The Economy of You

Epilogue: The Future of Side-Gigs

LAUNCHING AN ONLINE SHOP MIGHT FEEL VERY OF-THE-MOMENT, but it's actually quite retro. People have long relied on side-gigs for security amid economic flux. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the first published use of the word moonlighting to describe “paid work in addition to one's regular employment” back to 1954.

In the 1950s and 1960s, when the workplace was still largely defined by the Organization Man mindset, which emphasized loyalty and conformity over individuality, going off on one's own to earn extra income was often framed in a negative light. In fact, most mentions of the term “moonlighting” in the mainstream press described violations of existing rules. In 1969, the New York Times reported on ...