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Gen Z is unhappier at work than any other generation. Here are the two things they want.
(www.businessinsider.com)
this post was submitted on 13 Feb 2024
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Work Reform
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That answers the main question I had after reading the headline: did all generations feel this way at this age, or is this unique to Gen z.
Edit: just read the about the 1995 survey referenced in the article. It's pretty interesting. https://reason.com/1995/05/01/heh-heh-work-is-cool/
Reason is a hyper pro-capitalist libertarian magazine who, in an interview with then-governor Ronald Reagan, implied he was too liberal because he didn’t think fire departments should be privatized.
I wouldn’t trust them with this kind of survey, in other words.
I just linked to the Reason article since that is what the OP article links to. A different organization actually performed the 1995 survey.
Although, I haven't been able to find the original survey with a very brief Google search. So maybe take the Reason summary with a grain of salt.
Yeah, all I’m saying is to take it with a grain of salt.
When a publication like Reason writes about a survey that backs their narrative, it’s possible that it came from a conservative organization (and so might have crafted the study to produce the results they wanted rather than having an impartial scientific approach).
The other likely possibility is that they cherry picked a survey that happened to have the results they want. Even in scientific surveys there’s going to be variability, and it’s never a good idea to base an opinion off of a single survey for that reason alone.
Am on the tail end of Gen X and when I started working even low pay allowed me to afford a place to live, food to eat, and doing fun things occasionally. While work sucked, it at least paid the bills and allowed the freedom to live. Plus there were still some companies that offered actual long term perks, tried and keep people with experience around, and promoted from within.
Gen Z still gets the low pay, but are treated as expendable, and can't afford anything and so it is understandable that they would hate working in comparison.
Want to have fun. Look up where you lived as a young adult and calculate how much it would cost today.
First wage out of college 28K. In two years it was up to 42K. Since it was a government job, I can look up the wage today. Start is at $37K, in two years its $55K
Studio apartment $650/month then, $1,800 now for the same place. Included heating and electricity and a awesome view from the 22nd floor.
Car with 30K miles on it, $185/month plus $50/month insurance. Now $550/month plus $200/month insurance.
Groceries $150/month (I ate well). Now $400/month.
Student loan, $50/month. Now $200 per month.
Phone (landline). $40/month. Now $60/month cell phone.
Take home when I started, around $1650/month. Expenses $1,125. 2 years later when I was making 42K, take home was around $2,450. I paid off the student loans, the most of the car, and had a ton of fun, traveled, dated, and eventually got married.
Today take home would've around. $2,150/month and the cost of living as I did would be around $3,010. Even after 2 years I could barely squeak by with around $3,200/month take home.
You can't have a serious conversation when you lie or embellish numbers.
I'll cherry pick two things.
Cell phones are less expensive monthly today than they were 15 years ago. You can get unlimited everything with some carriers for 30 a month. 15 years ago it was 59.99 for 1200 minutes, free nights and weekends, and 2000 texts. Internet was another 20 a month.
A car with 30k miles isn't 550 a month right now. I have a 45k car and part just over 600 a month. I bohlught brand new, and spend way more than u needed cause I'm lucky.
You can buy a used car with 30k miles for under 20k if you want. Maybe not a BMW suv, but there's not what we are talking about here.
Inflation is up. Wages are lagging. But let's not lie about shit to make a point.
Facetious argument. Try asking what I included in my estimates.
Look up a basic midrange plan on a major carrier plus data, $45 with taxes & a cost average for $500 phone across 3 years ($13.88). Comes to around $60.
As for the car, without asking what type of vehicle I was pricing out and the loan terms you have no clue. Think midrange with 700 credit score (recent college grad without any credit history to speak of). I was at 11.5% interest, on my first vehicle and a 8.5K loan over 5 years = $186.75 payment. Average price of a midrange low mileage vehicle today of the same quality is around $27K (looking to buy one for my teenager). With an 8.5% interest rate 5 year loan that comes to.... $553.95 per month...
Your 45K car for around 600 indicates your loan is around 41K and you decided to take a longer than 60 month terms. Likely an 84 month term ($613.80/month) at 6.75% interest for 790+ credit. Which was not even offered 20+ years ago because it's a stupid thing to do. A 41K loan at 60 months would be $841.18 at 8.5% interest rate FYI.
Lol, ok bud. I can tell you're not interested in a good faith conversation.
Got nothin huh... What a lame attempt to save face using an ad hominem attack.
Yawn.... Boring.
I'm just not interested in arguing on the internet. A conversation is fine, that's clearly not what you want.
Eww, yeah you're definitely not looking for a "Conversation". No one who says that is ever just truthfully looking for a conversation. You're looking for conflict.