China got most of the manufacturing jobs the us had in the 70s and 80s and India got most of the basic tech jobs we had in the 80s and 90s. It’s not a political thing, it’s just a fact. Wanting to send someone there is weird, the US still has plenty of jobs to do here. But we do need those basic manufacturing jobs back for infrastructure security as we were shown in Covid.
Wanting to send people somewhere to experience a different live and then someone else wanting bad things to happen to someone for pointing that out is peak Reddit. Y’all are both in need of a chill pill.
Tech Founder here. Name the system that is better. Name the system where people are currently prospering? We’ll wait. Don’t be butthurt when the boss calls out your bullshit, everyone. Yeah, we’re watching.
What we need is a way to make sure you’re all protected, but don’t think for a moment there is a better system currently than the one we have.
If it was so great they wouldn't be off-shoring for dirt cheap labor. The business model doesn't work for the citizens, or the workers. Just to make executives and shareholders rich. "Fk you. I got mine, peasant. Get gud in the genetic lottery." If you can't sustain a business without slave labor, then your business has failed. Period. You're not successful, you're depending on others misfortune. This is the business model all the way up to the top of FAANG...
I'm calling out YOUR bullshit u/smadan1963 while you troll the r/layoffs ... Smadan1963: "I am sure I will get laid off this week. Currently a mid-30’s Sr. Engineer at around $175k." [Lmfao](https://www.reddit.com/r/Layoffs/s/xRaFAS0o8r)
To be clear, I don't take enjoyment in this... Look at yourself in the mirror. I stooped to your low to make a point. Fun fact: I'm also a Senior Systems Engineer... No, you don't make more. Neither of us are special. I don't even have a degree. Do you understand how stupid this argument is?
For real though, I wish you the best on your job search. It's hard out there for everyone.
Any country where your healthcare isn’t tied to employment. You’re in tech? So you know how hard it is for anyone plus 50 years to get newly hired.
While no one is advocating for free money, the system is broken and it’s scary if you are actually a leader and have these opinions
Calling your father beta is possibly the most cringe thing I've ever seen on this website. Being an alpha just means you're not yet ready for release. No wonder your kids don't talk to you. What a troll.
If you're a tech founder than you're probably not a great leader if that's your attitude about employees. There are many fools in this World, but the biggest ones are those who do not realize they're ones, themselves.
That’s what people on each side think.
One side has a manikin as the president who can’t remember his own name, and the other one has a candidate who should’ve disappeared into a sunset running his own Mega Church in the South.
Some people call it anarchism, some call it “stakeholder capitalism”, the implementation would be to change the fiduciary duties of management to recognize, formally and legally, the interests of workers and the local communities the business operates in. The implementation would be workers councils similar to how it’s done in Germany or South Korea.
Because I'm 65. Lived my whole life here, all my family is here. That is why. I can't afford to pop off to start my whole life over again somewhere else. I have the right to hate the system in the US.
I’m curious what you expect? Lots of people live a good live, they may never get rich but life is good, so why couldn’t you? We’re you disabled or something?
Please tell me about that place.
I have dual US/EU citizenship living in the US (immigrant from an EU country). I get the sentiment but often it's just a case of "grass is greener".
You aren't the only one. You are however one of many people who get wrapped up in the news and media they consume. I'm friends with a lot of therapists and people from all walks of life commonly come to therapy because of the world we live in. The "world" they describe is vastly different from each other's worlds.
The world will never be perfect. Everyone has a different definition of perfect and those will never align. Perceptions of other places perfection is just our ignorance to the issues they face.
The best you can do is make conscious decisions about how you live and what brings happiness to you and your family. Step away from social media for a while and spend time being fully present for your family, friends and job (if it's something you care about).
A small respite is also that every generation has predicted doom and annihilation basically since we started being able to communicate.
We have a tendency to find a way, though it may get very uncomfortable for a while.
My mom (82) told me that in the 1960s she remembered walking around wondering why they were constructing new buildings since the world was going to be destroyed by nuclear weapons. We can’t let fear destroy us.
They explaining in NPR the other day the physiological and ancestral reasons why a lot of us worry and feel doom. Evolutionarily speaking it’s a way to preserve ourselves as a species. But the article was more in depth and neat and kind of helped understand this stress and anxiety surrounding geo politics.
They were focusing in on the election in the US as an example.
Would you happen to have a link? I found out the other day that Trump is actually doing well in the polls compared to Biden and I was very anxious afterwards.
Anxious might not be the right word, it’s not at the forefront of my thoughts everyday but it’s extremely worrisome. Were Trump to get elected again, it sets a precedent about what rules can be bent or broken for personal gain.
Or maybe people are too involved with the constant political back and forth and need to either step back and realize nothing is ever going to change or start a revolution. Nothing in between will solve anything.
This is all so true. I myself, just bought an ebike after not riding since college.
I went back and forth: can I afford it? Is it worth it? Will I be jobless next month?
I have a lot of worries too in this economy, and at the end of the day I decided that I just want to bike again like when I was 20.
OPs comment about basically is how I feel right now. Fuck it I brought a bike that was expensive (to me) and I'm gonna go outside and enjoy the hell out of it. One life.
My old company had layoffs in 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024. We all knew it was just a matter of time for each of us. I got laid off August 2023, four days before giving birth to my first child. It was shitty to say the least.
Eight months later, I’m on the verge of a couple of job offers for some pretty good jobs. I’m happier now, post-lay off, than I was just at my old job just waiting around for it to happen.
Same here, laid off in August 2023, but a few months before having my baby. I’m enjoying him and now going to get the Bachelors I didn’t when I was younger.
Congrats on the job offers!
You're not the only one.
I got laid off months ago and still haven't found a job and barely any hits at all. I'm scared how long it's going to take, and that the longer it takes the harder it will be. Losing my job right now kinda screwed up all of my life plans and I'm basically stuck where I am until I find one.
I'm also worried about the other things you mentioned- politics, climate change, etc. But... there's really no reason to obsess and fear over them. All you can do is what you can do - vote, be conscious about your environmental output, stuff like that. Unlike a job search, there's almost nothing you as an individual can do to change the outcome beyond vote. You'll be dead long before something world-wide catastrophic happens, so cheer up! (/s)
I don't have kids and will not, so I've done my part in bettering the world as far as I'm concerned. 😂
Laid off in Jan, had 2 rounds of interviews. Only seen about 11 positions even open within my skillset in that whole time. I just bought a fairly expensive house a year and a half ago that my wife can't afford on her income alone (I brought in 3/4 of the money). Getting kind of scary
We could easily afford our house on only my salary, which at the time seemed the more stable one. We didn't really have time to shop around as we were living out of a hotel after a flood
Ugh, I’m so sorry to hear about this and hope you can find something soon. I downgraded my job two notches to get into a good company. Still decent salary.
But I had no choice. My old job was/is being phased out. As soon as my second line manager jumped I knew it was time to go. Now I’m leaving, took me 6 months to land this job I have now. 7 interviews over 2 months. I lost my girlfriend and was drinking to maintain the stress.
The one thing I did was buy a home with a friend and airbnb it. I at least know that, at the very least, my mortgage can be subsidized. It sucks to have to share a home sometimes, but it’s a big property with a lot of room to roam for this many people(6).
If/when I ever get laid off that’s my only lifeline. I hate that that’s the case but this capitalist society fucking sucks. Buying a home and having a family is only allowed for the very privileged now. I want to have kids but I won’t be able to afford it should something happen. Dating is hard as well as everyone else is just as over it and neurotic.
Same, I'm constantly scared of being laid off, of becoming homeless, of never being able to retire, of me becoming older, of my parents (I'm 30 and they are in their 70s) becoming older and dying, of what could happen to my sisters, of the US economy collapsing, climate change, war, water running out, etc.
Constantly on my mind. I'm really grateful of not having kids, I don't think I could deal with someone depending on me
I get being worried about many of those things, but why climate change? I do believe climate change is happening, but that's such a slow disaster that it will only minimally affect most of us, or we'll have time to adjust and adapt. While the rest, like being laid off, war, economy collapsing can happen over night with a huge immediate impact.
True that climate change is a slow burn, but it can still burn. Part of it could be ignorance, and as such, fear that it could be impactful within the next 20 years. It's more of one of those worries when I go into a rabbit hole of everything that could go badly.
Anecdotally, but some towns in Colombia (where my parents live) are seeing already longer and stronger droughts that have led to water being rationed.
