If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that capitalism isn't working - well, at least for younger generations who get to 'enjoy' the scraps left by their predecessors. While it might not be totally right to pitch our forks at white middle-aged billionaires - you know, your Elon Musks and Jeff Bezoses, the totems of what's wrong with today's economy - tell that to 8-in-10 young folks who feel like the possibility of owning a house in this day and age is rather laughable.
Sure, addressing both capitalism's finicky structure and the way it continues to affect Gen Xers' and millennials' livelihood won't fix what's already broken. Neither will crying and meme-ing into our Twitter feeds. But at least we have that (until Musk runs it to ruins, of course).
This post may include affiliate links.
In the midst of a seemingly thriving economy, a disheartening reality persists for a significant portion of young Americans who find themselves grappling to make ends meet. As the value of their hard-earned salaries continues to dwindle, more and more Americans are compelled to embrace the burden of additional workloads.
Startling statistics from a 2018 Bankrate survey expose the extent of this crisis, revealing that nearly 40% of the population now holds a secondary job. This fervent pursuit of supplementary income is particularly prevalent among millennials, with a staggering 51% resorting to some form of a side hustle to combat the financial strain - as if the record rates of burnout cases and depression weren't an indicator that the system is majorly flawed.
Knowledge & Enlightenment help you recognize the villains and the traps they make.
How has this guy never been elected President? What he says is just common sense, not anything controversial.
He got totally screwed by the Democratic Party and the US' two-party system. He was an Independent who joined the Democratic Party to run for president in the 2016 election because any 3rd party candidate doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell. Despite the fact that he was far more popular and polling better, in 2016 and 2020, the Democratic Party backed longtime party players even though most people really didn't like them. Bernie is not a player, not a party loyalist and will call out the Dems when he thinks they're wrong. They don't like that. He would have been a great president.
Load More Replies...
America, no sick days, no vacation days, no healthcare, no maternity leave, no living wage, but, hey, we’re more than happy to force women to give birth against their will, deny women life saving abortions and let them die like dogs in parking lots, and have all active shooter drills for the first graders. FREEDOM!!!
So I have a good one. Yesterday I had to take off from work to take my toddler to the ER with a 104F fever. After 2 hours in the ER they couldn't tell me why he had a high fever but dismissed and sent home with a follow up with primary physician 2 days later. Diagnosis given by hospital, acute fever. Like I went to the hospital because he had a fever! Thats for the great diagnosis and the $2100 bill to tell me he had a fever.
I love Bernie! I’m from Vermont and when I was a young mother he helped me and my husband immensely. It’s a long story but I will be forever grateful to this man.
No employee rights, no healthcare, no human rights, no freedom of speech (NB freedom of speech has to include foreign citizens who are overseas who disclose to the world your war crimes as part of their job as a journalist. Esp if they win awards for doing so and it's all over the papers and TV news [Julian Assange]) This is not a developed country..
This is unacceptable. I expected better of the US. I shall leave to Finland, immediately.
The USA is also where ppl think its ok to be almost unpaid and expect customers to chip in snd pay that worker...tips. Or that allows a person who is unpaid at all and they dont call it slavery. They invent a word and call them a intern. And this is tolerated???
I recently lost my job of nearly a decade because I injured myself whilst doing it. I was doing PT and resting and one day...they just stopped contact. So I called them and asked what was up... And jist like that...I am left with a permanent injury and no job.
anybody with five f*****g homes is part of the problem. that includes bernie.
problem with America everyone accepts this because they think one day they will be part of 1% and they can benefit from this. not going to happen.
Um, no. I live here and I have never known ANYONE that thought that or even aspired to be part of the 1%. Me included.
Load More Replies... Although I agree with this, I should point out that many European countries don't have paid time off for a sick family member, only for the worker. France doesn't for example.
South Africa has for children, paid time off for death of children, spouse, parents and grandparents....we 36 paid sick leave days in 3 year cycle.
Load More Replies...
What drives me crazy is a bunch of men deciding how long a woman should have off after she has a baby, if men had the babies they would be off work for a years. My daughter's finance gets more time off of work than she does, the that had the baby! Don't get me wrong super happy he gets that much time off, but so should she?
Drilling down: If an employee is sick and possibly contagious, it is cheaper to provide guaranteed paid sick days than to have an entire group or department get sick and not be able to work.
I'm in Canada and my current job is the only one that has 3 paid sick days. A lot of companies just suck.
I don't understand- I thought paid sick days are mandatory legally? I thought we had laws about that already
Not in the US. Many low paying jobs don't have paid sick days and it certainly isn't mandated. And it won't be as long as we have a viable Republican party blocking any progress. Remember these are the same people bringing back child labor in their states.
Load More Replies...
He didn't got elected because of his populist message. More centrist people didn't like his hate of corporation and rich people portrayed as all evil. And he claim elections was rigged when he lost. I'm talking about Sanders, not Trump. Still many people here show how they believe election are stolen and how they hate the democrat party. That's why people didn't like him, he couldn't unite people behind him. It's always other's fault, never him. That's what populist leader do.
That's ridiculous. Most good paying jobs have paid sick days and most people don't take advantage. What you are really arguing is that somehow the standard should be different for poorer workers.
