Is it even worth it to work hard? Let's discuss

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00:00 Intro
03:30 Why people are opting out?
55:00 Do I think it's worth it to work hard?
1:05:00 What's missing from these discussions?

[@ForHarriet619]

Join the Patreon! patreon.com/forharriet

[@goldenlioness868]

I started a business before the pandemic hit. It has been difficult to keep it up and work a day job. I didn't create a business to be what society deemed "a girl boss". I did it because I love to create music, film, and other audio production projects, especially for other people. But no I'm burned out to the point that I can't be creative. I don't know what to do but I do need money to stay afloat for now until my business gains an income. Honestly, I just want to work doing what I love but I can't. Do you have any suggestions on how to get past this? I want to live a balanced and peaceful life.

[@oaklandcement]

Can you talk about Black Women and Late ADHD diagnosis?

[@lacyevans7324]

My problem with grinding through your twenties/thirties then enjoying the “benefits” later in life is that we aren’t even guaranteed that life. So many unexpected things could happen and the idea that you need to spend that time hustling and stressing over trying to make a life that either isn’t guaranteed because you may pass away, or it just might not work out for you like that is extremely disheartening and just doesn’t make sense.

[@corajohnson9802]

Exactly...a friend of my husband's is 36 and is in hospice from a rare cancer....we are guaranteed nothing.

[@fredrika27]

My then husband and I hustled to have the house with the white picket fence. He contracted Lou Gehrig's disease and had a major personality change becoming abusive. We didn't know this and within five years I was divorced, and broke. The ex sold the house to go into hospice and died a month later without his family around him. We always believed we would enjoy our lives when we retired. We never even lived! At 56 I found myself restarting my life and career. My son who is 20yo saw all this going down and doesn't even want to be part of it! This mum with a PhD has a son who will be a blacksmith! I am so proud that my son has the CHOICE of doing this because I sure didn't!

[@shinesobrightforever4863]

@@fredrika27 thank you for sharing your story

[@fredrika27]

@@shinesobrightforever4863 You're welcome!

[@meownow333]

@@fredrika27 I'm so sorry for everything you and your family went through. I couldn't imagine being in such an awful predicament. I hope you find peace and healing. ❤

[@LaLa_856]

I'm not opposed to working because I don't want my own business, but I would like part time work and full time life. I'm tired of always being at work at still broke 🙄

[@akeylawallace4420]

Same

[@ladiepink]

That and I honestly hate I have to request days off for vacay I worked for and managers have a choice if it’s approved or not. Ion like that lol

[@Martina_E]

Job stands for just over broke someone told me years ago

[@firstname8348]

For me, the balance has been working from home a few days a week. I can't imagine going back to the office full time.

[@PrincessRell09]

What’s your field?

[@5pctLowBattery]

I’ve never heard a resume read at a funeral. It’s unlikely your boss will be at your bedside at the end of your life thanking you for working so hard and not taking vacations and not spending time with your family. At the risk of sounding dramatic; when we put the needs of a company before our personal lives, we put our personal lives at risk.

[@ClayMastah344]

Beautifully said

[@javawatson1350]

Well said

[@joycewatt800]

Well said !

[@theonlyfish1913]

Yep! And when you think about it: the company *only* exists because people are working there. Like, without people, there wouldn't be anything. And now we're all working, but we don't even get to want to be in that space. We don't get a say, we don't have the power over the places we as people made.

[@pb.j.1753]

I like working hard but I don't mix personal and business life so I don't expect anybody from work to be at my funeral. I genuinely don't get the point of this.

[@tamarc389]

The "instant feeling of dread" when the alarm ⏰ goes off is soooo real!

[@_danyelb]

Pure dread 😬

[@agravery223]

I am stressed out for the economy to fully open up again... back to the daily grind- traffic, nonstop construction on every other block, annoying colleagues 😑

[@jessicat2304]

I press snooze for an hour . I cry every morning

[@tamarc389]

@@jessicat2304 😢

[@izzyuncut6332]

Jessica T they lied to us sadly not everyone is built to chase power wealth and material possessions it only goes but so far it’s not true happiness.

[@Shenette10]

Yes Kim! If you can't afford to pay someone a living wage, then you can't afford the additional worker. That means you have to do it yourself!

[@chrissyish4945]

Yeah that was a privilege statement right lol you work hard to get thru school but when it comes your home that work is just too domestic🧹🪣🧺😁

[@shizzlemywizzle1]

agreed so hard! if a boss can’t PAY their employees enough to live, they aren’t good bosses! at my last job, the owners made enough to support their families and take frequent vacations. why was the staff paid so poorly that most of us had to get a second job, just to make ends meet? unfair

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

Exactly, don't expect a personal assistant to carry some of your labor for slave wages or worse "experience". I was a film student once in my life and there was a guy in my class who basically started his production company on volunteer friends acting as his crew. He gets points for his drive to start his own little production bussiness, but it took us awhile to catch on that he was getting PAID contracts and offering us "experience points" while he was pumping up his resume and "building his bussiness" on our free labor. And not just labor, our actual skill set (rather it was audio or various production assitant roles on set) was pumping up HIS Reel that he was then using to get more clients.