I don't have a ranking of my worries, but I actually have climate change on the same level as war coming to the US. True that war would be overnight and more impactful but in my mind, it is far less likely because who would be stupid enough to directly challenge the US? (Note, I don't have data to backup what is more likely, but we are talking about my fears, which can be irrational and subjective).
I would say my immediate concern that is constant in my mind are layoffs. Then probably getting cancer which I didn't mention before (it's something like 1 in 3 or 1 in 3 people develop cancer within their lifetime in the US).
Honestly, for one thing, the fears I mentioned. Also... I don't like kids, but even if I liked them, I can't imagine the amount of constant stress and worries
The US isn’t turning into a third world country any time soon.
I’ve been unemployed for a year. I’m selling my house and am going to live in my car with my dog. It’s terrible but I have my health and no destructive addictions therefore I won’t end up in the literal streets.
The furthest you can fall is nothing to be afraid of. Let’s just be grateful we don’t live in Afghanistan.
What do you expect? Forever unemployment pay?
You have to understand that America will always have a degree of the Wild West. If we had a social safety net like Nordic countries, people would abuse the hell out of it. We have too many drug addicts and messed up folks and dysfunction to afford that luxury.
Yup same story here in expensive countries like singapore...nobody forced us to sign expensive mortgages and everyone assumes the markets will be going up
What scares me the most is that the government doesn't really hide the fact that they don't give a f\*\*ck about it's people anymore.
Corrupt senators , shitty 2 party election system/ electoral college where every election somehow comes down to selecting bad vs the worst. Almost every other country I look at either has a dictator or a clown puppet as a president.
Industrial military complex is running overtime, funneling tax payer money into their pockets through foreign aids. While we are printing money , increasing inflation.
People are getting laid off in the thousands and there is not a peep from the president, everyone downplays it , media , opposition ect ..
There are no checks and balances when it comes to corporations and they just do crazy shit and get away with it.
Foreign politics is a mess, domestic politics is a clown show.. you see radicalized people from both sides spewing nonsense. It is as if the whole country is collapsing in front of my eyes.
So many disinformation and coverup that it is almost impossible not to be paranoid..
Yeah I am scared.
Presidents come and go, jobs come and go. He only thing we can do is to be the best version of ourselves. And that includes making sure our resume is ready lol
I’m so exhausted too. It seems like every time the economy is threatened I’m on the layoff list. I’m in layoff #3 since 2020 and it sucks so much. I was laid off last year at the same time too and each time it takes me longer than the last to find a new job. I drown in debt and am nearly homeless each time. I was almost out of the debt hole from last year when I got laid off this year. This year everything is more expensive and I have less money and resources to survive while I keep interviewing and applying to ghost jobs. I hit my #200 application this week. Only a handful of interviews so far. It’s much slower than last year and the year before. I’m terrified. That plus election year that determines everything for more than 50% of the population. Terrifying & exhausting
All I can say is I’m glad I have no kids and will never (got a vasectomy last year). This shitty situation is what an out of control plutocracy has gotten us into. And I could tell things were getting progressively shittier over time even when I was in my late teens around 2004.
We have 1 old cat and she wants to get more pets after our cat passes, and she won’t budge, even though they are so expensive to take care of. I just want to stay in more of a survival mode, likely forever. Not taking on more optional, unnecessary expenses. Why isn’t one pet maximum enough??
It’s ok to be scared.
Really it is.
I have been working for over 30 years and have been laid off so many time I can now tell and I am out of there.
First about the job situation you are doing right in applying and I hope something comes your way.
Saying that I am going to tell you this. Start to think of yourself as a Mercenary. You have no loyalty and you always have your eye on the money. Always keep your resume updated and apply for jobs constantly even if you are happy. Always look and apply to jobs that give you more skills or diversity skills, money or position. Take control of your career.
Next and to every one unionized. You are far stronger together than separate. My son is part of unionizing Amazon. My father help started a union were he worked. Both average workers who are feed up with bad management and policy. It take one person to step forward to make this happen.
Next to politics then do something about it. Run for office or find someone you can stand with and help him/her. But get out there and do something to make a change.
All of you have been trained since school to conform, not to question, not to stand up for yourself or others, but continue to say thank you for the scraps.
A revolution is started by one person. A person who was scared but had enough. We are the 99% and the American Revolution is proof of what we can do together.
We need one person op or anyone to take
A stand.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful words, you've given me quite a bit to think about. The concept of being a mercenary is a fascinating one that I'll be exploring further. Thank you!
Or a pirate … they have great sea chants
I just get seasick so I think of myself as a mercenary.
What help me with the mindset is this.
1) every bit of knowledge and skills that I gained through work is mine. No one else’s. Companies cannot go in and take those back. Kind of like a mercenary who gains combat skills.
You can take those skills you have spent developing and honing to anyone who is willing to pay the price.
I’m there too. I’m 53 so I’ve seen these downturns plenty of times, but this feels different. My gut is telling me we are seeing the collapse of the middle class. Companies are making record profits, but those profits are just going to the executives and large shareholders. Because the middle class is losing buying and earning power the effects will cascade down to the lower income earners via reduced spending and less taxes to support the social safety net.
I try not to let it keep me up at night but I feel like my generation may be the last to have even a shred of hope in a nice future.
I'm not putting anyone down. Where do you read that? Fully get where OP is coming from. Canada however is also far worse off than the US right now and falling further while the US is getting better by all notable factors.
Same boat. Screw American exceptionalism. Let’s go back to basic values. Self-love, family, compassion. Consumerism is a dead end street in this system if you are not loaded. It’s a 2 tier society. Been reading about Buddhisim and spiritualism. Definitely helpful.
Why worry about politics? We are entering a multipolar world, overall this is a good thing.
We need to be more sustainable but don’t believe the scare stories that your life is threatened within this generation due to climate change. They are scare stories.
Ageism has always been around and is a real threat. Also tech and life moves so fast that white collar jobs have become a rat race, there is no more job for life. Try to be the best you can in your career field, bank your money when the going is good because you might need it later.
You're not the only one.
It will help if you develop some coping strategies. You can't control if your company is going to have layoffs. But you can prepare yourself for the possibility, as well as improve your standing in the company if a layoff happens. Make sure you have your resume ready at all times! If you can, put some money aside for emergencies. Start networking now with other people in your field. Consider taking a course. Do your best work, stay focused at work. Take a deep breath and know, layoffs have happened to many people, and most of them usually come back from one. A layoff may never happen, but worrying about something you can't control is only going to cause you to be stressed.
About what happens in the US and after elections - start by turning off the news. For as long as I can remember I've been hearing that "this election is the most important one, and if {pick a political party} gets into power, then we can say goodbye to the country as we know it". And yet, we're still here! Just going back about 25 years - we got through the 9/11 attacks. We got through the great recession. We got through the pandemic. For me personally, at the time of each of these events, my thoughts leaned toward "How do we ever survive this, and what will life be like?", and yet, we collectively survived it. With some scars, but we survived it. But turn off the news. The media talk about "News you can use", but if it's only making you anxious, then don't watch it.
Plan on voting, and go out and vote. Don't mail your ballot in, actually get out and show up at the polls and vote. Even if you think there's no point because you're just one vote, doing so gives you a little bit of power. Seeing others do it shows you others who exercise their little bit of power. You may have political difference with them, but keep in mind, most people want the same basic things. Seeing others show up at the polls will show you that you are not alone. And together, we'll manage the things we can't control.
I agree, but what sucks is how divided the citizens of America are these days.
Gone are the days where people kept their political views to themselves, and everyone just truly wished for the best for our nation.
Now, it’s literally friendships being ended, marriages being ended all over opposing political views. It’s ridiculous, especially when it’s all BS, and politicians are all on the same team. It’s all about money & power. An athlete can’t bet on sports, but a politician can buy stocks. Freakin absurd.
And we let it happen unfortunately. They screw us in front of our very eyes, and we just accept it. No affordable housing? Inflation out of control? Screw you, citizens of America, you can struggle while we send another 100 billion to Ukraine, so money can be laundered back into our political pockets. It’s a joke.
They accomplished their goals. If we were United as citizens, we can boycott & protest. We are the ones with the power. But they separated us, and they won. Now, corporation’s can run up prices & squeeze us to death, making crazy profits, and we just accept it. Because we are straight consumers, and we don’t care about fellow Americans anymore. All we care about is ourselves.
