Brexit. Why every freelancer has already voted Leave.

Brexit schmexit. In, out, shake it all about. The issues are cloudy. Both sides with positives and negatives. Confused? You should be. Here’s the way I see it.

The choice is similar to one most people face in their career at some point: stay under the security blanket of a big employer or take the plunge and go it alone. Over simplistic? Yeah, maybe, but I work in advertising, and making things simple is what we preach.

Stay in Europe and you’re voting for the status quo. Vote Remain and you'll have the security of knowing things won’t change much. You’ll pick up your regular pay packet. You’ll keep paying a bit more in tax, but that’s a price worth paying. You’ll have to put up with some political shit and do whatever the big company's head honcho bureaucrats (whom you’ll never see and who live far away) tell you to do. And some of their ideas are truly baffling. But hey, it’s always been like this and it’s served you well. Better the devil you know, why rock the boat etc.etc.

Leave and it’s a leap into the unknown, like setting up your own business. You’re voluntarily whipping your own safety blanket from underneath you. It’s a big risk and there’s no guarantee of success. If you flop, will a big company take you back? Doubt it in this case. But it’s exciting, this taking the plunge and going it alone. Because risk is exciting. But it’s not for everyone. There’s more work involved. Sure, you might pay less tax, but you’ve got to work harder, do more stuff yourself. Stuff you formerly left to your employer. Can you be arsed?

The question I’ll be asking myself in the booth on June 23rd is: am I more pissed off with the status quo than I am scared by the thought of going it alone?

Jon Lymon

Freelancer

BOOK REVIEW: Transition by Iain Banks



Took me over two years to finish it.
In fact, I started, left it for ages then went back and had to start again.
It's beautifully written, no doubt.
It's a big idea, absolutely. Flitting from person to person, world to world, universe to universe.
But it didn't grip me.
It fascinated. It interested. But it didn't occupy my mind while I was away from the hardback I bought from the bargain section at WHSmith for two English pounds.
I like the boldness. Liked Whit which I read years ago.
This was no classic, but certainly original.

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