My experience being part of the millennial workforce

[Yinyangfooey]

I saw this tweet and I related to it so much:



Like I honestly feel like I'm going to be sipping on iced coffee (or tea/whatever the kitchen is stocked with that morning) and listening to gaming podcasts or political comedy shows at work 9-5 until I die lol

I do have my own aspirations (gaming journalism and hosting), that I'm currently pursuing part-time, but goddamn this tweet really hit me hard. I'm sure lots of people feel this way too, what about you?

 

[Deleted member 21709]

Maybe you should find a new podcast to listen to, to keep things fresh?

 

[subpar spatula]

I saw this tweet and I related to it so much:



Like I honestly feel like I'm going to be sipping on iced coffee (or tea/whatever the kitchen is stocked with that morning) and listening to gaming podcasts or political comedy shows at work 9-5 until I die lol

I do have my own aspirations (gaming journalism and hosting), that I'm currently pursuing part-time, but goddamn this tweet really hit me hard. I'm sure lots of people feel this way too, what about you?

Click to shrink...

Find ways to make work more enjoyable for you that doesn't require you to sit around and listen to podcasts? Like, very little people enjoy working for an actual paycheque, it isn't a millenial thing. Do you think factory workers in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 20s, 10s all liked standing around in basically the same spot doing repetitive motions for 8 hours a day? Probably not, but you gotta do what you gotta do. At the end of the day, you are probably more happy with something to do than actually spend an extra 8+ hours a day on hobbies which will burn you out faster on said hobby.

 

[Aphexian]

Now just imagine if we had Universal Basic Income and you didn't have to throw your time on Earth into the dump just to make a buck. You could actually spend your time doing shit you actually want to do.

 

[RandomExpletive]

Wouldn't mind going back to last month's podcast-fueled workload, inheriting essentially all of my mentors projects is kinda... stressful lets say

 

[SoH]

 

[ElMexiMerican]

I suppose I'm fortunate to work somewhere where new/different things are usually going on - it definitely helps to keep things from getting stale.

 

[Deleted member 1635]

It's fucking hilarious to me that being able to sip iced coffee and listen to podcasts while at "work" is now considered misery to some people. The sheer lack of perspective for the challenges that other people face.

I'm technically a millennial (34), but people need to understand that not everyone can be "big" or "famous" or doing something constantly exciting every day. Man, our education that focused on "everyone's special" really fucked a number of us up, didn't it?

 

[BWoog]

After 12 years of working at jobs that paid well but crushed my soul, I quit earlier this year to pursue something I had done as a hobby.

I make less, but now I work remotely and I just feel like this giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I do some tutoring to make up for the income I lost and man, I wouldn't change a thing. Fuck the office environment.

 

[Br3wnor]

How is this different than any other generation? Working for a living sucks for most people, you're supposed to find ways to enjoy life outside of work. Having a family (I imagine) also helps to get a better perspective on work since you have little humans relying on you to make an income.

The big error at least in my opinion is to feel like your career needs to fulfill you because for the vast majority of us, it never will.

Should note I'm an older millennial (33) and entered the workforce in 2009 (lol) and worked SHIT jobs before going to law school and now I have a really good job (work life balance wise) so I'm super appreciative to have it. I imagine younger millennials graduated college and entered a more robust economy and didn't have to work retail for multiple years with a Bachelors degree like myself and many of my age group did so I can see where they're coming from.

 

[Mendrox]

I saw this tweet and I related to it so much:



Like I honestly feel like I'm going to be sipping on iced coffee (or tea/whatever the kitchen is stocked with that morning) and listening to gaming podcasts or political comedy shows at work 9-5 until I die lol

I do have my own aspirations (gaming journalism and hosting), that I'm currently pursuing part-time, but goddamn this tweet really hit me hard. I'm sure lots of people feel this way too, what about you?

Click to shrink...

Do you think it was that different back then in factories for example? Even nowadays there are enough jobs where you don't just casually listen to podcasts. You are bored at your job? Look for another one or learn something in the mean time at work or well just be like some others and go the extra mile. Would be great to have the time to listen to podcasts at my job and I am a millenial '91

 

[Deffers]

It's fucking hilarious to me that being able to sip iced coffee and listen to podcasts while at "work" is now considered misery to some people. The sheer lack of perspective for the challenges that other people face.

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Remove the ability to choose from a scenario and almost anything could become Hell, or at best a gilded cage. Even a caviar dinner served on a gold plate could get old if you were *forced* to eat nothing else every night. Sure, other people suffer WAY worse, but like... the inability to choose, and especially the inability to pursue ambitions, can really become a sort of poison.