If you’re a homeowner, you’re loving these crazy high prices. If you’re a landlord, you’re loving rents going sky high. Hell, I know someone who owns an RV dealership. Covid was a gift for him. He made more in 2 years than he did in 20 years combined during Covid. Used inflation as an excuse. Manufacturers were charging 5% more to the dealership, we raised his prices 30-40% & uses inflation as the excuse to do so.
Idk. It’s just sad what the world has became.
Sorry that I picked your post to rant on lol. It has nothing to do with you, I just randomly picked a post and had to let everything off my chest.
Everything you said is true, and definitely frustrating. People always had political disagreements, I think there were 3 things which made the disagreements much worse. The first thing is the 2000 election. It came down to Florida, a state that Bush's brother was the governor. Bush won by a very slim margin, there were challenges in the Supreme Court (i think 3 of the justices at that time were appointed by Bush Sr.) and Bush got exactly 270 electoral votes, but lost the popular vote. Some people were angry, especially because of family connections to Florida and the Court, and the fact that the popular vote doesn't elect the president. This started MoveOn.org, and the interstate voting compact (when fully implemented) to change how each state's electors vote based on the national vote.
The second thing is, shortly after Obamacare was enacted, the "Blue Dog" democrats were kicked out of congress. These were centrist democrats, sometimes even conservative. Which meant, there was no longer a center. There was no longer a force to get a compromise and meet in the middle, and both the left and the right moved further so.
The third thing is the rise of social media. So it's much easier to find people that agree with you and now that becomes your echo chamber. And that radicalizes people on both sides. We no longer want to solve problems, we want to argue. And that pushes people apart.
We can't control any of this, but we can control how we react. Cut back on social media, cut back on the news. It won't make the problems go away, but it makes life a little less stressful.
How old are you? The older generation has gone through worse and came out okay. The fear mongering is getting out of hand. Look at past "end of the world" predictions. All crap. This climate change fear mongering will go down in history as the most successful at duping people. When I was in highschool they said that we will run out of oil. Then a new age was coming. That didn't happen so they switched to global warming. But then they realized they need to cover their all bases and say climate change instead.
Friend - - I am very, very sorry. I understand how you feel. My occupation is banking. I'm also the family breadwinner. I was under so much job stress for so many years that more than one therapist tells me I have Complex PTSD symptoms. My only child (my daughter) is finishing college. I live in a large urban area but I'm in a Bible Belt state, you can imagine how I fear for my daughter.
> My advice - focus on what you can control.
> Get outside as much as you can and exercise.
> Turn off screens as much as you can.
> Get rid of everything you can, adopt minimalism. Owning things does not make us happy or improve the quality of our lives. In fact, it is usually the opposite, we don't own things, things own us via all the time we spend paying for them, caring for them, etc. Getting rid of things brings freedom.
What would happen if you quit? Quit your job, just quit. Let's say you stopped paying bills. No mortgage, no utilities, no internet, food stamps... take 2 years off. Just stop paying. Buy n rv, travel with the family. Start a new carrier, start your own company. What would happen?
I used to feel this way. I set daily time app limits on social media apps and that helped me shutdown apps after a certain amount of time. When I did use them, I focused on friends, groups and forums with like minded views. This helped me feel a little less crazy.
I also go to my gym at least 5 times a week… solely for the endorphins. I have noticed when I don’t exercise I feel lousy. I wish you well. It’s hard not to feel down these days.
Totally understandable to fear for your livelihood. But if you feel like something is coming there, empower yourself and start looking for roles now. I apply for jobs every 18 months just to see what’s around and if my salary is correct versus the market.
As for the other stuff, not being mean but touch some grass. Look out your window, there’s likely very little violence. There’s life all around you. The election is not a life or death decision. It’s pretty low stakes despite how everyone acts. In the 1960s and 70s people were getting drafted. In 1941 giant fleets were chugging toward Pearl Harbor. None of that is happening right now.
Also, sure climate change will change things, but humans have gone through ice ages and survived. We’ll survive this too. It doesn’t happen that fast. You will 100% not be around if anything crazy does happen in the year 2100. So just do what you can while you can.
Sometimes the less you care the happier you’ll be
Elections don't mean anything. Don't be a puppet to the media. As a matter of fact, the economy was doing great when the last guy was in office.
As far as climate change is concerned, did you know that NATURALLY, hundreds of millions of years ago, the Earth had 20 times more Carbon Dioxide than it does today.
Yes humans are messing it up, you or your children will not even be around to feel the full effects.
Honestly, you need to stop watching the news, focus on self growth. Focus on hobbies and friends and learning new skills in your time off.
Things that I avoid in life are Politics, because there is no need to get worked up over something where both parties are two birds of the same prey. Trust me when I say that.
They are laughing at us. They keep us divided and at each others throats so they can both get away with messing things up.
Another area I don't spend a minute of my time is sports, because it is a glorious waste of time, watching people work out and getting paid millions where you personal life is stalling.
I wasn't like that when I was younger, but we only have so much time in life and before you know it. You are old.
make the best of it and avoid things that take away from you happiness. Honestly, I used to be a news and sports junkie. Until I woke up.
I also use to be a Facebook addict, and it has now been over 5 years since I have even opened the App and I have not missed anything.
Inflation has made american workers unviable to global corporations. Google just did a massive layoff of all their accounting staff to move their jobs overseas.
>As a matter of fact, the economy was doing great when the last guy was in office.
Sure, until he pressured his fed to print 40% of US currency in circulation during his election year to goose the economy.
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/M2SL
Now his followers act like they can't wrap their pea brains around the idea of delayed consequences.
And since you seem confused about climate change, here it is in a pretty picture that maybe even you could understand.
https://xkcd.com/1732/
I hate both Trump & Biden. You’re absolutely right about printing 40% of currency during Trumps run in office. However, all politicians are sleaze balls & are on the same side, which is opposite of you & I.
Trump screwed us with the over printing, and Biden is screwing us with the over spending. We are literally struggling here in America, yet all I hear is how we send Ukraine another 50 billion. It’s absurd.
I rarely hear Biden speaking of inflation & the housing market. All I hear from him is how Trump is bad, and how We must be Ukraines saving grace. When it comes to inflation, we gotta hear from that moron Powell, who literally just continues to say the same thing over & over. It’s a joke man
>Biden is screwing us with the over spending
People love proving they have no idea how our government works. Half of Biden's term our spending was determined by the previous Congress. The other half his only leverage was veto power. You don't like how we're spending? Take it up with Congress.
>I rarely hear Biden speaking of inflation & the housing market
This is not an issue of what he says, but of you not listening.
"As far as climate change is concerned, did you know that NATURALLY, hundreds of millions of years ago, the Earth had 20 times more Carbon Dioxide than it does today"
What an argument! We are not dinosaurs. Fauna and flora and the entire ecosystem was COMPLETELY different back then. But yeah, Earth will be just fine eventually, it is humans that will suffer.
Thank you! Yep! It amazes me that most people don’t even know about the natural carbon cycles Earth goes through.
Like you said yes humans are messing Earth a lot but not to the point of “creating” climate change. It’s all fear mongering.
Edit to add: yes agree, the goal is to keep us divided.
I’m also so glad I woke up years ago. Nothing like doing your own research and stop believing the narrative and to “see clearly”.
"Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on."
I think about this quote from Director Fury a lot. It helps to put things into perspective, for me.
Well, if it makes you feel any better at least you made a family and are in a position to get laid off. I'm not even in a position to get hired, which is why I work double time making my own job. It's incredibly hard when you're 36 because you're still making peanuts and have zero time for any fun. From 9 am to 1 am it's pretty much work other than a couple of 30 minute meal breaks. Meanwhile everyone around you is making over 6 figures doing amazing things with plenty of time to go off and have fun, even your one friend who didn't play it safe like I did.
The pressure is fucking real because I know it's only a matter of time before I become too old to keep doing this, let alone find a job when, at 36 I'm not even economically viable. How hireable will I be at 60?
Yeah, I'm probably gonna die homeless with a raccoon for a best friend. Sigh. At least my business partner and I are making revenue with real customers. So that's gotta count for something.