Load More Replies...
I’m convinced this is exactly why religion is all “hard work and meekness will lead to paradise!” to stop the lower classes revolting.
When I was in highschool, I did walkathons every year for different causes. When looking for sponsors, I didn't go to the better parts of town. I crossed the tracks to the poor section. The poor have been there, and know the struggle. They were the ones that gave.
Also, what is with people getting permission to strike or protest?
This would take an extremely talented and well versed host to counteract the combined excuses and BS those fil thy rich made up to legitimate their wealth
Avocado toast is obviously too good for the likes of you! Seriously, I've never tasted avocado. What does it taste like?
And by capture you mean steal from, defraud, or use others for pennies?
A few historical data. USA based, listed as YEAR:INDEX [MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE / AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME] - 1960: 2.68 [$15000/5600] - 1970: 2.75 [$24000/8700] - 1980: 3.55 [$64000/18000] - 1990: 4.13 [$124000/30000] - 2000: 3.9 [$165000/42000] - 2010 : 4.49 [$220000/49000] - 2020: 4.75 [$320000/67500] - 2023: 5.45 [$479000/87800]
Ever notice that every religion keeps telling us we should be happy or at least satisfied with running on that same hamster wheel our entire lives because we'll be rewarded after we're dead?
Buuuut guuuyys... how else are the capitalists supposed to keep their wage slaves chained??? Come on, guys! Think of the billionaires! 🥺
Once upon a time schools actually taught kids about the Labor Movement and why it was so important. Of course that's when they also taught civics and how to tell time on analog clocks so....
Unions, and democrats, gave us the 40 hour workweek and with it, the concept of “the weekend.” They stopped child labor and got us paid vacation time. They are currently fighting to get paid medical leave and free, or subsidized, childcare for working families. And somehow they’re the bad guys?
Without workers, no iPhone. Without workers, no Tesla. Without workers, no Starbucks. Without workers, no ANYTHING!!!
35 interviews in 5 months, applied to 200 companies. Reasons for rejections - you're great, we just found someone more flexible (read accepted to work for a lot less money)
Ditto for recruitment agencies that advertise jobs as 'a great place to work and achieve your potential', yet fail to disclose the company name in the listing.
I took a friend to Five Guys a couple of weeks ago. 2 Cheese burgers and a large order of fries plus 2 drinks- add in the small tip (yes, it was stupid to tip someone for doing their job). The bill came to $47 and some change. I swear to dog I'm not exaggerating. You charge that much and still won't pay your employees a decent wage
You can still get fired if they want you gone. They have ways to do it.
The corporate tax rate was like 90% back in the 1950s. Today it's like 26%. Wealth redistribution works!
Yeah... at my first performance review at my retail-minion job, my manager told me I got, like, a 30-cent raise and then reminded me not to talk about my wages with my coworkers because it's personal between me and the managers. Totally illegal, but short of starting a union or quitting my job in dramatic fashion, there's no benefit to pointing that out.
Unless you're an exotic dancer - then you might actually be grinding.
Note: this post originally had 64 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
Can't say this loud enough. Takers have convinced the world they are givers and blame poverty on those they have taken from. The takers tell everyone if they want to have as much as they have, the just need to give more to the takers.
Just look at credit scores. Look at how takers promote social infighting.
Load More Replies...
Y'all realize that this is powerfully American, not world-wide, right?
Just yesterday I sent an email to all (three) of the people that report to me and made it clear that the expectation when they are on a holiday or a vacation day (PTO), there is zero expectation that they are available to the company, including email, phone, text or instant messaging. If they choose to do that, they can, but I want them all to know, their time is their time. I'm a low level manager in my company, but I asked the rest of my leadership team if we all agreed this was the case. My director said yes, then asked if someone was asked to be available on their day off, and was ready to go to their defense.
I don’t make it an option. I will actively give someone criticism if I see them working on PTO. Having the option keeps the door open and makes some people still feel obligated. I will catch someone and exactly say “what are you doing online? You’re off work. Go home.” And if they email or chat me something work related, I will let them know I’m choosing to ignore them. We have to end the ‘hustle culture’.
Load More Replies...
Can't say this loud enough. Takers have convinced the world they are givers and blame poverty on those they have taken from. The takers tell everyone if they want to have as much as they have, the just need to give more to the takers.
Just look at credit scores. Look at how takers promote social infighting.
Load More Replies... Y'all realize that this is powerfully American, not world-wide, right?
Just yesterday I sent an email to all (three) of the people that report to me and made it clear that the expectation when they are on a holiday or a vacation day (PTO), there is zero expectation that they are available to the company, including email, phone, text or instant messaging. If they choose to do that, they can, but I want them all to know, their time is their time. I'm a low level manager in my company, but I asked the rest of my leadership team if we all agreed this was the case. My director said yes, then asked if someone was asked to be available on their day off, and was ready to go to their defense.
I don’t make it an option. I will actively give someone criticism if I see them working on PTO. Having the option keeps the door open and makes some people still feel obligated. I will catch someone and exactly say “what are you doing online? You’re off work. Go home.” And if they email or chat me something work related, I will let them know I’m choosing to ignore them. We have to end the ‘hustle culture’.
Load More Replies... 