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Life sometimes doesn’t seem fair at times, and it takes a lot of effort to achieve something that even remotely resembles justice at work. It sounds very difficult to do, especially in the context of massively rapidly rising costs of buying gas and food and mushrooming rent prices. And wages are failing to keep pace with inflation despite having risen quite a bit over the past year, too.

Many employees feel that unfairness is ripe in the workplace, and it’s practically dystopian how some companies treat their workers. To vent and share their thoughts about the current state of the job industry, some go to the ‘Anti-Work’ Facebook group (unrelated to the r/antiwork subreddit, but there’s an overlap in their outlook) which showcases the dark side of capitalism.

We’ve collected some of their most powerful recent posts to show you just how bad things can get, and why it’s necessary to fight for workers’ rights. Scroll down to take a peek at the dystopia some people are living in. Meanwhile, be sure to check out what Bored Panda learned about the ‘right’ way to quit a job with financial expert Sam Dogen, the author of ‘Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom’ and the founder of the Financial Samurai blog.

When you’ve looked through this list, feel free to share your thoughts about the current state of the economy and the job market in the comments. And if you enjoyed the values ‘Anti-Work’ exhibits, you’ll find Bored Panda’s previous feature about the Facebook group right over here.

#2

Anti-Work-Posts

Working in the US vs working in France.

Allegra Merz Report

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James016
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My uncle used to work for a company that was HQ'd in Seattle, he is in the UK. They wanted to make him redundant the USA way by just letting him go with no redundancy package. HQ were told that since he is British and works in the UK, they would have to pay at least the statutory. They argued back that they could switch him to a USA contract and then get rid of him. The response to that was that you would have to explain that in court, and they would lose badly.

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#3

Anti-Work-Posts

suganthi_96 , twitter.com Report

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Who Panda 420
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Every d*mned time! I asked my interviewer for my first job interview how am I supposed to get experience if no one will hire me without experience? He threw his hands in the air and said I know that's the problem.

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The ‘Anti-Work’ Facebook group had 38.8k members at the time of writing, and it invites people to be kind to one another. They’re against the glorification of violence, ask people not to support any politicians, landlords, or company owners, and (oddly enough), their movement is against any type of reform.

Instead of reform, the ‘Anti-Work’ team aims for ‘abolition.’ And while we get the desire to overhaul literally everything, we also know that idealism doesn’t always match how politics works in real-life. Compromise, diplomacy, slow-but-steady change in voting patterns are (unfortunately?) how real change happens. The members of the group also suggest that Facebook users go outside and “touch grass” and urge them to avoid posting low-quality content.

#5

Anti-Work-Posts

Andy Bierkamp , twitter.com Report

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Wang Zhuang
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not good enough, Trash Jones. We still need you to come in that day. Sleep off the anesthesia and we'll see you in a couple of hours. If you feel yourself starting to die, make sure they hit you with the shock pads a few times, no big deal. Thanks for being a team player.

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Financial expert and author Sam, from the Financial Samurai project, gave Bored Panda some insights into what employees should think about if they’re dissatisfied with their workplace and are considering quitting. Though some people have power fantasies about quitting with style, it’s important to consider the impact your decision will have not just on your life but on the day-to-day of your colleagues. It pays off to do things smartly, and not just slam the door.

“The best way to quit a job is to actually try and negotiate a severance and not quit. When you try to negotiate a severance, you try to make the job quitting as painless and seamless as possible for your manager and colleagues,” the expert told us.

#7

Anti-Work-Posts

Bethenia Jane Dixon , twitter.com Report

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Wang Zhuang
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate idiot job postings like that. You would think they would at least have the knowledge of how long the software has existed before adding it in their requirements. Dummies...

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#9

Anti-Work-Posts

Alex Reyes , twitter.com Report

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Who Panda 420
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I believe we already know that. Wealth never trickles down to the poor. Talking to you Reagan!

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“When you suddenly quit your job, you put your manager and colleagues in a bind, scrambling to find your replacement and do your work. However, if you try to negotiate a severance, you help find your replacement and train your replacement so that your company doesn't feel too much pain,” Sam explained to Bored Panda that a compromise like that can end up benefiting both parties.

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The expert shared his own experience with changing career tracks. “For example, when I negotiated my severance after 11 years, I stayed on for three months to train my junior employee. I introduced him to all my clients as well. As a result, I was able to receive a severance package equal to six years of living expenses!” he explained how the benefits can be greater if you approach the situation differently.

#10

Anti-Work-Posts

Martin P Foster Report

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Random Anon
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was often called a commie for pointing out the American brand of capitalism is just the modern form of feudalism. Since the 90s.