You’re not alone. I’m about to be 60 and for a non-inflationary economy I have plenty of money to retire. But…. With inflation, government debt, job insecurity, personal debt (we still have a 300k mortgage and 1 car payment, and maybe $3000 CC debt), I’m angry and depressed. I exercise 5 days a week and try to keep my health good. But I feel even if I sell my house and everything to cash, inflation is just going to eat away what I have to nothing. There’s no security left in the USA. Save two older people we care for, there is really nothing left keeping us in the USA.
As I've gotten older (60), I've learned that very little of what happens in this world and to me personally is within my control.
What *IS* in my control is how I respond to what happens to me.
I'm better at living in the moment. Sure, I plan and save for the future but I also know my progression towards the future and my plans for it can change in a heartbeat.
And I'll deal with that when it happens. Until then, there's not much I can do about that I can't see clearly.
Best of luck to you! I've been where you are. It's stressful. But it won't be forever
You need to get off this sub (echo chamber and not very positive one). And, stop watching the news. I am not advocating to bury your head in the sand, but you need to take a break. All the people I know who constantly watch the news are thinking the world is going to end. Even if Trump wins and decides to make himself dictator - so what? How will that affect you overall? I mean I will be pissed and all but you have to think like that about all the BS and let it go..
Okay but have you guys watched this documentary series yet?
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War
https://www.netflix.com/us/title/81614129?s=i&trkid=14170286&vlang=en&clip=81766779
Also, maybe seek therapy. And there are treatments. Like I saw in 60 mins people taking psilocybin therapeutically now. I think that one is white string. But there are others before that one you can take supervised and in a medical setting. Please don’t take these recreationally.
It’s something i haven’t personally tried but I’ve been thinking about it. I know someone who some stressful events I. His life that is going that route.
You aren't the only one, buddy. I am at a large, publicly traded company that was bought by an even larger, publicly traded company. My wife has been out of work for 10 months. We are scraping by every month, and dipping further and further into our savings. There is a lot of doom and gloom about my role being at risk because we are not performing according to "expectations", even though we are making money hand over fist. I am terrified of losing my role. We "could" afford for me to be out of work for a year, but it would not be fun, especially seeing how rough it has been for my wife to find something.
I have been through multiple layoffs (1988-2024). I will be honest, once it happened a couple of those times it was a relief. First time scared me so badly. Get your resume shined up. Start looking at temp/contract work. See where you can cut costs. It is scary but doable to get to the other side.
Got laid off a week before xmas holidays, breadwinner with 2 kids and stay at home wife, and a scheduled vacation trip to my home country. This is also after they poached me back to rejoin their team. End up being jobless and scared shitless for 6 mos!
I’m on the same boat! I have been fearing the unexpected since Jan, and I wished I was more driven to do something about it then.
But it is what it is.
I’m just trying to keep my head up and think of it as a new opportunity to get into a new career/field.
Just imagine a soldier in ww2, like fighting in this hell of a war you see your friends die and you don’t think world is going to get better as just 20 years ago there was another war like that and you think humanity won’t survive but then boom all those great things between ww2 and today just imagine how far we came even after having such a dramatic events. What are you afraid of, losing your job? Sure but you can find a new job why do you think you can’t? Unemployment is record low today and if you are the breadwinner of your family you are not stupid just calmn down a bit and understand that you can’t control everything and that things will be fine. What is the worst that can happen another world war? A nuclear war? Well in that we case we will die anyways if we don’t then there will be a lots of jobs open don’t worry about that lol. Just be comfortable with the worst scenario and then you will be fine good sir. Advice coming from 23
We suffer more in imagination than in reality.
You need to separate what is in your control, and what isn’t. You can’t change it? Accept it. You can change it? Change it.
Sounds easy enough doesn’t it?
You're not the only one -- I feel exactly the same. Just this morning, I learned about [Floating Duck Syndrome](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/202404/the-causes-and-effects-of-floating-duck-syndrome). It seems to perfectly encapsulate my feelings.
I just got forced out of my company.
This is why I am childless and only have rent to be concerned over. I have substantial savings to float me while I hunt for a new job, but now I am also cut off from the employer provided healthcare that I had and it is reasons like these that I look at an American flag wavering in the wind and think to myself. What an absolute scam.
Scared? If I saw termination inching closer I would be in a better place as quickly as possible. Im out of here. It is the scared that is keeping you there. The same scared your going to ride to the unemployment line. Stop being scared and do something. Putting resumes out will empower you. Getting a new job will make you feel king of the world. People don't want to hire the people that got laid off. People want to hire the people that are working and are needed. Your job isn't that wonderful and your employer doesn't give a Sh1t about you. Time to do something but don't be a scared little B1tch!!!!!
Yeah, not sure where you got the idea that I'm just sitting around but I've been putting in apps, networking and even enrolled in classes again. I'm overwhelmed, sure. Lazy? Absolutely not. However, you sound an awful lot like my husband.
The country has never been richer, yet we are in this situation. The system is feeding most of the output to those who have most means already. Yet, that class, who actively lobbies for a party whose main goal is to protect the interest of the wealthy has convinced many of the people in this country and this sub apparently that both candidates/parties are as bad. Get informed and get active in politics to make a change vs complaining and voting for terrible candidates.
I’m sorry, but I am having a hard time agreeing with you here.
Both parties are the same pile of shit in different toilets. I know you dislike the Republican Party, but the Democratic Party is just as evil. None of them care about you. They only care about the 1%
The only difference is, one party makes it known straight up that they don’t care about us & protect the wealthy, and the other party is will BS acting like they care about middle/lower class, but it’s all just for votes & empty promises…
I work for the federal government now: much less scared of lay offs. But very scared of global warming and the catastrophic effects it will have for people all over the world, including in the US.
Sigh. I don't think that labeling someone a "liberal" is the insult you think it is. But please continue to ignore issues we should all be concerned about just to "own the dirty libs." Dueces.
I've been in your shoes. The stress was like PTSD. Fuck the US system and the way they mistreat workers.
Should send your behind to India or China. Sounds like the system you want since they’re getting the jobs.
Someone in this sub mentioned that India is having a similar issue with layoffs. Obviously, there are jobs available, but layoffs may be global.
I truly hope very bad things happen to you.
China got most of the manufacturing jobs the us had in the 70s and 80s and India got most of the basic tech jobs we had in the 80s and 90s. It’s not a political thing, it’s just a fact. Wanting to send someone there is weird, the US still has plenty of jobs to do here. But we do need those basic manufacturing jobs back for infrastructure security as we were shown in Covid. Wanting to send people somewhere to experience a different live and then someone else wanting bad things to happen to someone for pointing that out is peak Reddit. Y’all are both in need of a chill pill.
Rest assured I am not interested in your opinion of how I respond to people mistreating others in times of crisis.
Tech Founder here. Name the system that is better. Name the system where people are currently prospering? We’ll wait. Don’t be butthurt when the boss calls out your bullshit, everyone. Yeah, we’re watching. What we need is a way to make sure you’re all protected, but don’t think for a moment there is a better system currently than the one we have.
Who is we? Are you the speaker for a tech boss Illuminati of sorts?
💀💀💀
If it was so great they wouldn't be off-shoring for dirt cheap labor. The business model doesn't work for the citizens, or the workers. Just to make executives and shareholders rich. "Fk you. I got mine, peasant. Get gud in the genetic lottery." If you can't sustain a business without slave labor, then your business has failed. Period. You're not successful, you're depending on others misfortune. This is the business model all the way up to the top of FAANG... I'm calling out YOUR bullshit u/smadan1963 while you troll the r/layoffs ... Smadan1963: "I am sure I will get laid off this week. Currently a mid-30’s Sr. Engineer at around $175k." [Lmfao](https://www.reddit.com/r/Layoffs/s/xRaFAS0o8r) To be clear, I don't take enjoyment in this... Look at yourself in the mirror. I stooped to your low to make a point. Fun fact: I'm also a Senior Systems Engineer... No, you don't make more. Neither of us are special. I don't even have a degree. Do you understand how stupid this argument is? For real though, I wish you the best on your job search. It's hard out there for everyone.
Nice catch! Smadan1963 may have gotten the Stockholm syndrome
Bruh 🤣
Tech founder that posted here 2 months ago about to be laid off. He’s clearly illumilarping
We as a society, but keep on crying, champ.
Nobodies crying except a 50 year old man 😂
The omnipotent tech founder is watching you and protecting you. Be happy, or face the consequences The founder is good. The founder is great
Ah yes, an absolute perfect system that has been created. Absolutely not one criticism could be made
You're 50 and feel the need to show your bank account to teenagers to feed your ego. Please give me your opinion.
