The LinkedIn Question

Vacating the Slot

Google showed me as a “self-employed composer.”

That is technically functional but fundamentally wrong. So, I traced it back to the source: LinkedIn. That platform where everyone begins their posts with rocket emojis and their career trajectories pretend to make sense.

LinkedIn wanted me to pick: full-time, part-time, employed, or self-employed?

The platform already had my education and my past industry positions that could look unconnected and strange to anyone seeking a narrative arc like someone threw darts at a career board blindfolded.

I went to LinkedIn to remove “self-employment”
“Tell me your employment status,” LinkedIn insisted.

But I am not employed. I am not self-employed. I am not a composer who builds. I am not a builder who composes. I am someone who sees foam pyramids everywhere and occasionally makes things that don’t lie.

The platform wanted me to network. To connect. To build my professional brand.

Photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash

But I was already connected to the harmonic series I follow, to the earth I compress, to readers who don’t need algorithms to find me. My “network” includes structural engineers who trust my density calculations and musicians who understand why I ruthlessly kill darlings in my Chaconne’s second act.

So, I deleted my profile.

Then I recreated an empty profile as a placeholder to show that parking slot is reserved for someone who just sold their car.

Google will update eventually.

LinkedIn asked what I do.
I deleted the question.
That’s the most honest answer I could give.

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P.S. - If you found this without LinkedIn suggesting we connect, you’re already outside their pyramid. The air’s clearer here, even if we’re all still pretending it means something.