[@naturallybeautiful9109]

This is so true and I had to come to realization about this when I was interviewing for a job and they were asking me the wage or the hourly rate that I was expecting and I live in DC and this lady was like well we actually are only offering someone who is between 20 to 25 an hour I was like wait a minute that’s not even a livable wage for DC why are you offering that and this was a recruiter and she just was like well that’s the range or what the companies are offering like well that’s unacceptable that’s not a livable wage and I’m pretty sure she’s not gonna give me any recruiting jobs for sure

[@kayboy6055]

no no... because above all, you still can actually outsource...

[@tashaunalindsley]

"you do not need a purpose for your life to have meaning" I literally just figured this out, it has been soooooo freeing!!

[@kim_i_said6598]

YEEEEEEESSSS! 🥂

[@lanzinator4734]

Writing that down in all caps and hanging on my wall!!

[@tashaunalindsley]

@@lanzinator4734 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@patrickburns4821]

To have meaning is purpose

[@amberjohnson]

@ Michael Baggett Same here, I can’t stand being told what to do.

[@saboo1_2]

So interesting how many women are making these videos, and are engaged in this discourse. I think perhaps unacknowledged household labour is such a big factor in this and the realization that we cannot have it all.

[@viergelalouidor4163]

COME THROUGH bringing up “unacknowledged HOUSEHOLD LABOR”!!👏🏾👏🏾

[@mxixttxi]

Can we also talk about how being a housewife has been undermined? Like what happens if…its ok to want to be a housewife

[@ShesAbsurd]

Preach!

[@ayanakaaron8926]

I think it's likely due to the fact the women's identity is less tied to work then men's because we also have that expected maternal role. But a lot of women don't dream of maternal labor either.

[@saboo1_2]

@@ayanakaaron8926 I hear you, but the labour is expected regardless of motherhood. I don't want to be a mom, but my mom and I have to clean up after everybody in our house; and that's largely how labour is divided is cis-hetero partnership too.

[@ecnenyme]

I don't want to lean in, I want to lay tf down.

[@jocelyndun]

This is amazing! I'm reading "Work Won't Love You Back" by Sarah Jaffe and it goes SO WELL with this convo. She really details how non-profits, social service jobs, sports, and other industries exploit workers with low wages and even unpaid labor (interns, overtime, etc). We are expected to buy into the myth that work is meaningful. Jaffe also talks a LOT about household labor as invisible.

[@nadiam926]

It was a great book , quite depressing. just finished it last month!

[@zabssoutherngirl2019]

What does she mean by household labor is invisible?

[@HereForFun98]

Damn I just ordered 4 books today. Wish I had seen this. Definitely ordering it now though.

[@chrissyish4945]

I will Check that 📖 out!🧐

[@micalaking1904]

Oh thanks I can’t wait to check it out

[@vulpixelful]

I want to hear from millennials with children. My partner and I are childfree by choice, but I know it would be much easier for me to opt out of labor than someone with children, especially single parents. Honestly, this is probably why I have only heard of this labor movement on the internet.

[@ForHarriet619]

this is a great point

[@ayanomar1408]

I am 27 and have two kids 1 and 4. married and the only way this worked was by planning for years! for everything and taking advantage of every resource possible. but in the same breath I know there is no way we are going to have more kids because we already know two is all we can handle financially, mentally and emotionally

[@vulpixelful]

@@ayanomar1408 Two kids under 5 seems like a handful even without opting of out of labor. Thanks for sharing!

[@ClayMastah344]

I’m childfree by choice partially due to that very maneuverability. I could not be a good or willing parent if I’m stuck in situations I hate to financially support a child. Couldn’t do it. I can’t even do it single and without kids. So damn sure not with them.

[@abbybryant9019]

As a millennial with two kids, I don’t plan to opt out. Im also a workaholic like Kim so I couldn’t imagine not doing the work I do. I truly believe I’ve tapped into my purpose but as stated that doesn’t shield you from the exhaustion. I do hope to provide my kids with the opportunity to take a “gap year” and focus on education if that’s what they choose. I want them to have more options than me without shame.