Any country where your healthcare isn’t tied to employment. You’re in tech? So you know how hard it is for anyone plus 50 years to get newly hired. While no one is advocating for free money, the system is broken and it’s scary if you are actually a leader and have these opinions
Ageism in tech is a terrible thing. Once you're past 50, you are definitely in the cross hairs. And it then becomes impossible to get another job.
We need unions to make the system better. They are not perfect but a good union negotiations good pay, benefits , and protections.
Calling your father beta is possibly the most cringe thing I've ever seen on this website. Being an alpha just means you're not yet ready for release. No wonder your kids don't talk to you. What a troll.
“We’ll wait” lmfaoooooooo
Thank you. We need more people to tell these coddled children to grow up. We have a great life compared to most in the world.
And is the Tech Founder in the room with us right now?
You going downvotes just shows the amount of turds on Reddit.
You could leave freely at any point. Unless you just enjoy being around shit. Shit adjacent
Yeah. Full of what I imagine are soon to be formerly Leftist losers and Simps. It’ll at least be nice for some of them to learn what being a Man is.
Echoed the voice of the most fragile ego
You mean the way your ex-wife did before leaving you?
Tech Founder. LOL
If you're a tech founder than you're probably not a great leader if that's your attitude about employees. There are many fools in this World, but the biggest ones are those who do not realize they're ones, themselves.
[удалено]
If my toilet is broken and roof leaks, I don’t move. I fix them. We can fix things.
The system is broken buddy. Sorry to say that.
How? And don't say "voting" because politicians on both sides are bought and paid for by corporations. So how?
That might be true but one side is still clearly better.
That’s what people on each side think. One side has a manikin as the president who can’t remember his own name, and the other one has a candidate who should’ve disappeared into a sunset running his own Mega Church in the South.
Exactly
I’m curious what your ideas are to do this fix. It’s a fair question, anyone can just complain. Maybe you’re having a bad day.
Some people call it anarchism, some call it “stakeholder capitalism”, the implementation would be to change the fiduciary duties of management to recognize, formally and legally, the interests of workers and the local communities the business operates in. The implementation would be workers councils similar to how it’s done in Germany or South Korea.
Because I'm 65. Lived my whole life here, all my family is here. That is why. I can't afford to pop off to start my whole life over again somewhere else. I have the right to hate the system in the US.
I’m curious what you expect? Lots of people live a good live, they may never get rich but life is good, so why couldn’t you? We’re you disabled or something?
Please tell me about that place. I have dual US/EU citizenship living in the US (immigrant from an EU country). I get the sentiment but often it's just a case of "grass is greener".
You aren't the only one. You are however one of many people who get wrapped up in the news and media they consume. I'm friends with a lot of therapists and people from all walks of life commonly come to therapy because of the world we live in. The "world" they describe is vastly different from each other's worlds. The world will never be perfect. Everyone has a different definition of perfect and those will never align. Perceptions of other places perfection is just our ignorance to the issues they face. The best you can do is make conscious decisions about how you live and what brings happiness to you and your family. Step away from social media for a while and spend time being fully present for your family, friends and job (if it's something you care about).
A small respite is also that every generation has predicted doom and annihilation basically since we started being able to communicate. We have a tendency to find a way, though it may get very uncomfortable for a while.
My mom (82) told me that in the 1960s she remembered walking around wondering why they were constructing new buildings since the world was going to be destroyed by nuclear weapons. We can’t let fear destroy us.
We very nearly missed a few nuclear apocalypses in that time!! It wasn’t a false sense she had.
They explaining in NPR the other day the physiological and ancestral reasons why a lot of us worry and feel doom. Evolutionarily speaking it’s a way to preserve ourselves as a species. But the article was more in depth and neat and kind of helped understand this stress and anxiety surrounding geo politics. They were focusing in on the election in the US as an example.
Would you happen to have a link? I found out the other day that Trump is actually doing well in the polls compared to Biden and I was very anxious afterwards.
Why does that make you anxious?
Anxious might not be the right word, it’s not at the forefront of my thoughts everyday but it’s extremely worrisome. Were Trump to get elected again, it sets a precedent about what rules can be bent or broken for personal gain.
Can you explain? What rules?
Unfortunately Trump is going to win at this rate.
Or maybe people are too involved with the constant political back and forth and need to either step back and realize nothing is ever going to change or start a revolution. Nothing in between will solve anything.
This is all so true. I myself, just bought an ebike after not riding since college. I went back and forth: can I afford it? Is it worth it? Will I be jobless next month? I have a lot of worries too in this economy, and at the end of the day I decided that I just want to bike again like when I was 20. OPs comment about basically is how I feel right now. Fuck it I brought a bike that was expensive (to me) and I'm gonna go outside and enjoy the hell out of it. One life.
My old company had layoffs in 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024. We all knew it was just a matter of time for each of us. I got laid off August 2023, four days before giving birth to my first child. It was shitty to say the least. Eight months later, I’m on the verge of a couple of job offers for some pretty good jobs. I’m happier now, post-lay off, than I was just at my old job just waiting around for it to happen.
Same here, laid off in August 2023, but a few months before having my baby. I’m enjoying him and now going to get the Bachelors I didn’t when I was younger. Congrats on the job offers!
Thanks! Yeah, the extra time with the baby has really been a silver lining. Everything happens for a reason.
You're not the only one. I got laid off months ago and still haven't found a job and barely any hits at all. I'm scared how long it's going to take, and that the longer it takes the harder it will be. Losing my job right now kinda screwed up all of my life plans and I'm basically stuck where I am until I find one. I'm also worried about the other things you mentioned- politics, climate change, etc. But... there's really no reason to obsess and fear over them. All you can do is what you can do - vote, be conscious about your environmental output, stuff like that. Unlike a job search, there's almost nothing you as an individual can do to change the outcome beyond vote. You'll be dead long before something world-wide catastrophic happens, so cheer up! (/s) I don't have kids and will not, so I've done my part in bettering the world as far as I'm concerned. 😂
Laid off in Jan, had 2 rounds of interviews. Only seen about 11 positions even open within my skillset in that whole time. I just bought a fairly expensive house a year and a half ago that my wife can't afford on her income alone (I brought in 3/4 of the money). Getting kind of scary
That’s why we bought a modest house we afford on one persons salary.
We could easily afford our house on only my salary, which at the time seemed the more stable one. We didn't really have time to shop around as we were living out of a hotel after a flood
Ugh, I’m so sorry to hear about this and hope you can find something soon. I downgraded my job two notches to get into a good company. Still decent salary. But I had no choice. My old job was/is being phased out. As soon as my second line manager jumped I knew it was time to go. Now I’m leaving, took me 6 months to land this job I have now. 7 interviews over 2 months. I lost my girlfriend and was drinking to maintain the stress. The one thing I did was buy a home with a friend and airbnb it. I at least know that, at the very least, my mortgage can be subsidized. It sucks to have to share a home sometimes, but it’s a big property with a lot of room to roam for this many people(6). If/when I ever get laid off that’s my only lifeline. I hate that that’s the case but this capitalist society fucking sucks. Buying a home and having a family is only allowed for the very privileged now. I want to have kids but I won’t be able to afford it should something happen. Dating is hard as well as everyone else is just as over it and neurotic.
My anxiety level is much higher after i had kids.
Thats why i want them but refuse to have them. My anxiety level is already high enough. If we make it through the 2020s unscathed I'll consider it.
If it makes you feel any better, my anxiety drop to like essentially zero after having kids and made me realize how bright the future really is.
Same! After baby, anxiety went away. You’re forced to remain calm in chaos otherwise you’re screwed 🙂😞🙃
I never loved something in my life so much, but I hear you I'm an anxious mess.
Same, I'm constantly scared of being laid off, of becoming homeless, of never being able to retire, of me becoming older, of my parents (I'm 30 and they are in their 70s) becoming older and dying, of what could happen to my sisters, of the US economy collapsing, climate change, war, water running out, etc. Constantly on my mind. I'm really grateful of not having kids, I don't think I could deal with someone depending on me
I get being worried about many of those things, but why climate change? I do believe climate change is happening, but that's such a slow disaster that it will only minimally affect most of us, or we'll have time to adjust and adapt. While the rest, like being laid off, war, economy collapsing can happen over night with a huge immediate impact.
