For years, the dream for many young people has been simple: get out of the 9-to-5.
Social media has turned quitting a regular job into the ultimate symbol of freedom. Forex trading, content creation, online businesses, and digital hustle culture are often presented as the fast track to financial independence.
However, Sudanese digital content creator Yagga who's currently based in Kenya, is pushing back against that online narrative.
In a shared Video, Yagga cautioned young people against assuming that non-traditional careers automatically mean bigger bank accounts.
His comments have opened up a broader conversation in Kenya about how young people define success, and whether the cultural pressure to escape formal employment has gone too far.
The Changing Image of the 9-to-5
For many in Young Generation, a steady salary can sound far less exciting than the promise of making millions from a laptop or smartphone.
Scroll through Instagram or TikTok and the algorithm delivers a steady stream of luxury cars, tropical getaways, trading screens, and selective screenshots of massive profits. The underlying message is persistent: a formal job is holding you back.
The Pressure to "Make It" Overnight
Young Kenyans entering the workforce today face unprecedented pressure to achieve major financial milestones at an unusually early age.
It is no longer uncommon for 24-year-olds to feel behind if they do not own a car, manage a business, or travel regularly—largely because social media feeds are filled with peers claiming to have achieved all three before turning 25.
As a result, a standard entry-level salary can start feeling like a failure rather than a foundation.
Some Kenyans Have successfully Walked Away;
After years of writing for tv hits like tahidi high and mother-in-law, abel mutua walked away from production desks and monthly salary employment to launch his own digital storytelling platform on youtube (young & stupid / celebrity first times), building an independent media production ecosystem alongside his business partner philip karanja.
Yagga's comments highlight an important question for Kenya's young workforce: Are we chasing genuine financial freedom—or simply chasing the lifestyle social media tells us freedom should look like?
The 9-to-5 may not be everyone's final destination, but perhaps it shouldn't automatically be treated as the enemy, either.