[@pwetty4r4]

Hard work is different when its actually something that is in alignment with your higher purpose

[@galks787]

This

[@gbran919]

It's interesting the way the conversation about this topic seems like it's a very individualistic ideal. I don't dream of labor, I DO dream of community. I say that as a recovering workaholic and a Black woman who grew up in poverty and saw hard work and career success as the only possible way out of a very difficult lifestyle. The way labor functions in our society is anti-community and anti-relationship. Since we are scratching, clawing and grinding away just to have a semblance of security, we see each other as competition or commodities/marks to exploit. This is why I hate networking. When I think about the freedom I want from this capitalist system, I don't just want it for myself, and I don't want it on the back of another person. I want it for all of us being ground up in it. To me I don't dream of labor =I don't dream of exploitation, alienation, commodification, or grinding my life, health, relationships and spirit away in the hopes that I'll be financially secure when I'm old, nor do I want anyone else to have to do so either.

[@ashtrologytv]

I dream of community too, sis.

[@ClayMastah344]

Beautifully said

[@yemio1005]

👌🏾 Yes!

[@babyg7796]

You better preach!🙏🏾This comment needs to be pinned! No one talks about how the ones that don’t dream of labor, are the ones who 9/10 don’t have any support or are poor and have no choice but to be exploited just to have basics like food & shelter. I was pushed out at 20y/o, only 2 years removed from HS and had no clue on how to do ANYTHING, how to run a household, how to manage $, how to “make ends meet” and there wasn’t a single family member I could call on. I didn’t even know how to get the lights & water turned on in my name! I’m now 23, credit is trash, accumulated debt(car note), couldn’t finish my degree due to having to work 3 jobs, don’t have 6 months savings, and I’m apart of the lower class. Don’t even get me started on how half of us can’t even pay to get proper health insurance…The only thing positive I can say is at least I don’t have any kids and I didn’t fall into the credit card & student loan trap.

[@millsykooksy4863]

🙌🏼

[@nedzworld6132]

I’m an Econ major and I will 100% co-sign that economics is fake also the scarcity va abundance mindset is so interesting. I also think it’s important that economic canon is dominated by western white men with colonial history so they probably couldn’t fathom that people weren’t always trying to take things from everyone else

[@SunseedStarchild]

That last sentence thooooo!!! This MUST be talked about more!!

[@chrishale5213]

Another David Graeber book, Debt: the first 5000 years, he erases the Adam Smith myth of 2 farmers having no way to trade an item and it leading to the development of money. He outlines how loose forms of credit or gifting stood in for value. At the end he also outlines the myth of constant progression from nomadic hunter gatherers to urban farm environments. He argues societies were more fluid and dynamic. In alot of ways, our economy exists because we believe it exists. We as a society can change how we value things and choose to organize ourselves.

[@ReubMann]

lmfaoooo

[@theonlyfish1913]

Is it fake, or do we just use it as tool to describe the movement of goods and people and things. That relationship. The issue is, we can't apply these tools to our lives, because once we do, we see we're getting scammed. Like, let's just begin at what *is* real, that we can all see. 1. The world (everything inside of it, and a part of it). 2. Us, we exist as humans, as people. 3. Our needs and our wants. 4. The ability to work (move energy around, the physics sense, included, because we are physical beings), to meet our needs and wants. So, then the question becomes, what is the relationship we have with these things? Right now, we all go to companies to work, where we individually add on to the structure (businesses are already labour structures; they are an organisation of people working together). Our current collective effort changes the world, and creates value. Just now, we've allowed very few folks to control this power. They claim ownership (through the use of violence they maintain this claim) of the labour of others, that they have a right to move these resources we all need and want, around us much as they'd like, without any consent or thought from those already living in those spaces. Like, economics right now is told to us to be this incredibly complicated thing. But the reality is, once you use its ideas as tools, you can put that to your own life. The language is a tool. We're all just getting shafted by those in power, because that's the nature of this kind of relationship.

[@catchinzzs7022]

@@theonlyfish1913 yo, what books do you read that made you informed on such an opinion? I'd like to also set up a virtual chat if possible. I've been having similar opinions related to the subject of Economics for the past year.

[@kesleygeorge6093]

In France we say : "You work to live not live to work". I work 40h/week but I have my 7 weeks of paid vacation, I go to the dentists as mush as i need to and my boss is NOT my master. And I don't feel an urge to kill myself every morning 🙃

[@kaielyse9313]

Sounds like you’re on the right track. What job do you have?

[@marissawilson4644]

You have 7 weeks off? That is great! We have only 1.

[@christineperlenoire7056]

My home country has France system, 4 weeks to 7 weeks off a year. They don't kill themselves for work.

[@talkamarachi]

I was just saying today that I am EXHAUSTED and IRRITATED by the concept of Money, especially the concept of Labor for Money to Live a prosperous Life!