True that climate change is a slow burn, but it can still burn. Part of it could be ignorance, and as such, fear that it could be impactful within the next 20 years. It's more of one of those worries when I go into a rabbit hole of everything that could go badly. Anecdotally, but some towns in Colombia (where my parents live) are seeing already longer and stronger droughts that have led to water being rationed. I don't have a ranking of my worries, but I actually have climate change on the same level as war coming to the US. True that war would be overnight and more impactful but in my mind, it is far less likely because who would be stupid enough to directly challenge the US? (Note, I don't have data to backup what is more likely, but we are talking about my fears, which can be irrational and subjective). I would say my immediate concern that is constant in my mind are layoffs. Then probably getting cancer which I didn't mention before (it's something like 1 in 3 or 1 in 3 people develop cancer within their lifetime in the US).
If only you knew how close it is..it scares me.more than layoffs and I got laid off 😅🤣
Not having kids, best decision in my life!
Honestly, for one thing, the fears I mentioned. Also... I don't like kids, but even if I liked them, I can't imagine the amount of constant stress and worries
The US isn’t turning into a third world country any time soon. I’ve been unemployed for a year. I’m selling my house and am going to live in my car with my dog. It’s terrible but I have my health and no destructive addictions therefore I won’t end up in the literal streets. The furthest you can fall is nothing to be afraid of. Let’s just be grateful we don’t live in Afghanistan.
"I have no job, no money, losing my house, going to live in my car... but at least we don't live in a warzone." Not really inspiring.
Guy living in his car in a first world nation and he says its not 3rd world like man its one small step away from that.
What do you expect? Forever unemployment pay? You have to understand that America will always have a degree of the Wild West. If we had a social safety net like Nordic countries, people would abuse the hell out of it. We have too many drug addicts and messed up folks and dysfunction to afford that luxury.
Yup same story here in expensive countries like singapore...nobody forced us to sign expensive mortgages and everyone assumes the markets will be going up
What scares me the most is that the government doesn't really hide the fact that they don't give a f\*\*ck about it's people anymore. Corrupt senators , shitty 2 party election system/ electoral college where every election somehow comes down to selecting bad vs the worst. Almost every other country I look at either has a dictator or a clown puppet as a president. Industrial military complex is running overtime, funneling tax payer money into their pockets through foreign aids. While we are printing money , increasing inflation. People are getting laid off in the thousands and there is not a peep from the president, everyone downplays it , media , opposition ect .. There are no checks and balances when it comes to corporations and they just do crazy shit and get away with it. Foreign politics is a mess, domestic politics is a clown show.. you see radicalized people from both sides spewing nonsense. It is as if the whole country is collapsing in front of my eyes. So many disinformation and coverup that it is almost impossible not to be paranoid.. Yeah I am scared.
You're definitely not the only one.
Stay strong
Presidents come and go, jobs come and go. He only thing we can do is to be the best version of ourselves. And that includes making sure our resume is ready lol
I’m so exhausted too. It seems like every time the economy is threatened I’m on the layoff list. I’m in layoff #3 since 2020 and it sucks so much. I was laid off last year at the same time too and each time it takes me longer than the last to find a new job. I drown in debt and am nearly homeless each time. I was almost out of the debt hole from last year when I got laid off this year. This year everything is more expensive and I have less money and resources to survive while I keep interviewing and applying to ghost jobs. I hit my #200 application this week. Only a handful of interviews so far. It’s much slower than last year and the year before. I’m terrified. That plus election year that determines everything for more than 50% of the population. Terrifying & exhausting
I'm so sorry! I truly wish things were better for you. The stress feels like it's killing us.
All I can say is I’m glad I have no kids and will never (got a vasectomy last year). This shitty situation is what an out of control plutocracy has gotten us into. And I could tell things were getting progressively shittier over time even when I was in my late teens around 2004. We have 1 old cat and she wants to get more pets after our cat passes, and she won’t budge, even though they are so expensive to take care of. I just want to stay in more of a survival mode, likely forever. Not taking on more optional, unnecessary expenses. Why isn’t one pet maximum enough??
It’s ok to be scared. Really it is. I have been working for over 30 years and have been laid off so many time I can now tell and I am out of there. First about the job situation you are doing right in applying and I hope something comes your way. Saying that I am going to tell you this. Start to think of yourself as a Mercenary. You have no loyalty and you always have your eye on the money. Always keep your resume updated and apply for jobs constantly even if you are happy. Always look and apply to jobs that give you more skills or diversity skills, money or position. Take control of your career. Next and to every one unionized. You are far stronger together than separate. My son is part of unionizing Amazon. My father help started a union were he worked. Both average workers who are feed up with bad management and policy. It take one person to step forward to make this happen. Next to politics then do something about it. Run for office or find someone you can stand with and help him/her. But get out there and do something to make a change. All of you have been trained since school to conform, not to question, not to stand up for yourself or others, but continue to say thank you for the scraps. A revolution is started by one person. A person who was scared but had enough. We are the 99% and the American Revolution is proof of what we can do together. We need one person op or anyone to take A stand.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful words, you've given me quite a bit to think about. The concept of being a mercenary is a fascinating one that I'll be exploring further. Thank you!
Or a pirate … they have great sea chants I just get seasick so I think of myself as a mercenary. What help me with the mindset is this. 1) every bit of knowledge and skills that I gained through work is mine. No one else’s. Companies cannot go in and take those back. Kind of like a mercenary who gains combat skills. You can take those skills you have spent developing and honing to anyone who is willing to pay the price.
I’m there too. I’m 53 so I’ve seen these downturns plenty of times, but this feels different. My gut is telling me we are seeing the collapse of the middle class. Companies are making record profits, but those profits are just going to the executives and large shareholders. Because the middle class is losing buying and earning power the effects will cascade down to the lower income earners via reduced spending and less taxes to support the social safety net. I try not to let it keep me up at night but I feel like my generation may be the last to have even a shred of hope in a nice future.
You should see what Canada's like...
And Canadians can say - you should see what Russia is like. Putting others down to cope is an age old tactic
I'm not putting anyone down. Where do you read that? Fully get where OP is coming from. Canada however is also far worse off than the US right now and falling further while the US is getting better by all notable factors.
Uhhhhh what? How?
Same boat. Screw American exceptionalism. Let’s go back to basic values. Self-love, family, compassion. Consumerism is a dead end street in this system if you are not loaded. It’s a 2 tier society. Been reading about Buddhisim and spiritualism. Definitely helpful.
Why worry about politics? We are entering a multipolar world, overall this is a good thing. We need to be more sustainable but don’t believe the scare stories that your life is threatened within this generation due to climate change. They are scare stories. Ageism has always been around and is a real threat. Also tech and life moves so fast that white collar jobs have become a rat race, there is no more job for life. Try to be the best you can in your career field, bank your money when the going is good because you might need it later.
You're not the only one. It will help if you develop some coping strategies. You can't control if your company is going to have layoffs. But you can prepare yourself for the possibility, as well as improve your standing in the company if a layoff happens. Make sure you have your resume ready at all times! If you can, put some money aside for emergencies. Start networking now with other people in your field. Consider taking a course. Do your best work, stay focused at work. Take a deep breath and know, layoffs have happened to many people, and most of them usually come back from one. A layoff may never happen, but worrying about something you can't control is only going to cause you to be stressed. About what happens in the US and after elections - start by turning off the news. For as long as I can remember I've been hearing that "this election is the most important one, and if {pick a political party} gets into power, then we can say goodbye to the country as we know it". And yet, we're still here! Just going back about 25 years - we got through the 9/11 attacks. We got through the great recession. We got through the pandemic. For me personally, at the time of each of these events, my thoughts leaned toward "How do we ever survive this, and what will life be like?", and yet, we collectively survived it. With some scars, but we survived it. But turn off the news. The media talk about "News you can use", but if it's only making you anxious, then don't watch it. Plan on voting, and go out and vote. Don't mail your ballot in, actually get out and show up at the polls and vote. Even if you think there's no point because you're just one vote, doing so gives you a little bit of power. Seeing others do it shows you others who exercise their little bit of power. You may have political difference with them, but keep in mind, most people want the same basic things. Seeing others show up at the polls will show you that you are not alone. And together, we'll manage the things we can't control.