 

[SugarNoodles]

Find ways to make work more enjoyable for you that doesn't require you to sit around and listen to podcasts? Like, very little people enjoy working for an actual paycheque, it isn't a millenial thing. Do you think factory workers in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 20s, 10s all liked standing around in basically the same spot doing repetitive motions for 8 hours a day? Probably not, but you gotta do what you gotta do. At the end of the day, you are probably more happy with something to do than actually spend an extra 8+ hours a day on hobbies which will burn you out faster on said hobby.

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You mean when they could buy a fucking house?

I feel like you're smart enough to grasp the subtext here.

 

[FLEABttn]

Man, our education that focused on "everyone's special" really fucked a number of us up, didn't it?

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Complaining about snowflakes is certainly a take you could have about this.

 

[Deleted member 1635]

Complaining about snowflakes is certainly a take you could have about this.

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What? I always took "snowflake" to mean "overly sensitive" (since snowflakes easily melt). Did I have it wrong the whole time?

Remove the ability to choose from a scenario and almost anything could become Hell, or at best a gilded cage. Even a caviar dinner served on a gold plate could get old if you were *forced* to eat nothing else every night. Sure, other people suffer WAY worse, but like... the inability to choose, and especially the inability to pursue ambitions, can really become a sort of poison.

Click to shrink...

I can understand not filling fulfilled by your work, but if you have iced coffee to sip on and podcasts to listen to, then you're already doing a whole hell of a lot better than most people. It's important to appreciate what you have. With that said, I have immense respect for for those who pursue their ambitions even if it means less pay, benefits, etc. and don't blame their failures on everyone else.

 

[subpar spatula]

You mean when they could buy a fucking house?

I feel like you're smart enough to grasp the subtext here.

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The subtext of a person complaining his work is unfulfilling? The OP isn't about buying a house, but the daily grind. You added subtext.

 

[Richietto]

I guess im reading the tweet way different than everyone else??? Seems to me like the point is that working doesn't get you ahead anymore. You get payed shit, work shit hours, and at the end of the day all you have is a coffee and free listening to rinse and repeat. Compared to previous generations that very well could afford homes, take vacations, etc. You know, actually living. Yeah work sucks but its different these days, its the only thing many people can do, especially here in the U.S.

She isn't saying she gets to listen to podcasts and drink iced coffee at work. The original tweet didn't say that, and her further tweets clarify if you need clarifications you dense motherfuckers.

 

[sphagnum]

The point is to be exploited by capitalists.

 

[nightstalker962]

Iced coffee at work, must be nice.

 

[SugarNoodles]

The subtext of a person complaining his work is unfulfilling? The OP isn't about buying a house, but the daily grind. You added subtext.

Click to shrink...

The subtext of millennial work culture

 

[nullref]

It's a very common sentiment, and not at all a uniquely Millenial one. If you put it into perspective, the the bulk of human history has been generations of struggle and toil to allow you the utter luxury of your boredom and ennui.

 

[Dead Guy]

Work fucking sucks and then you die so why not just kill myself now and skip all the bullshit and misery.

It's a thought I struggle with every single day. Fuck working for a living. This shit is destroying my soul.

 

[Tom Penny]

There is a group of Melenialls at my job that stand around a table drinking coffe in the morning then work a little go to lunch then chill for an hour at like two in the cafe every single day like clock work. Guess they don't have a boss.

 

[davepoobond]

well, you could go off the grid.

there's also living in a communist country or something

 

[subpar spatula]

The subtext of millennial work culture

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You are really reaching there, SugarNoodles. Like, the OP's Tweet doesn't even reference millennial, the thread creator does, and his entire substance is revolving around how boring his work is and he'd prefer to do hobbies instead (which he does part-time).

You are adding substance that doesn't exist. Like, what are you doing? lol You took a standard response about how dull basically every generation is about the daily grind and turned it into some weird subtext argument about buying a house will make it feel better? wut.

 

[LOLDSFAN]

I want to know someone's experience being part of the gen z workforce.

 

[SugarNoodles]

You are really reaching there, SugarNoodles. Like, the OP's Tweet doesn't even reference millennial, the thread creator does, and his entire substance is revolving around how boring his work is and he'd prefer to do hobbies instead (which he does part-time).

You are adding substance that doesn't exist. Like, what are you doing? lol You took a standard response about how dull basically every generation is about the daily grind and turned it into some weird subtext argument about buying a house will make it feel better? wut.