[@SparklesNJazz]

labor for money actually allows us to live a more convenient life. without labor for money we would have to hunt and gather and be entirely self sustaining. you work for the privilege to go to the grocery to buy your food instead of grow it. you work for the privilege to pay someone else to build your home, to pay for air conditioning and water, to pay for countless other services. life without labor doesn’t exist, it’s either hard labor to survive as our ancestors did , or hard labor to make money for modern conveniences.

[@talkamarachi]

@@SparklesNJazz Anything can exist if we bring it to life. There are cultures that labor and profit from their labor without much control or exchange of capital (money). Convenience is subjective not objective as well. So for you, money is convenience, for others like myself, money is not convenience. Respect the differences of others and the way they choose to live their lives. If it works for you, cool, if it works for them and it's different to your way, cool. The "hard work" of our ancestors shouldn't even be seen as "hard" when it is just a different form of labor, and most, if not all the time, farming and hunting is leisure, calming, and peaceful (I've done it and I did not stress one bit! Lol). You "work hard" and stress to make more money. Both experiences are profiting and one (ancestors) didn't need much money to profit and live conveniently. The shame that comes with not having money needs to stop. Money is not the end all be all to living a prosperous, profitable, or convenient life, which is subjective and left to the individual to decide what profit and success looks like to them. Capitalism (a different form of an economical system and not the ultimate or ideal form of an economical system) has truly allow some of y'all to believe that an object like money is the most important or the only form to survival and the creation of happiness. It is one theory of economic exchange, yes but it is not the main theory of economic exchange. Yes, you may not want to live as your ancestors did for your subjective and individual idea of convenience because you don't want to do the kind of hard work they did but you are still working hard for that coin, no? Hard work and labor is still being done, no? Some other people might want to do hard work and labor without the profit being money itsef -- for example, the profit would be a huge vegetable garden they can eat from, instead of a supermarket they shop from. What's wrong with that? Nothing. They are not wrong in wanting that kind of economical and labor exchange towards making life more prosperous for them. Your way with money is not the right way nor is it the wrong way, it's simply a different way that works for you (and is low-key tiring!!!). It's best to know there are options and not everyone needs to process from a Captilist mindset to have a successful and happy life of convenience.

[@tessy28]

@@talkamarachi Absolute Facts!!

[@JackieKiadii]

My takeaway from this is to stop paying attention to these books and get to know YOURSELF. Know yourself. Structure your life to fit your needs. You know best. Trust your instincts. I’m a Gen-Xr who knew 20 years ago that the corporate life wasn’t for me, despite being well compensated and winning company awards, etc. So I took another path. Was it all sunshine and roses? Absolutely not, but it was the right path. For me. There are people who thrive in Corporate, and that’s great for them.

[@kaielyse9313]

What path did you take

[@JackieKiadii]

@@kaielyse9313 I started my own business back in 2001.

[@millsykooksy4863]

Best comment out here

[@JackieKiadii]

@Rosemary Terra Why did you think I would find your comment offensive? I do not at all. There's no way out of it; we need money. And to be honest, the more money that thoughtful, socially conscious people earn, the better world it will be. That's why I said initially that it starts with looking inward. Here are a few paths people I know have taken. - Start a service business full-time - Get a low stress (and lower paying) work from home job for the "security" and benefits. While your colleagues are lollygagging, work on your side business. I have a friend who negotiated a 4-day week at their job so that they can work on their rental property business on the weekends. Could probably make 50% more in corporate, but it's not worth the stress.

[@Awesomepossum233]

I'm very interested in this convo and appreciate that you said it was a middle and upper class discussion. I despise working at my 9-5 but I am a first gen American who actually supports my family so I'm kind of stuck right now even tho I'm a creative. I wish there was a way for poor and lower income people to engage with this discourse as an option as well because we all deserve it. And capitalism has typically made lower income folks work the hardest and for a large part of out lives. It's freeing to hear this discourse but also painful as a person with no outside support.

[@jessekeiser100]

This is the comment I was looking for; my husband is a Gen Zero kid from a Mexican and Mexican-American family, meaning that upward mobility has been slim to none throughout three generations of loved ones, and his being forced to navigate a large portion of life before DACA, which honestly wasn’t much better than it is now. I appreciate your vulnerability shared through this comment, and am often thinking of the same. Sending my best to you ❤️🌙

[@downrightlili]

Same here, first gen American supporting my family. I appreciate the discussions but I would not be able to indulge in this lifestyle because I wouldn't be putting just myself on the line.

[@shizzlemywizzle1]

same here. i don’t exactly have the luxury of “opting out” or doing part time work. i’m a creative as well, but i cannot just stop working part time just to follow my passions. both me and my husband have to work full time in order to support ourselves in New York. we also don’t have outside financial support, a KZbin channel etc. we’re all in the same boat here ♥️

[@Awesomepossum233]

@@jessekeiser100 Thank you 💜

[@mysundrop]

Same here! Thank you for pointing us out. My 9-5 has allowed me to enter the middle class and provide a safety net for my family that wasn't there before. As much as I dream of the freedom that this movement is striving towards, how can you jump on board if you have other people depending on you?