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#11

Anti-Work-Posts

Rikki Arvanites , twitter.com Report

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Who Panda 420
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey when cost of living is high you do what you got to do even working for bog witches.

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“I even helped my wife negotiate a severance from a job she no longer liked as well. She was able to get full pay only working 2-3 days a week for several months. Then she got a severance check and a year off. Then her old firm hired her back as a consultant for 50% higher pay. It was one of the best severance negotiations ever because we found a win-win solution for both sides,” he pointed out that it’s not just a fantasy that both sides can end up winning out.

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“The right way to quit your job is to make sure your company and employees are OK if you leave,” he explained what the mature way of changing jobs entails.

#13

Anti-Work-Posts

Lisas Adinosaur Report

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Who Panda 420
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Poor Sherpas. Such an important job. Glad they are starting to get more credit

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#15

Anti-Work-Posts

Edjitprop , twitter.com Report

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Julie C Rose
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There’s a follow-up tweet where this person clarifies that they’re not talking about people whose answer is “gotta eat bro”.

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Previously, my colleague spoke to the team behind the ‘Anti-Work’ Facebook page to learn more about the group and its values.

"Fundamentally, the idea of Anti-Work is that people should choose to be productive on their own terms, not as a result of coercion or having their stability threatened. The underlying message of the Anti-Work philosophy is that the connection between survival and employment status or productivity levels must be eliminated,” they told Bored Panda.

#18

Anti-Work-Posts

Alex Reyes , twitter.com Report

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Suzanne Tilson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what school should be. A place of original thinkers, not complacent slaves

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The Anti-Work group is a fairly new niche on Facebook: it was created not even a year ago, in October of 2022 “as a result of needing to create a digital community tailored specifically for Facebook users."

"In our group, we have people from all backgrounds. Writers, frontline nurses, school teachers, line cooks, truck drivers, forklift operators. To name just a few,” the Anti-Work team shared with Bored Panda, adding that they are explicitly anti-capitalist, support the creation and expansion of unions, and see the need for workplace democracy.

“As a society, we have the ability to provide for humanity's needs, to give people a base layer of support and stability to encourage productivity without coercion," they said. With the Facebook group, they aim to create a platform for inclusion and empowerment so that people from all walks of life feel safe to share their workplace stories. And while some trolls do pop up from time to time, overall, most members are "awesome people with valuable insights, and stories worth telling."

#21

Anti-Work-Posts

Jarvis Lu , twitter.com Report

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Who Panda 420
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Must be Tesla. Elon musk went on this big rant how all of his people are coming back to the office to work. Not a little side office no the main office to work. He says no innovation happen when people are working around the world it has all be done in one room. Tell that to the world's space agencies.

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Reality is rarely (if ever) completely black-and-white. Capitalism, with all of its flaws and the need for reform, isn’t the all-encompassing evil that some think it is. The things that some people blame capitalism for are usually the result of excessive greed and corporatism. It’s capitalism taken to excess that’s the issue, not necessarily the system in and of itself.

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Financial expert Rick Orford previously explained to Bored Panda that extreme capitalism and excessive greed are the results of a large enough part of the population being willing to take risks. Too much greed creates widespread problems. However, there are alternatives to capitalism, or rather, ‘softer,’ more humane forms of it.

“Greed is widely accepted to be the reason for the two largest financial crises in the last century; namely 1929 and 2008. It also creates the income inequality that’s largely seen in the United States. Indeed, while everyone, in theory, has an equal opportunity to flourish, the scales seem to tip to those with the most money," financial expert Rick told us during an earlier interview.

#22

Anti-Work-Posts

Roger Eppich Report

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Kristine Ellis
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As far as I know, a universal government pension payment for men was first instituted under Bismarck and the Kaiser. The retirement age was set as 65 because that was the average life expectancy of German men at the time. In Australia and New Zealand, one's pension is PRE-PAID as part of one's income tax, and should be inviolable. Not true in USA?

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#23

Anti-Work-Posts

Jocelyn Sawczuk , twitter.com Report

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Eliza May
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Until we start having a maximum amount of profit any business or corporation can make, I think they'll always push for more.

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“[Capitalism] allows folks like you and me to succeed by creating or investing in businesses. Indeed, one looking to borrow money from the banks today won’t have to pay much for the loan. As such, it encourages growth. However, extreme capitalism creates a scenario where greed overtakes reason, and it risks the financial system," he pointed out that capitalism, when it’s managed fairly, isn’t the main problem.

The financial expert suggested that social democracy, aka socialism, could be a good alternative to capitalism. Social democracies tax their citizens more than capitalistic systems, but the payoff is that more people have easy, free (or cheap) access to services that are deemed vital.

