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Article created by: Austėja Akavickaitė

You might’ve done everything ‘right’ growing up: you studied hard, got the degree you wanted, worked your bum off. But even if you did everything that your parents told you to do, success isn’t guaranteed. Heck, sometimes, a comfortable middle-class lifestyle seems out of reach. And there you are—well-educated, with a strong work ethic—unable to find even a low-income job to pay your rent. And it isn’t all your fault: the world has changed.

These and other struggles that millennials, especially working-class ones, face are documented on the ‘Lost Generation’ subreddit. It’s an online group, founded in 2009, in the wake of the previous financial crisis, that has nearly 262k members and calls out capitalism, income inequality, and how unfair the system can sometimes be. We’ve selected their top posts for you to see, dear Pandas. You’ll find them below, as you scroll down.

Some of you highly-educated Pandas will have noticed that the subreddit’s name refers to the Lost Generation that was in early adulthood during World War I. The term refers to how disoriented, wandering, and directionless many people in the postwar period felt. Feelings that some millennials (aka Gen Y) and members of the younger generations embody as well.

Bored Panda reached out to Eddy Ng, the Smith Professor of Equity & Inclusion in Business at Queen’s University, for his insights on how the financial crisis of 2008 restructured the economy and affected millennials, as well as the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequality. Bored Panda also had an in-depth discussion with the head moderator of the r/lostgeneration subreddit, u/Adahn5. Scroll down for both exclusive interviews.

#1

Vanilla Wafers Are More Than Half Of What Minimum Wage Workers Earn In An Hour

Millennials share struggles about low minimum wage and rising living costs in posts highlighting financial challenges.

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    #2

    Workers Deserve Better Than This

    Tweets discussing mask-free shopping hours and the struggles faced by retail staff, highlighting millennials' challenges.

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    #3

    Just Work Hard And You'll Succeed

    Hospital janitor struggles with low pay during pandemic contrasted with CEO's $30 million raise, highlighting millennials' struggles.

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    #4

    Precisely

    Tweet highlighting the ages of U.S. Congress leaders, reflecting a struggle faced by millennials in political representation.

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    #5

    Pay People What They Are Worth!

    Tweet screenshot discussing entry-level job experience and pay, highlighting struggles millennials face in the job market.

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    #6

    Mad Max Hours Who Up?

    Tweet by David Moscrop highlighting millennials' struggles with retirement plans amidst climate change concerns.

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    #7

    But Did They Really Try Making Coffee At Home?

    Tweet from HighYield Harry joking about government money shortage and coffee, reflecting millennials' struggles in social media posts and memes.

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    #8

    Just Make It Illegal

    Dog wearing a bow tie sitting in front of a board with text about millennials’ struggles with property and corporations.

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    #9

    How It Started, How It's Going

    Tweet comparing GoFundMe in 2012 as a small support site to 2021 as vital to American healthcare, highlighting millennials struggles.

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    #10

    It Isn’t Adding Up

    Tweet by a millennial discussing financial struggles and the risk of homelessness illustrating millennials’ struggles and memes.

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    #11

    I Think This1% Are Unaware Of Other People

    Tweet by Emma Berquist highlighting millennial struggles with outdated minimum wage and high rent costs in a social media post.

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    #12

    Mission Accomplished - Covid-19 Edition

    Tweet from Alex Bobe humorously comparing winning the war against Coronavirus to struggles faced by millennials in 2020.

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    #13

    I Feel Motivated

    Tweet from Brielle Cashdan highlighting millennials' financial struggles and challenges saving money in today’s economy.

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    #14

    Surely A Coincidence

    Tweet from Ryan Boyd highlighting millennials’ struggles with depression, anxiety, and economic pressures in a monetized society.

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    #15

    Every. Election

    Tweet by blondie wasabi reflecting millennials struggles with voting for the lesser of two evils over two decades

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    #16

    Family Dependent Surpasses The Great Depression

    Text image highlighting millennials' struggles with a record 52% living with parents, despite being the most educated and debt-ridden generation.

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    #17

    Go To College, They Said. Get A Job And Buy A House, They Said

    Millennials share a meme showing rising house prices versus stagnant teacher salaries since 1999, highlighting financial struggles.

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    Lisa DC
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The math speaks for itself.

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    #18

    Don’t Forget Their Morning Routines

    Millennials share a meme questioning billionaire work ethic and struggles with money loss, highlighting generational challenges.

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    #19

    The Struggle

    Screenshot of a social media post illustrating millennials share struggles with housing affordability and rising rent costs.

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    #20

    Translation: Ok Boomer

    Tweet explaining millennials' struggles with boomers ignoring facts, highlighting common frustrations shared in posts and memes.

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    #21

    I'll Give You Something To Cry About

    Young child in sunglasses and denim jacket with toy car, highlighting millennials' struggles with housing, tuition, and climate issues.

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    #22

    I’ve Been Trying To Explain This To My Parents For A While

    Tweet showing a millennial expressing the struggle of explaining their generation’s tough outlook to older parents.

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    #23

    3rd Party For 2024?

    Tweet showing political indifference toward working class struggles, highlighting challenges millennials face in society and politics.

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    #24

    Being A Millennial Rules

    Tweet showing a meme about millennial struggles with college and adult responsibilities in relatable social media post.

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    #25

    Gatekeeping Through Irresponsibility

    Parking lot with pickup trucks and a small red car illustrating millennials' struggles and financial challenges facing older generations.

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    #26

    Less Yachts More People Able To Afford Food And Have A Roof Over Their Heads

    Tweet showing Millennials sharing struggles about capitalism highlighting economic inequality with humor and memes.

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    #27

    Explains A Lot

    Tweet by Randi Jo explaining millennials' struggles with unattainable adult success milestones and societal expectations.

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    #28

    Mission Impossible

    Screenshot of a social media post highlighting Millennials share struggles with housing affordability and financial challenges.

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    #29

    How Capitalism Cause Generational Gap

    Millennials meme comparing parents buying a house easily to financial struggles from unexpected car repairs.

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    #30

    Political Evolution Of Millennials

    Tweet by Rebecca Mix sharing a millennial perspective on shifting political views and generational struggles.

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    #31

    Hindsight Is 20/20

    Tweet showing millennials’ struggles with global events defining teenage years, adulthood, and parenthood challenges.

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    #32

    Have You Realized Skills Of Average Person Have Increased But Wages Still Remain D Same!?

    Cartoon comparing job struggles from 1970s to today, highlighting millennials facing difficult job market challenges.

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    #33

    Not To Mention The Debt

    Tweet by user grant highlighting the struggle millennials face with expensive education despite free online learning.

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    #34

    Minimum Wage Earners Can’t Afford A Two-Bedroom Rental Anywhere

    Comparison of 2009 and 2021 apartment rent and minimum wage highlighting millennials struggles with rising costs.

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    #35

    Workers' Passion Shouldn't Be Exploited For Profit

    Tweet from Existential Comics discussing work struggles, highlighting how passion is exploited, reflecting millennials' common challenges.

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    #36

    Our Sad Reality

    Tweet comparing 1970s home buying to 2020s rent struggles reflecting millennials share posts and memes challenges.

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    #37

    When I Magically Become An Adult In 3 Month

    Tweet showing a millennial’s story about loan struggles and art school challenges, highlighting common millennial struggles and memes.

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