[@MiriamClairify]

It's wild, when the I don't dream of labor tweet made it around my social circles I thought we were reading it like defeat your boss and reorganize the economy such that workers control the means of production, but it seems to have more broadly been taken to mean individually get a job outside the traditional economy. I am skeptical of the idea that people can just escape like that. The only way out is through. Is starting a business really freedom? Is it free for the employees? Are youtubers really free or is your boss just invisible now. Like, Uber was able to get out of treating its workers like employees in California because they ran campaign saying their workers wanted to be their own bosses or whatever. But surely we can see how Uber drivers and other gig workers are being severely bossed? I really think a lot of the models people are using as alternatives to labor are still labor and have the potential to be just as precarious. When I say the only way out is through I mean we should seize the means of production. Anyway, I would love to see a youtuber talk about Sarah Jaffe's recent book "work won't love you back"

[@IshtarNike]

You're absolutely right. Things like KZbin in particular are still effectively employers. If they shut you out of the platform your business will almost certainly die unless you're in the top 0.1% of creators. Otherwise most people won't bother to follow you to a different platform.

[@gbran919]

That's how I read it as well, as a whole dismantling of this ludicrous system.

[@hrh7886]

I agree! We are all slaves just in different ways. We all have to answer to someone when it comes to earning money. The fact that content creators/influencers or entrepreneurs think they are any different or better to 9-5 ppl is comical. We all answer to the "Man".

[@360shadowmoon]

I interpreted the same way you did. Maybe it's just the videos I watched, but I never heard it as "stop working", but rather "reorg the economy so that people can do work that matters without killing themselves". I agree that the 4-hour work week stuff is nonsense, though.

[@Encysted]

I read it like "the goal of my career is to get to where I do not have to work", since a lot of people talk as if they measure success by the amount of work they do, as in hustle culture. I like your answer better, though ☭

[@Melissaonline22]

This spoke to me so deeply. I was one of those kids that grew up knowing I wanted to be a teacher, since first grade. I just felt a calling to it. I did exactly what I was supposed to do…I worked to the bone in school, went to a good college, and got a job at the highest rated public school in my state. Last year was my first year…and with the caveat that COVID obviously changed how the year played out, I was completely dissatisfied. I thought that because I worked so hard and kept the dream in sight, that this job would make me feel fulfilled, happy, and finally at peace. The destructive realization that I paid x for my education and receive a very different pay, as well as the reality that it is a job and only that, nearly killed me. I’m doing better after therapy and a lot of spiritual work and introspection, but I often feel like I did exactly as I was told and I did not receive the incentivized promised land. Sending love to everyone else in a similar boat. Thank you for such a well-researched and well thought out video, Kim.

[@star468star468]

This was beautifully written and I need to hear it! Thank you

[@kaielyse9313]

What do you mean when you say “the realization that it is a job and only that”? I’m getting ready to student teach this semester and I’m having reservations about going into this field

[@tallycally]

Exactly. I'm a bit older than you, but have worked in the ed. field for years, or, shall I say, tolerate working in the field. The sentiment expressed is trenchant, when you feel like you did exactly as you were told, never put a foot wrong and the reward is just...not there. Thank you.

[@janedough8997]

Hey! Fellow teacher here. The first few years suck. In my first two years, I was constantly doubting my ability to do the job and failing to live up to my own expectations. It's a tough job - you're constantly facing new situations and having to figure out how to respond sensitively in ways that promote students' growth. And Covid definitely doesn't help. Also, it's a disgrace what American teachers are paid. It does get better. You practice, you get experience, and eventually that sense of accomplishment creeps in. It helps that it really is an essential job and you can see the results of your labour every day in the way that children change and grow. Yes, it is a lie that if you work hard and hustle, it will pay off. It often doesn't fiscally, and it never does emotionally. I've had to learn to find fulfilment outside of work through relationships and hobbies. I hope that you are nurturing the things that bring you joy and that you can find work that pays you fairly for the difficult and highly skilled work that you do. You've got this

[@dominiquewhitney997]

Jane Dough responded well. Yes, it takes 3-5 years to begin getting comfortable in a new career. Melissa, I went through a similar experience and it is like crashing into a brick wall. Change is uncomfortable, especially when sudden. You pretty much had a crash course about life. People suck. Don’t take it personal. The only thing that matters is your connection with the higher power. You’re an earth Angel. Don’t waste any time and throw yourself into your interests. Get outside and exercise and keep meditating/praying. Keep going to therapy. Listen to music that speaks to the soul, paint, create. LAUGH as much as possible as it increases pain thresholds. Take it easy and realize that you’re needed elsewhere or in a different form. You’re obviously a teacher, just redirect your skills into a different platform. You never stop being an educator. Even your comment was educational. You write well. Peace.

