Nietzsche's whole project of 'self-making'. I'd venture to say the Nietzschean framework has, by now, achieved massive cultural saturation in the West, and the results aren't pretty...let's just say I think the world is buckling under the egos of will-to-power types enough already. It may also be that I'm too convinced that there's no such thing as a "true self" in the first place. The very notion that you could (to say nothing of whether one should) take a wrecking ball to all the accretions of culture, values, morality, history, and education that shaped you and re-fashion yourself into some other thing, and for that new thing to supposedly be more authentic...feels dubious.
All that said, I also believe there's value in testing my beliefs and assumptions. I am curious about Kaag's journey with these ideas, and I love a book framed by outdoor adventures! Thanks for the recommendation, as always.
Thank you Peter!
Re: Nietzsche — yes, he's definitely a bit in vogue with the tech bro crowd and certainly appeals to those types. What's interesting and mature about Kaag is that he realizes the "true self" changes over time. Part of "becoming who you are" is realizing that and not stubbornly sticking to one way of life or mode of thinking. I appreciated his nuanced ideas for sure.
As for philosophers writing accessible books, it seems like philosophy used to be more accessible to the average reader. It doesn't take loads of specialist knowledge to read Nietzsche for instance. Or Arthur Schopenhauer for that matter. It doesn't mean they aren't harder reads, but that they aren't bogged down with the kind of mental gymnastics you find in later academic philosophers who had to spin circles around the insides of their own heads and obfuscate philosophy from the masses, making it more and more specialized, and as it became so, less and less relevant to daily life. I remember Hiking With Nietzsche when it came out. I have an advance reader copy of I Am Dynamite! that I picked up too, when that came out, at home. I'll have to add these both back to the list. Best wishes.
You definitely have a point; it's probably just the case that reading philosophy isn't as common as it once was (especially in schools), so as an entire society, we've slowly lost the mental muscle it takes to read that kind of writing.
So interesting how the company and people who chose to stay are spinning what happened this week as optional for those who left. Always more to the story! Sounds like you will stay busy with things you enjoy and are open to lots of possibilities. Here’s hoping you and the next right thing find each other in good time.
I'm sorry to hear this Jeremy but excited to see what you do next! And I hope you're able to take some to relax as well. For publishing jobs I find Shelf Awareness and Publisher's Weekly to have useful listings (along with following all the publishers on Linkedin), I don't work in those spaces but I do work in comms so happy to share things as I see them
Hi Ariana — thanks for the tips! My work at Automattic was definitely Comms adjacent; I'd be happy to work in that field, if anything comes your way!
Really sorry to hear about the job, Jeremy, but to echo everyone else here, I'm sure you'll move on to bigger and better things. I've been there, so I know what it's like! It's no fun, especially when you have a family to take care of, so my heart goes out to you.
Also -- I've been reading (on and off) the Kaag book too, so it was really cool to see that in your post this morning. Have you read his one about William James? (I think it's William James) -- I loved it too.
I haven't read the William James one but it's high on my list. :) Thanks Terrell!
Oh dear. I use WordPress and have since July 2009. Didn't know this squabble was going on in the background. Sorry for your situation but also concerned about my author site. As for a new job for you, tough area. Hope it works out for you. https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/04/159-employees-are-leaving-automattic-as-ceos-fight-with-wp-engine-escalates/
Thank you! Yes, WordPress is a bit of a mess right now. Your site is likely okay, but it's honestly hard to know. I used Squarespace for my new site and it's worked out quite well.
Oh dear. My tummy just did a flipflop at the very idea of having to move my author site. Gee, how many places have that URL? Sigh. Anyway, I’ll keep an eye out for opportunities. Are you on LinkedIn? Put the word out there. And check out Authormedia.social. Hang in there!
Check out Reedsy.com and see if they could use you. Might be freelance.
I won't say sorry, because I fully expect this change in your life to turn out to be a change for the better.
Years ago I was rear-ended in a car accident which led to back pain that led me to working less in my office and more at home. That led me to going freelance and quitting my wonderful job as EIC at a small press (two of my best friends now run the press and I still work with them). It was absolutely the best thing for me and allowed us to live & travel on our boat (my husband teaches college courses online).
Without that time, I never would have finished my first book, found a publisher, or had the time to spend promoting and marketing for over a year, including launching my Substack (and finding your Substack, btw).
At the risk of sounding like Pollyanna, you've got so many skills, a great attitude, and a devoted following; I predict opportunities opening up for you, revealing new paths and more creative freedom.
Thank you Jennifer! Really appreciate these words.
Sorry about the unexpected job twist! I hope it goes well and you find somewhere great. Fully support you experimenting with different things on Substack!
Thanks Alicia. :)
So sorry about your job, Jeremy. But look at all the possibilities now.
Thanks Jam! There are indeed possibilities. :)
Hi Jeremy. I hope another door opens for you, as I am sure one will as you travel along your path of fate and destiny.
Thank you Justin, really appreciate it.
The job situation is clearly a leap of things to come ( if you are any thing like me , loyal to a tee. It needs company restructuring to get you out and up) it’s all good. When I get my derrière writing something worth this light of day I’ll seek your editing services. Meanwhile, I remain reading your beautiful posts and reliant on your book reviews. 🤗
Thank you!!