So far, I’ve written nine posts on this website, and I think most of them pretty clearly show the dad-joke, middle-aged man that I am. But no post is going to paint me as the old fogey I truly am quite like this one. This post is going to take on typical twenty-something advice and go against every marketing rule in the book. And for what? To tell you not to quit your job to start an online business?

And that’s not even the worst part. I’m not saying it for the reason you think. If you assume I’m about to climb up on my Boomer-like high horse and give you a lecture about how you should get a haircut and find a “real job,” then you’ve got another thing coming, buster.

First of all, how hypocritical would that be? I’m writing on a website that’s designed to be (or become) an online business. I’d be quite the asshat if I tried to turn people away from that idea altogether.

Okay, so I’m not here to berate you like your grandad at Thanksgiving dinner. That must mean I’m going to talk about how many online businesses fail, right? About how you’re just one person in a sea of millions trying to beat the rat race by turning your website traffic into passive income?

Or how unlikely it is that you’ll generate enough traffic in the first place? Or how most of the “quit your job and start an online business” people are all just shilling the same crappy products that online businesses rely on? Funny how those articles pushing you to take the leap all seem to have affiliate links to get you “started,” huh?

All right, all right. I’ll stop stringing you along and tell you why I’m really writing this article.

The reason you shouldn’t quit your job to start an online business is much simpler: it just isn’t sustainable. Or, to put it another way, I believe we should all act in a way that—if everyone else acted the same—the whole of society wouldn’t collapse.

The Nature of Selfishness

I’m a very observant person in real life. In fact, while writing this in a coffee shop, I’ve paused every so often just to watch people. One of the reasons I love being alone in public is that I find it fascinating to simply observe human behavior.

Yeah, I know, that sounds kind of creepy. But that’s not what I mean. I’m not breathing heavily over my keyboard while plotting world domination and “studying the blade” or whatever. I just mean that taking a step back, removing the focus from yourself, and watching how people behave can be incredibly fascinating and educational.

And one of the things I’ve noticed is just how selfish we are as a species. And I don’t say that with my usual grumpy-old-man tone. I just mean that the average person is self-centered and will, more often than not, act in their own self-interest when given the choice between themselves and others. It’s a fundamental flaw of our species.

On a more positive note, though, I believe we’re capable of transcending that selfishness if we’re made aware of it. We’re capable of much more altruistic behavior when we’re shown a better path. When we understand that being selfish actually isn’t the best thing for us as individuals.

There’s a bit of a paradox here: the less we focus on ourselves, the more successful we tend to be. The most successful people are often the most giving. And even if some selfish asshole manages to become more successful than an altruistic person, they’re definitely less happy. (No, seriously, I have research to back this up.)

The Call to Contribution

So, let me bring it back to the point of this post: the more people who quit their jobs to start online businesses, the less we contribute to society as a whole. I didn’t start writing this to bag on influencers, but let’s be honest.

That person on TikTok filming their food? The gym bro recording every workout? The guy reviewing local restaurants? Are they really making a meaningful contribution? What value are they adding to society—besides giving us something mildly entertaining to watch while we poo?

And again, I’m not trying to be negative for negativity’s sake. I’m not trying to be a hater. I’m just making a point. If we all quit our jobs and made passive income from cat videos, who would be left to pick up the trash? Teach the kids? Stock the shelves? Deliver the Amazon packages?

Robots? AI? Come on now. If you really think the world would be better off if AI and robots took over all our menial tasks while we sit around arguing on the internet, then you’re more lost than I thought.

I’m not a doctor or psychologist, but I firmly believe the explosion of mental health issues—and the rise of substance abuse in this country—has a simpler, deeper root. We’ve lost our sense of purpose. We’ve lost that core feeling of contribution, of doing something that makes us feel valued and needed.

Now, do I think that picking up someone’s garbage will give you a deep sense of purpose? Honestly… maybe. It sounds silly on the surface, but garbage collection is one of those jobs that clearly makes society better. Maybe the reason those workers are unhappy has nothing to do with the task itself but everything to do with how little they’re paid or how poorly they’re treated.

Imagine if picking up trash paid $250K a year and came with four weeks of vacation and a bunch of sick leave. Do you think your garbage collector would still seem so miserable? Probably not. Research shows that while money doesn’t guarantee happiness, not having enough absolutely contributes to unhappiness.

The Point of Money

I say all of this to say: it’s not enough to build a website just to make enough money to retire early. And I don’t care how shiny the dream looks when some blogger flashes it in your face.

Do I believe you can create a website that brings you purpose, makes a real contribution, and earns income at the same time? Absolutely. If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t be pouring my heart into this one.

But do I believe that building passive income just to escape your 9-to-5 job is going to make you happy in the long run? Absolutely not.

There’s more to life than sitting on a yacht in your pajamas drinking mimosas and smoking weed. You might think that’s the dream, but I’d argue that your brain isn’t wired to be happy like that for very long.

You’re not yearning to avoid work. You’re yearning for relief. You’re burned out. Exhausted. You want a break because modern life makes it really hard to feel like you’re getting ahead.

I learned this as a teacher the year we didn’t have any snow days. That summer, we had nearly 12 weeks off. I was thrilled at first, but by the end of it, I couldn’t wait to get back in the classroom. We can only vacation for so long before boredom and restlessness creep in. We all want something deeper. Something meaningful.

So, for the love of all things holy, don’t quit your job just to start an online business. Do it only if it’s something you truly believe in. Something that matters to you. Something that contributes.

Because no amount of passive income will give you the fulfillment that real, meaningful work and contribution can.