[@TheLeah2344]

Can we talk about how a 9 to 5 job is not the only labor ?! When people say they don’t dream of labor, they are usually talking about a 9 to 5 job. Working on your business or even starting a KZbin channel IS LABOR. My business is labor. I don’t like working for other people but I love working on my business. I dream of labor when it comes to building my brand.

[@Chamsiee]

Same.

[@tondaniraluswinga2590]

Do why don't you just say I don't like working for other people? Working for yourself is also a lot of hard work and time but it doesn't feel that way because its something you love to do. Lers not ruin other people's futures and prospects with this. Its rudiculous

[@justliving919]

I have a business and I work harder. I don't dream of labour at all 😢

[@MicahRion]

The whole "get to the point where you can pay other people to do the work you don't want to do" NEEDS to be talked about in these conversations. So many people don't have that class consciousness and think it's good enough for them to have made it. And they don't care about who ends up doing the labor they despise. Someone's gotta raise your kids. Someone has to scan your groceries. Let's make those jobs not suck. (Talking about the 1:10:00 mark or so)

[@josho5860]

I know this old but this comment hit different.

[@mayam5134]

Exactly! It's not just a 'you' mission. Your 'favorite' co workers and bosses stay at the bottom and suffer while you thrive. It doesn't stop when you thrive

[@soul2soul399]

I believe companies have “reorganized” themselves into this position of a shrinking workforce. Over the last 30 years “reorgs” have become more and more frequent as a way for companies to cut down on labor costs to increase shareholder profits. So there are 10 people in your department when you start and then it’s “reorged” to 5 and those 5 remaining people are now doing double the work. Then once those employees doing double the work is the norm… they cut the department down to 3 people and now those 3 people are doing all the work of the original 10. It’s horrible. And the shareholders at the top just get richer and richer while the mules work their lives away until they say… no more! We’ve had enough. This is not the life we want.

[@busridingchick1063]

This is exactly what happened to the team I was on before I was laid off due to a reorg/acquisition/divestiture. It left three people to do the work of 10 and it was very stressful for my old coworker and the manager was a micromanager🙄

[@GPerla26]

I'm cackling at Kim screaming "economics is fake!!" You're right and you should say it 👏🏽👏🏽

[@chrisfarmer6893]

Yes!! Internet Smart Boys like to talk about the "laws" of economics like it's gravity or something. Ummm ... You know money is something we made up right? It literally does not exist outside the human imagination. Estimating GDP? Might as well estimate the number of Easter Bunnies. 🤷

[@GPerla26]

@@chrisfarmer6893 society really asks us to suspend our disbelief when it comes to economics and it's a whole ride 😂😂

[@SparklesNJazz]

@@chrisfarmer6893 i get that but what is the alternative? the concept of trading is fundamental to human nature, because humans are naturally greedy. if you expect us to completely abolish any form of currency or trade and just share everything, you are extremely naive. i wish the world worked this way, but it does not. there would be no way to make sure everyone stays in line and shares evenly. the only way would be through a dictatorship that would wind up tyrannical in the end anyway.

[@chrisfarmer6893]

@@SparklesNJazz It's surprising that you don't consider our current economic system to be tyrannical. Money is only possible because the state uses violence to protect it. What's stopping a hungry homeless person from just taking food from the grocery store? Is it because they believe so strongly in the concept of money? Of course not. It's because state-supported police would arrest them for taking something without paying. How is that not totalitarian enforcement already?!! In the future, historians may look back and be horrified that we let people be hungry on the streets, simply because they didn't have an arbitrary amount of an imaginary object.

[@laexploradoraaaXD]

I took AP microeconomics in high school and basically got into a fight with my teacher when I was like this is fake.

[@blacraiblacrai9229]

It’s called “ Why Umbrellas Don’t make it rain” Why working hard & getting an education Doesn’t work!! Excellent article

[@camcam794]

I don't dream of labor either, but I'm disabled, and live below the poverty line sooo... I could only watch one of those videos, because it's not something I could obtain, and I'm honestly a little jealous they have the freedom to do that. I recently lost my summer job, because I had sepsis, and couldn't work. I really liked seeing you break everything down in this video, and mentioning this is about the middle class.

[@elisaaguilar6423]

I’m on disability too, and it’s frustrating how people don’t realize how fortunate they are to even have job options that aren’t accessible to us. I love to work, and to see a lot of people (a lot of them are lazy who want more money for less work. Plain and simple) who take for granted their health and ability to work is infuriating.

