{
  "id": 17042907,
  "title": "The physics of getting fired",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/the-physics-of-getting-fired",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-29T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Aeon",
    "slug": "aeon",
    "url": "https://aeon.co/essays/how-to-use-physics-to-make-sense-of-the-messiness-of-life"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the summer of 2001, after completing my first job as a management consultant in London, I received a call informing me that I was being let go by my firm. The senior partner, whose nickname was the Burger King due to his daily Whopper Meals, delivered the news in a call that left me stunned. Having just moved back into my old room with my parents, I felt overwhelmed by the abrupt change. The meeting had been arranged in a location that required only a single flight of stairs down, ensuring no one could witness the moment. This unexpected event led me on an unexpected journey, where the principles of physics, which I had once thought I'd left behind, became a source of solace and guidance through the complexities of life. Physics, with its fundamental laws of cause and effect, had always provided structure and predictability to me as a teenager who struggled with social norms. As I navigated my career transition, I found myself drawn to subjects beyond physics, such as politics, economics, and business. However, I soon realized that the principles of physics held lessons that extended beyond the laboratory. The clarity and logic of physics became a guiding force in my new pursuits, helping me make sense of the uncertainties that came with change.",
  "summary": "Physics offered me a sense of order and purpose. But when life got messy I realised it had a much deeper insight to give - by Zahaan Bharmal Read on Aeon",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}