Louise O'Neill: The promise of success, and the problem with capitalism

"We are expected to work and work and work, with the promise of success, and all it will bring us ‘one day’, driving us on."

Picture: Miki Barlok

I joked to a friend recently that in order to be an internationally successful young Irish woman today, you had to have the initials S.R. Think about it — Saoirse Ronan. Simone Rocha. Sally Rooney.

All considered to be the best of their generation in their chosen fields; each of these women is well-respected, if not adored, by millions of fans. It’s interesting that of the three, the one that causes the most cultural conversation is the person whom you would expect to have been able to escape that attention.