[@camcam794]

@@elisaaguilar6423 I totally agree. And even if we do find jobs that might work for us, we get turned down, because we need accommodations.

[@alext3480]

so sorry

[@CremeBrulee543]

So very true, I am disabled as well and to be honest I see my health insurance as even more valuable to my life than my paycheck. Of course, I do need the money too, but if I tried to go into business for myself or took a part time job, I would probably not have health insurance. At my job, I feel I have to work even harder than non-disabled workers since already people may be judging me or believing I can’t do it. In the end all of this has been worsening my condition leading for health insurance to be even more crucial for me, and then the cycle repeats.

[@midorisour2844]

Thank you for critiquing aspects of this movement. Every time I watch one of these I don't dream of labor videos, I find myself agreeing with parts of what they are saying, but I also find myself thinking...well, yeah, that's why people in power created institutions like slavery, imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, etc. Exploiters don't dream of labor either, that's why they exploit the labor of other people. A lot of these KZbinrs are claiming to critique capitalism, but they actually end up sounding like really good capitalists.

[@francescadowns4551]

exactly.

[@ggirl123]

Exactly this. Thank you.

[@SparklesNJazz]

true!!!!!!

[@AmandaabnamA]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 thank youu.. who is out here tryna work and be exploited? 😪 The whole point of the system is that most ppl aren't given a choice.

[@tessy28]

They are capitalists. They're just not the venture capitalists that created youtube.

[@HelloAlundra]

Talking to my parents makes me depressed! Shit is changing! The retirement age just keeps raising. There taking away pension, etc… 😒😩 I’m wasting my life working for these companies who don’t give a damn about me.

[@therobotdevil2284]

Yay for hobbies and volunteering! It's ok to not spend every waking moment of our day feeling "fulfilled," you can work a "mediocre" job that you like well enough by day and invest in your passions, hobbies, and causes you care about in your free time. The pressure to "get paid for your passion" and spend every waking moment both making money and feeling fulfilled is laid on thick for young people (hence the agony of most 18-year-olds being pressured to define their purpose and life trajectory stat).

[@PinkCloudsClown]

I work very hard and it still doesn’t pay off, on top of that, I’ve took a lot of disrespect, invasion of privacy, etc from co-workers and customers.

[@jus3278]

As a person who career coaches plenty of Black and Brown people who face poverty, I can tell you that this isn't just a middle class trend. Folks are questioning the value and purpose of life all across the board, regardless of race or class. Besides the terrible wages/benefits and horrible work conditions, companies are also struggling to find people, because they haven't realized that people are over the concept of the Protestant Work Ethic. Poor people just don't have the means or the education level to express it, but trust and believe that it's there also. Great discussion.

[@FDSignifire]

Here at the beginning. Although I have been a proponent of this energy since I was in my 20s (I'm almost 40), I wonder what space there is for men in this movement. The way masculinity is constructed, I don't know how this movement would carry with men, or maybe I'm just not aware of how it is already carrying with men. Status and economic capital is key to how many cis-het men define themselves.

[@isaacroot5459]

To be fair, women perpetuate that. Don’t date a broke man, women expect things and expect to be treated well. So unfortunately with division of risk, men will are never really going to be centered in these conversations

[@jasminemoon9965]

@@isaacroot5459 if you go after women who don’t think this way of course there’s going to be push back. Why would a woman who dreams of luxury or to be a SAH mom want to be with someone who does not fit into the traditional role they want.

[@SpottedTiger89]

Such a good point... I work with a lot of women (I'm a woman myself) and 99% of them have the notion that the man must provide. I just had one woman tell me yesterday that her boyfriend wasn't able to fix something in her apartment and she said "What kind of man is that?" Women also get fed toxic messages about what it means to be a man.

[@tessy28]

@@jasminemoon9965 A woman doesn't have to be a SAHM to want to live in luxury. Working women also want to live in luxury too the problem is always income. Most people even couples where one parent stays at home just don't make that much to facilitate a luxurious lifestyle even with two incomes. I've just realised as 25 year old black woman, who has their own apartment, works from home at a start up company part time, currently doing my masters and just bought an investment property abroad that I'm actually a young successful, middle class person. All this time I've been stressing myself out thinking I'm 1 step away from poverty but now I realise that I am not. It's crazy how capitalism warps your idea of what a decent standard of living is. So many of us gave over inflated ideas on class. I realise now that having the ability to be free to make choices in your own life is actually a middle to upper class trait. Lower incomes and poor people don't have the privilege of being able to truly think about choices to improve their own lives. A lot of black men come from low income backgrounds, they don't have the privilege of thinking about labour, they're too busy trying to survive because men are judged based on their ability to survive, provide and thrive.

[@tessy28]

@@SpottedTiger89 Kind of agree. Some women think men are planks of wood with no hopes and dreams of their own.