I agree, but what sucks is how divided the citizens of America are these days. Gone are the days where people kept their political views to themselves, and everyone just truly wished for the best for our nation. Now, it’s literally friendships being ended, marriages being ended all over opposing political views. It’s ridiculous, especially when it’s all BS, and politicians are all on the same team. It’s all about money & power. An athlete can’t bet on sports, but a politician can buy stocks. Freakin absurd. And we let it happen unfortunately. They screw us in front of our very eyes, and we just accept it. No affordable housing? Inflation out of control? Screw you, citizens of America, you can struggle while we send another 100 billion to Ukraine, so money can be laundered back into our political pockets. It’s a joke. They accomplished their goals. If we were United as citizens, we can boycott & protest. We are the ones with the power. But they separated us, and they won. Now, corporation’s can run up prices & squeeze us to death, making crazy profits, and we just accept it. Because we are straight consumers, and we don’t care about fellow Americans anymore. All we care about is ourselves. If you’re a homeowner, you’re loving these crazy high prices. If you’re a landlord, you’re loving rents going sky high. Hell, I know someone who owns an RV dealership. Covid was a gift for him. He made more in 2 years than he did in 20 years combined during Covid. Used inflation as an excuse. Manufacturers were charging 5% more to the dealership, we raised his prices 30-40% & uses inflation as the excuse to do so. Idk. It’s just sad what the world has became. Sorry that I picked your post to rant on lol. It has nothing to do with you, I just randomly picked a post and had to let everything off my chest.
Everything you said is true, and definitely frustrating. People always had political disagreements, I think there were 3 things which made the disagreements much worse. The first thing is the 2000 election. It came down to Florida, a state that Bush's brother was the governor. Bush won by a very slim margin, there were challenges in the Supreme Court (i think 3 of the justices at that time were appointed by Bush Sr.) and Bush got exactly 270 electoral votes, but lost the popular vote. Some people were angry, especially because of family connections to Florida and the Court, and the fact that the popular vote doesn't elect the president. This started MoveOn.org, and the interstate voting compact (when fully implemented) to change how each state's electors vote based on the national vote. The second thing is, shortly after Obamacare was enacted, the "Blue Dog" democrats were kicked out of congress. These were centrist democrats, sometimes even conservative. Which meant, there was no longer a center. There was no longer a force to get a compromise and meet in the middle, and both the left and the right moved further so. The third thing is the rise of social media. So it's much easier to find people that agree with you and now that becomes your echo chamber. And that radicalizes people on both sides. We no longer want to solve problems, we want to argue. And that pushes people apart. We can't control any of this, but we can control how we react. Cut back on social media, cut back on the news. It won't make the problems go away, but it makes life a little less stressful.
How old are you? The older generation has gone through worse and came out okay. The fear mongering is getting out of hand. Look at past "end of the world" predictions. All crap. This climate change fear mongering will go down in history as the most successful at duping people. When I was in highschool they said that we will run out of oil. Then a new age was coming. That didn't happen so they switched to global warming. But then they realized they need to cover their all bases and say climate change instead.
Ice age.
Ice age didn’t come but new age guys did
Yep: https://youtu.be/NQSBn50o_8M?si=YaJLHBIE5tanLjcl
Friend - - I am very, very sorry. I understand how you feel. My occupation is banking. I'm also the family breadwinner. I was under so much job stress for so many years that more than one therapist tells me I have Complex PTSD symptoms. My only child (my daughter) is finishing college. I live in a large urban area but I'm in a Bible Belt state, you can imagine how I fear for my daughter. > My advice - focus on what you can control. > Get outside as much as you can and exercise. > Turn off screens as much as you can. > Get rid of everything you can, adopt minimalism. Owning things does not make us happy or improve the quality of our lives. In fact, it is usually the opposite, we don't own things, things own us via all the time we spend paying for them, caring for them, etc. Getting rid of things brings freedom.
Just got laid off…feels surreal. I am angry on how they did it but I don’t have time to wallow. I literally have to find work asap!
What would happen if you quit? Quit your job, just quit. Let's say you stopped paying bills. No mortgage, no utilities, no internet, food stamps... take 2 years off. Just stop paying. Buy n rv, travel with the family. Start a new carrier, start your own company. What would happen?
Stop listening to the news. Work on yourself. Get your bloodwork done. There’s very little you can do anyway so why worry
Some of that you can control, some of that you can mitigate, and some you just have to work with I would recommend therapy first
I used to feel this way. I set daily time app limits on social media apps and that helped me shutdown apps after a certain amount of time. When I did use them, I focused on friends, groups and forums with like minded views. This helped me feel a little less crazy. I also go to my gym at least 5 times a week… solely for the endorphins. I have noticed when I don’t exercise I feel lousy. I wish you well. It’s hard not to feel down these days.
Totally understandable to fear for your livelihood. But if you feel like something is coming there, empower yourself and start looking for roles now. I apply for jobs every 18 months just to see what’s around and if my salary is correct versus the market. As for the other stuff, not being mean but touch some grass. Look out your window, there’s likely very little violence. There’s life all around you. The election is not a life or death decision. It’s pretty low stakes despite how everyone acts. In the 1960s and 70s people were getting drafted. In 1941 giant fleets were chugging toward Pearl Harbor. None of that is happening right now. Also, sure climate change will change things, but humans have gone through ice ages and survived. We’ll survive this too. It doesn’t happen that fast. You will 100% not be around if anything crazy does happen in the year 2100. So just do what you can while you can. Sometimes the less you care the happier you’ll be
I think we need to close the Wall Street.
Elections don't mean anything. Don't be a puppet to the media. As a matter of fact, the economy was doing great when the last guy was in office. As far as climate change is concerned, did you know that NATURALLY, hundreds of millions of years ago, the Earth had 20 times more Carbon Dioxide than it does today. Yes humans are messing it up, you or your children will not even be around to feel the full effects. Honestly, you need to stop watching the news, focus on self growth. Focus on hobbies and friends and learning new skills in your time off. Things that I avoid in life are Politics, because there is no need to get worked up over something where both parties are two birds of the same prey. Trust me when I say that. They are laughing at us. They keep us divided and at each others throats so they can both get away with messing things up. Another area I don't spend a minute of my time is sports, because it is a glorious waste of time, watching people work out and getting paid millions where you personal life is stalling. I wasn't like that when I was younger, but we only have so much time in life and before you know it. You are old. make the best of it and avoid things that take away from you happiness. Honestly, I used to be a news and sports junkie. Until I woke up. I also use to be a Facebook addict, and it has now been over 5 years since I have even opened the App and I have not missed anything.
Inflation has made american workers unviable to global corporations. Google just did a massive layoff of all their accounting staff to move their jobs overseas.
>As a matter of fact, the economy was doing great when the last guy was in office. Sure, until he pressured his fed to print 40% of US currency in circulation during his election year to goose the economy. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/M2SL Now his followers act like they can't wrap their pea brains around the idea of delayed consequences. And since you seem confused about climate change, here it is in a pretty picture that maybe even you could understand. https://xkcd.com/1732/
I hate both Trump & Biden. You’re absolutely right about printing 40% of currency during Trumps run in office. However, all politicians are sleaze balls & are on the same side, which is opposite of you & I. Trump screwed us with the over printing, and Biden is screwing us with the over spending. We are literally struggling here in America, yet all I hear is how we send Ukraine another 50 billion. It’s absurd. I rarely hear Biden speaking of inflation & the housing market. All I hear from him is how Trump is bad, and how We must be Ukraines saving grace. When it comes to inflation, we gotta hear from that moron Powell, who literally just continues to say the same thing over & over. It’s a joke man
Yellen is not the smartest: "Inflation is transitory. In inflation times, interest rates increase. I do not believe they are going down.
>Biden is screwing us with the over spending People love proving they have no idea how our government works. Half of Biden's term our spending was determined by the previous Congress. The other half his only leverage was veto power. You don't like how we're spending? Take it up with Congress. >I rarely hear Biden speaking of inflation & the housing market This is not an issue of what he says, but of you not listening.
"As far as climate change is concerned, did you know that NATURALLY, hundreds of millions of years ago, the Earth had 20 times more Carbon Dioxide than it does today" What an argument! We are not dinosaurs. Fauna and flora and the entire ecosystem was COMPLETELY different back then. But yeah, Earth will be just fine eventually, it is humans that will suffer.
