Hot take: Normalise leaving people to avoid empathy burnout like yes I love you but I’m tired of having to ask you to consider me, or not seeing the principles of where you went wrong.
never force relationships or communication. if it's not mutual, then let it go. people know exactly what they're doing. if they wanted to match your energy, they would. start rewarding inconsistency with unavailability. allow them to lose you.
I went on a job interview for a Senior SWE role.
They asked me about my experience with Kafka.
I told them how in “Metamorphosis” someone can lose their worth in others’ eyes the moment they stop being useful. It’s a chilling reminder of how fragile our sense of belonging can be when it relies on productivity instead of humanity.
I told them how in “The Trial” he describes the helplessness of confronting institutions that feel arbitrary, unaccountable, and impossible to navigate. The randomness of a giant system can crush your soul. Our brains can’t handle overwhelming inconsistency.
I told them how in “The Castle”, we learn that seeking an approval from an unreachable authority is a trap. If you spend your life chasing validation from humans who don’t care, you’ll end up feeling stuck. The pursuit consumes more than the reward it gives.
I didn’t get the job. The market is tough.