"Citizens are given services such as free and (easily) accessible healthcare, child care, social welfare, etc. Conversely, highly capitalistic societies charge for these services, making it incredibly challenging for the poor," Rick explained.

#25

Anti-Work-Posts

Roxanne Garza-Sabah , twitter.com Report

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Julie C Rose
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People are shaming people for WHAT and WHAT? I knew about prats who shame people for living with their parents, but the other two?! How bloody privileged are some people?!

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#27

Anti-Work-Posts

Michael John LaPointe Report

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Juan Ghote
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Burger King reported a net income amounting to 1.02 billion from its global operations during the 2021 financial year. Just let that sink in for a few minutes, then re-read the this post.

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Vasana Phong
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

His daughter actually set up a go fund me page for him, goal was only like $500, he got so far$300,000, he is such a humble man, worked hard, took care of his kids, just happy he finally got to see his grandkids

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Peaches GreFra
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sad how people don't care about people. I've worked in fast food while studying. It's such a hard and ungrateful job

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EQXL
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still have no words for how badly this proofs that hard work doesn't pay off

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Chris D'Asta
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Recent post here stated that online donations are around 330,000 dollars to pay him his due. Awesome. There is still love in this f****d up society.

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Nikki Hilton
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So happy for him that his daughter started a gofundme to try to raise $300 and instead it's close to $300,000 now.

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Thomas Dickson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I respect their dedication, though I wonder what else they could have achieved instead of being an employee for 27 years at a fast food restaurant... Also I'm sure those pens will be super useful at work...

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Carole G.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

& received $300,000.00 from a gofundme that someone set up for him. Ya gotta love it 😀

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Lori Rogers
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I worked for BK and got into management (early 2000's) I was told my salary and measly benefits. Then told I'd have 12-16hr shifts, if someone called off and no one to come cover them I'd have to also cover their duties along with my own. I broke down how much an hour I'd be getting for 12hrs it was the same as I was getting before - $7.50hr. When I told them that didn't seem right the district manager explained that I would have more hours so I'd be getting more pay. ARE YOU SERIOUS!?

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Scott Crowe
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I left a restaurant job when a manager reached her 10 year anniversary and the owners showed up and gave her a cheap-looking printout of a certificate congratulating her on 10 years of service and a $100 check. The company I left to go work for gave us a $1,000 Christmas bonus every year.

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Kevin Richie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Back in the day people worked for a paycheck. Kept working to keep getting a paycheck.

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David Henry
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Heard they crowdfunded 300k for him like it was a heartwarming story. All I could think is, "Oh goodie! Our abusive taskmasters have successfully driven us to pay employees their worth for them. Now, let's discuss tipping culture..."

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Ibbie Ikenzebates
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1 year ago

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essaid
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1 year ago

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its a joke they are rolling of there desks I'm sure

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The expert also noted that capitalism gives everyone the opportunity to grow and flourish. What’s more, he said that there’s a misconception that the wealthy are always making a profit: business owners take big risks and can suffer financial setbacks, not just victories. The issue, however, is that some major corporations begin influencing the general public, and how they think.

“Today, the news is largely distributed by some of the largest American corporations: Google, Facebook, and Twitter. Think Brexit or the 2016 American Presidential election,” he said that small companies have to compete with multinational corporations with a lot of power. Not everyone has the kind of capital necessary to make it big.

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#29

Anti-Work-Posts

Allegra Merz , twitter.com Report

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James016
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Regarding the overturning of Roe vs Wade, people are now unable to get the medication they need for their conditions as that medication COULD be used in abortions. Saw one in particular that they now can't get a certain medication to treat their Lupus. Not that those in power give a s**t.

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#30

Anti-Work-Posts

Tom Marshall Report

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rspanther
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people would probably end up being more productive at work if they were dead.

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“Those [products] with the best quality, price, customer service, or combination (of at least two) often do well. Increasingly, however, those who are willing to spend more at the beginning are seeing both extreme gains and losses. Famously, Amazon and Tesla, for example, have spent hundreds of millions of investors’ dollars before ever making a cent," the expert told Bored Panda.

#31

Anti-Work-Posts

Chaz Deigh Leigh , twitter.com Report

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Kristine Ellis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those of us overseas keep hearing about loveless empty Christianity, frightened egotistical gun toters, greed obsessed oligarchs, celebrity narcissism. Why do you Americans put up with it? Maybe time for a Second Revolution, Americans? In a more compassionate direction?

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#34

Anti-Work-Posts

Ashley Goodwin , twitter.com Report

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Wang Zhuang
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The company should be covering the full price of fuel as long as you are using it to drive clients around. Period.

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#35

Anti-Work-Posts

Ira Casey Bailey Report

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