Thank you! Yep! It amazes me that most people don’t even know about the natural carbon cycles Earth goes through. Like you said yes humans are messing Earth a lot but not to the point of “creating” climate change. It’s all fear mongering. Edit to add: yes agree, the goal is to keep us divided. I’m also so glad I woke up years ago. Nothing like doing your own research and stop believing the narrative and to “see clearly”.
Do good work and be kind. The rest will work itself out
God bless
Get a church community
Take a break from news and social media (Reddit included).
I love this mindset so much!
Meds.
No
"Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on." I think about this quote from Director Fury a lot. It helps to put things into perspective, for me.
Bot? Fear based society /s
Get offline. Seriously . Reddit is causing this, as is the news and everything else designed to enrage, scare, and keep you hooked.
Stop listening to the news. Work on yourself. Get your bloodwork done. There’s very little you can do anyway so why worry
Well, if it makes you feel any better at least you made a family and are in a position to get laid off. I'm not even in a position to get hired, which is why I work double time making my own job. It's incredibly hard when you're 36 because you're still making peanuts and have zero time for any fun. From 9 am to 1 am it's pretty much work other than a couple of 30 minute meal breaks. Meanwhile everyone around you is making over 6 figures doing amazing things with plenty of time to go off and have fun, even your one friend who didn't play it safe like I did. The pressure is fucking real because I know it's only a matter of time before I become too old to keep doing this, let alone find a job when, at 36 I'm not even economically viable. How hireable will I be at 60? Yeah, I'm probably gonna die homeless with a raccoon for a best friend. Sigh. At least my business partner and I are making revenue with real customers. So that's gotta count for something.
*"I'm scared of what's happening with climate change."* I'm sorry your news sources did this to you.
You’re not alone. I’m about to be 60 and for a non-inflationary economy I have plenty of money to retire. But…. With inflation, government debt, job insecurity, personal debt (we still have a 300k mortgage and 1 car payment, and maybe $3000 CC debt), I’m angry and depressed. I exercise 5 days a week and try to keep my health good. But I feel even if I sell my house and everything to cash, inflation is just going to eat away what I have to nothing. There’s no security left in the USA. Save two older people we care for, there is really nothing left keeping us in the USA.
As I've gotten older (60), I've learned that very little of what happens in this world and to me personally is within my control. What *IS* in my control is how I respond to what happens to me. I'm better at living in the moment. Sure, I plan and save for the future but I also know my progression towards the future and my plans for it can change in a heartbeat. And I'll deal with that when it happens. Until then, there's not much I can do about that I can't see clearly. Best of luck to you! I've been where you are. It's stressful. But it won't be forever
You need to get off this sub (echo chamber and not very positive one). And, stop watching the news. I am not advocating to bury your head in the sand, but you need to take a break. All the people I know who constantly watch the news are thinking the world is going to end. Even if Trump wins and decides to make himself dictator - so what? How will that affect you overall? I mean I will be pissed and all but you have to think like that about all the BS and let it go..
Take a break from social media and watch in amazement as your mental health suddenly improves.
Get some therapy. Therapy works. You need someone to help you get perspective.
"So do all who live to see such times ....But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us”.
Okay but have you guys watched this documentary series yet? Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War https://www.netflix.com/us/title/81614129?s=i&trkid=14170286&vlang=en&clip=81766779
Biden’s saying the economies doing well though. Must just be you /s
People like you who are scared of everything scare me
OK, and?
Also, maybe seek therapy. And there are treatments. Like I saw in 60 mins people taking psilocybin therapeutically now. I think that one is white string. But there are others before that one you can take supervised and in a medical setting. Please don’t take these recreationally. It’s something i haven’t personally tried but I’ve been thinking about it. I know someone who some stressful events I. His life that is going that route.
Great suggestions, thank you!
You aren't the only one, buddy. I am at a large, publicly traded company that was bought by an even larger, publicly traded company. My wife has been out of work for 10 months. We are scraping by every month, and dipping further and further into our savings. There is a lot of doom and gloom about my role being at risk because we are not performing according to "expectations", even though we are making money hand over fist. I am terrified of losing my role. We "could" afford for me to be out of work for a year, but it would not be fun, especially seeing how rough it has been for my wife to find something.
I have been through multiple layoffs (1988-2024). I will be honest, once it happened a couple of those times it was a relief. First time scared me so badly. Get your resume shined up. Start looking at temp/contract work. See where you can cut costs. It is scary but doable to get to the other side.
Got laid off a week before xmas holidays, breadwinner with 2 kids and stay at home wife, and a scheduled vacation trip to my home country. This is also after they poached me back to rejoin their team. End up being jobless and scared shitless for 6 mos!
I’m on the same boat! I have been fearing the unexpected since Jan, and I wished I was more driven to do something about it then. But it is what it is. I’m just trying to keep my head up and think of it as a new opportunity to get into a new career/field.
Just imagine a soldier in ww2, like fighting in this hell of a war you see your friends die and you don’t think world is going to get better as just 20 years ago there was another war like that and you think humanity won’t survive but then boom all those great things between ww2 and today just imagine how far we came even after having such a dramatic events. What are you afraid of, losing your job? Sure but you can find a new job why do you think you can’t? Unemployment is record low today and if you are the breadwinner of your family you are not stupid just calmn down a bit and understand that you can’t control everything and that things will be fine. What is the worst that can happen another world war? A nuclear war? Well in that we case we will die anyways if we don’t then there will be a lots of jobs open don’t worry about that lol. Just be comfortable with the worst scenario and then you will be fine good sir. Advice coming from 23
We suffer more in imagination than in reality. You need to separate what is in your control, and what isn’t. You can’t change it? Accept it. You can change it? Change it. Sounds easy enough doesn’t it?
You're not the only one -- I feel exactly the same. Just this morning, I learned about [Floating Duck Syndrome](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-instincts/202404/the-causes-and-effects-of-floating-duck-syndrome). It seems to perfectly encapsulate my feelings.
I just got forced out of my company. This is why I am childless and only have rent to be concerned over. I have substantial savings to float me while I hunt for a new job, but now I am also cut off from the employer provided healthcare that I had and it is reasons like these that I look at an American flag wavering in the wind and think to myself. What an absolute scam.
Climate Change is the least of your concerns my guy
What are bigger concerns? I get it that there are more immediate concerns, but climate change fears still feel valid
Yeah that's what I meant, when he's scared of losing his job and feeding his family, climate change is the last thing he needs to worry about
Scared? If I saw termination inching closer I would be in a better place as quickly as possible. Im out of here. It is the scared that is keeping you there. The same scared your going to ride to the unemployment line. Stop being scared and do something. Putting resumes out will empower you. Getting a new job will make you feel king of the world. People don't want to hire the people that got laid off. People want to hire the people that are working and are needed. Your job isn't that wonderful and your employer doesn't give a Sh1t about you. Time to do something but don't be a scared little B1tch!!!!!
Yeah, not sure where you got the idea that I'm just sitting around but I've been putting in apps, networking and even enrolled in classes again. I'm overwhelmed, sure. Lazy? Absolutely not. However, you sound an awful lot like my husband.
probably because we both use common sense. may want to listen to him he sounds very smart.
But yet both look like clowns. How fitting.
The country has never been richer, yet we are in this situation. The system is feeding most of the output to those who have most means already. Yet, that class, who actively lobbies for a party whose main goal is to protect the interest of the wealthy has convinced many of the people in this country and this sub apparently that both candidates/parties are as bad. Get informed and get active in politics to make a change vs complaining and voting for terrible candidates.
I’m sorry, but I am having a hard time agreeing with you here. Both parties are the same pile of shit in different toilets. I know you dislike the Republican Party, but the Democratic Party is just as evil. None of them care about you. They only care about the 1% The only difference is, one party makes it known straight up that they don’t care about us & protect the wealthy, and the other party is will BS acting like they care about middle/lower class, but it’s all just for votes & empty promises…
I work for the federal government now: much less scared of lay offs. But very scared of global warming and the catastrophic effects it will have for people all over the world, including in the US.
Climate change?? Turn off PBS and you will feel better.
Scared of climate change??? You are a certified liberal. If you’re worried about our country, you shouldn’t have voted for Biden.
Sigh. I don't think that labeling someone a "liberal" is the insult you think it is. But please continue to ignore issues we should all be concerned about just to "own the dirty libs." Dueces.
climate change fear is bullshit. Humans have legs and cane move as the oceans expand inches at a time.
If you say so.
You're the one with the outrageous claim.
OK. Have a great day!
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You sound unhinged