Click to shrink...

It's literally in the thread title. Why are you like this?

 

[GYODX]

What industry are you in?

I feel fortunate to have a job that's fulfilling, intellectually stimulating and challenging, promotes work-life balance, and pays me enough to not worry about money.

 

[Deleted member 1635]

I guess im reading the tweet way different than everyone else??? Seems to me like the point is that working doesn't get you ahead anymore. You get payed shit, work shit hours, and at the end of the day all you have is a coffee and free listening to rinse and repeat. Compared to previous generations that very well could afford homes, take vacations, etc. You know, actually living. Yeah work sucks but its different these days, its the only thing many people can do, especially here in the U.S.

She isn't saying she gets to listen to podcasts and drink iced coffee at work. The original tweet didn't say that, and her further tweets clarify if you need clarifications you dense motherfuckers.

Click to shrink...

What previous generations?

The window even in American history when the middle class was booming and everyone could afford a nice home with a factor job was a slim sliver of time in the grand scheme of things.

 

[subpar spatula]

It's literally in the thread title. Why are you like this?

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You're not even reading things are you? You literally replied 5 seconds after I posted.

 

[Mik2121]

nvm.

 

[Renna Hazel]

Work fucking sucks and then you die so why not just kill myself now and skip all the bullshit and misery.

It's a thought I struggle with every single day. Fuck working for a living. This shit is destroying my soul.

Click to shrink...

Think about the things outside of work that are worth living for. That can hopefully keep you going.

 

[Yinyangfooey]

Aight, so I realize I may have come off a bit weird here. I understand that I do have it better off than many people, as my "struggles" are just inconveniences compared to those who say, have to work 2 jobs to support their kid or something.

I understand that it sounds really privileged from my point of view and I apologize, I didn't mean to come off that way I guess

 

[Metal Slugger]

Kids, volunteering, mentoring/teaching, trying to be a positive force in the world...it takes effort to make a difference and feel fulfilled. Writing snarky lower-caps tweets for attention won't.

 

[FLEABttn]

What? I always took "snowflake" to mean "overly sensitive" (since snowflakes easily melt). Did I have it wrong the whole time?

Click to shrink...

Snowflakes are special because they're all unique.

Everyone being told they're special isn't the problem (never mind being a problem). Housing, healthcare, and education are the most expensive they've ever been. Wages have been stagnant. Millennials will be worse off than their parents, and one of the few niceties in their life that's somewhat affordable both monetarily and in the sense of time is constantly thrown in their face as why they don't own a house yet. So I'm not super inclined to hear about how good they have it when coffee and podcasts are the high water marks of their life.

 

[BrutalInsane]

It sounds like you're settling and getting too complacent. Why don't you reach out to a podcast you like that's in your area and try to intern for them or something?

 

[NoRéN]

It's fucking hilarious to me that being able to sip iced coffee and listen to podcasts while at "work" is now considered misery to some people. The sheer lack of perspective for the challenges that other people face.

I'm technically a millennial (34), but people need to understand that not everyone can be "big" or "famous" or doing something constantly exciting every day. Man, our education that focused on "everyone's special" really fucked a number of us up, didn't it?

Click to shrink...

Agreed. I can't believe I'm part of that group as well.

It adds to my overall apathy toward "my" age group.

 

[Kuro]

I don't know how people listen to podcasts.

Spoiler

I never see anyone with ipods anymore

 

[Zed]

Now just imagine if we had Universal Basic Income and you didn't have to throw your time on Earth into the dump just to make a buck. You could actually spend your time doing shit you actually want to do.

Click to shrink...

Was just going to post something similar to this. It is amazing how much time people waste at work without contributing anything productive yet they still do it because that is one of the few ways to get money which is required in the modern world (and actually working all day in a lot of cases isn't going to get you anymore money than spending a lot of the day wasting time). It is pretty clear because of automation that we don't need people working 40 hours a week anymore.

 

[Deleted member 1635]

Snowflakes are special because they're all unique.

Everyone being told they're special isn't the problem (never mind being a problem). Housing, healthcare, and education are the most expensive they've ever been. Wages have been stagnant. Millennials will be worse off than their parents, and one of the few niceties in their life that's somewhat affordable both monetarily and in the sense of time is constantly thrown in their face as why they don't own a house yet. So I'm not super inclined to hear about how good they have it when coffee and podcasts are the high water marks of their life.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, it's bullshit that your parents got to live in a brief golden age of the economy. I get it, but we need to get the fuck over it as a generation and figure out a way forward. Lamenting about how much easier of a time our parents had at it is not going to help anyone. Even still, we live in an age of riches in a different sense. I know I'd much rather have the Internet and all of our modern technologies as well as cushy office jobs with perks over a shitty factory job with lax safety standards and a nice new affordable new home in the middle of nowhere with no technology to speak of.

