I’ve no idea how this crisis actually plays out.
This is a crisis. A large crisis. In fact, if you got a moment, it’s a twelve-storey crisis with a magnificent entrance hall, carpeting throughout, 24-hour portage, and an enormous sign on the roof, saying ‘This Is a Large Crisis’. A large crisis requires a large plan. Get me two pencils and a pair of underpants.
(Blackadder quote from series 4)
You know, the fucked up thing about it all is I was always told that the kind of delayed gratification that came from major accomplishments like a college degree, a steady career, a comfortable savings account, would all outweigh the fleeting pleasure of parties and stupid little trinkets and other such fun. I wish I had taken so much more time for myself because I burned out so hard achieving some of these things and failing to achieve others that I struggle deeply to imagine a future with me in it.
I hope whatever youth is left in the world spends their time having fun. I hope their lives are worth living now, and that mine will be someday too.
I reached peak purchasing power in 2003. It’s been regression since. The social contract isn’t just broken, it’s shredded and burned.
Just adjusting for inflation, I should be making $145K at my experience level from when I started my career. I’ve never cracked $50K. Meanwhile, costs rose to the point that I’d need to be making $145K to have the sort of life one expects in their mid-40s.
Also, copyeditors are no longer a thing.
Idk, my 20’s were not great, and my 30’s aren’t looking too much better but trying to stay positive. The main difference is I’m learning to cope and adjusting my expectations drastically.
I think restructuring cities and communities to be walkable tight-knit environments would certainly help. Give people reasons to interact outside the house. Give people the time to interact outside the house. Help people achieve a purpose and meaning in life instead of feeling like a cog in a wealth machine.
If we’re all just struggling to get by, it’s no wonder the youth feel despair.
- this could just be my personal bias showing so idk.
To end this on a happier note, I’ve been starting to think of ways that I can reduce my footprint and still live as comfortable life as possible. I’m aiming for as low expenses that I can manage, along with working the least amount possible. I just don’t really see a point to working my ass off now. I at least have some youth. Might as well enjoy it while I can.
I have no idea how to achieve this yet. But my mindset is there, so I’m sure I’ll figure it out eventually.
I don’t remember the word “happy” being relevant when I was teen - late 80s to early 90s - or expecting that hormone driven period to even be that interesting. I understand that my generation had more opportunities to “prosper” but I had to leave my house at 18 yo no question so I also had no choice but to get to it.
This isn’t just about teens - the article shows that every age under 45 is less happy, and - excluding a brief bump in the late 20s - people just keep getting unhappy as they get older. There’s no “it gets better” age to look forward to.
Actually, things seem to get better with age, just not as they seemed to be before:
Whereas happiness was once considered to follow a U-shape – with a relatively carefree youth, a tougher middle age and a more comfortable later life – the experts in wellbeing say our satisfaction now rises steadily with age instead.
I’m 45, and never had any financial stability. Sure, journalism wasn’t the best field to get into, but I’ve been laid off so many times in the middle of a lease that I had to drain my 401(k)s each time I had anything saved up. Society is a scam.
Right, so “We’re all fucked” is the takeaway here.