 

[ApatheticDolphin]

I get what you mean in that what I do for work is ultimately meaningless but I need to pay rent and so I keep myself sane by listening to podcasts and drinking iced coffee

 

[Musubi]

Work fucking sucks and then you die so why not just kill myself now and skip all the bullshit and misery.

It's a thought I struggle with every single day. Fuck working for a living. This shit is destroying my soul.

Click to shrink...

I feel you. I'm reaching a point where I'm really finding lack of reasons to even want to keep existing anymore.

 

[Mendrox]

What? I always took "snowflake" to mean "overly sensitive" (since snowflakes easily melt). Did I have it wrong the whole time?



I can understand not filling fulfilled by your work, but if you have iced coffee to sip on and podcasts to listen to, then you're already doing a whole hell of a lot better than most people. It's important to appreciate what you have. With that said, I have immense respect for for those who pursue their ambitions even if it means less pay, benefits, etc. and don't blame their failures on everyone else.

Click to shrink...

Snowflake is exactly what you mean including unique.

Snowflake is a 2010s derogatory slang term for a person, implying that they have an inflated sense of uniqueness, an unwarranted sense of entitlement, or are overly-emotional, easily offended, and unable to deal with opposing opinions. Common usages include the terms special snowflake, Generation Snowflake, and snowflake as a politicized insult.

Click to shrink...

 

[electricblue]

I don't know how people listen to podcasts.

Click to shrink...

I use headphones

 

[Deffers]

I can understand not filling fulfilled by your work, but if you have iced coffee to sip on and podcasts to listen to, then you're already doing a whole hell of a lot better than most people. It's important to appreciate what you have. With that said, I have immense respect for for those who pursue their ambitions even if it means less pay, benefits, etc. and don't blame their failures on everyone else.

Click to shrink...

I don't disagree, but at the same time, it's important to understand the mechanisms by which people lose sight of the good things in their lives. A lack of autonomy, and an inability to move forward, can often be the fundamental driver for this kind of outlook. A lot of millenials have high debts that prevent them from actually taking the risk of moving on to something new in their lives. I know my loan payments gave me nightmares until I could negotiate an income-based repayment plan that made my unemployment hell a bit less stressful. When there's no money left to pursue personal projects, and all the news seems to indicate the planet is being killed by corrupt and unaccountable monsters, it can be easy to lose sight of one's greater privilege.

 

[Merv]

At what age do people think they should realistically be ready to buy a house?

I am not the average person in this regard, so maybe it doesn't apply. I joined the Air Force in 95, and rented/used base housing until 2009. I bought my first house at age 32. That seems like a reasonable timeline to me, considering a mortgage is typically 30 years, so you have no large housing costs at retirement.

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

After 10 years of retail and seriously thinking I'd never get out of it. I have enjoyed my boring do almost nothing office job.

 

[Richietto]

What previous generations?

The window even in American history when the middle class was booming and everyone could afford a nice home with a factor job was a slim sliver of time in the grand scheme of things.

Click to shrink...

It wasn't too long ago that housing was affordable, and that minimum wages actually went up with the times. It wasn't just the boomers that could do these things. My point is, and the point of the tweet is that there is nothing but work, its just a fruitless cycle to stay afloat. No time for actually doing shit. I empathize greatly because Im in the same boat, and so are plenty of other young folk.

 

[Deleted member 1635]

It wasn't too long ago that housing was affordable, and that minimum wages actually went up with the times. It wasn't just the boomers that could do these things. My point is, and the point of the tweet is that there is nothing but work, its just a fruitless cycle to stay afloat. No time for actually doing shit. I empathize greatly because Im in the same boat, and so are plenty of other young folk.

Click to shrink...

I would argue that there's never been a better time for actually doing shit. The Internet and dirt-cheap computing devices makes it so easy to learn just about anything you could imagine and truly get good at it as long as you're willing to move somewhere cheap enough to facilitate a life style that lets you dedicate yourself to learning.

Obviously this doesn't apply nearly as much to people who are tied down with families, etc.

 

[Irnbru]

Learn some new skills and automate your portion of the industry? Ain't nobody got time for podcasts