[@dejstoney]

Your closing about mediocrity is what really hit me. Like we are so consumed in meeting an excellence status qou that we can't embrace mediocrity anymore. This is where the majority of fear mongering and anxiety with the middle class exists and why capitalism keeps thriving. The middle class perpetuates this the most. And unfortunately, this is like music to the ears of the wealthy elite while the lower class looks at this all in third person thinking everyone doing better than them must love the labor of being controlled by what is and what isn't excellence and success.

[@ayanomar1408]

the “cant go to the dentist” really hit home. I had a sepsis in one of the back teeth and my jaw has swollen to the size of a lemon, I was panicing and didnt know what to do. ended up gettingn dragged to an emergency dentist (this was sunday) and the pain was so bad the doctor had to give me valium before extracting the tooth and treating my jaw and gum. the whole ordeal cost me 800$ and till today I dont know what hurts more: that level of pain ( surviving on 600 ibubuphrin) or the cost of removing the tooth and treatment. everyone casually says oh make sure you visit the dentist but that is expensive!

[@lfish8415]

This rings so true to me. I only just moved from "support" to "professional " staff at my job. It came with a 10,000+ pay raise. But working day to day, I just know more and more I should have been respected and paid the same for my "support" job. And the girls working my new job should be being paid the same or more than my new salary. They are just as essential, if not more so.

[@lastdays9163]

I hate working. With that said, i worked my ass off starting at age 26 and retired at 36. However, I live a very minimal life, no kids and no other BS.

[@kaielyse9313]

Nice. Have you found happiness/peace being able to retire so young?

[@asew4897]

people in general are just tired. And if you take into account the entirety of human history over the last millennium alone it’s understandable. We are tired of working, tired of the survival rat wheel/ slavery/indentured servitude/military service especially when we live in such abundance and technology. We feel lit it in our bones. We want to enjoy life. We are tired of jobs, we want meaningful work that means something to us. And we want to be able to take breaks and rest. It’s crazy how this is.

[@cherishoneal9108]

The same way I felt about school: using the time off to recharge and mentally prepare myself. Nobody should wake up in the morning with dread about working. I do my best: skincare and breakfast before working because I am not rushing. I have to make sure my piece of mind is there before entangling with work.

[@simplydesnyc3617]

I wanna be broke with expensive taste. Haha. Ok so maybe I dont want to stay broke. But while I'm here I need to practice pausing n ushering in some self love.

[@jackiemaldonado7777]

I am sleep deprived because my job is far away and I don't drive right now. I am always rushing out the door and it's causing me a lot of harm. This isn't healthy at all and I'm trying to find something closer

[@cherishoneal9108]

@@jackiemaldonado7777 do that because rushing to a job without mentally preparing yourself or feeding is not a good start in the morning.

[@jackiemaldonado7777]

@@cherishoneal9108 I'm trying. It seems like all the lower paying jobs are in the city where I'm at which sucks

[@insulaarachnid]

The "lying flat" movement in China is fascinating.

[@emuhu001]

I want to hear more about it. So fascinating

[@ClayMastah344]

It’s only expected. No one in the world wants to spend so much precious time for nothing except abuse and exploitation.

[@quianabadger5905]

It’s crazy how America’s known for the American Dream and the opportunity for immigrants to achieve a better life, yet we have zero paid vacations. You can see the juxtaposition of our reputation vs the actual working conditions.

[@rtlau-mk4di]

It's all a matter of perspective. For people from many countries, living here is a far better deal than in their homelands. Not having to worry about religious/political persecutions, famines, wars, etc. Is a huge benefit of living here. If you compare the United States to places like Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria, or even some countries in Europe, such as some of those in the Balkans, you will see how unimaginably difficult and painful life is for people who had the misfortune to have been born in certain places. Most Americans have no idea how good and easy they have it. Other industrialized countries do seem like a better deal for most folks looking to immigrate nowadays, though.

[@rtlau-mk4di]

@@catmouse2882 I don't understand why you're complaining. The average American is so rich compared to the other 7 billion people on Earth, including people in Western Europe. It doesn't matter if you're black,, white, or Asian.. your lives are easy. The average first-worlder has no idea what poor looks like even if they are themselves "poor" by their culture's standards. The only people here who are poor and not doing well are either disabled or made bad decisions (i.e., pregnancies before 21, drugs, etc.). As for how the court system treats black people...Yes, there is a legitimate problem there.

[@alexandravalerious3274]

@@rtlau-mk4di both things can be true. we all have the right to criticize and complain and hopefully work to a better country even if the conditions are better than other countries why settle when we can keep striving and improving ?

[@PGOuma]

@@rtlau-mk4di there's a lot of misinformation in this comment. But I'm just gonna comment on one thing... How are people rich here in America if we are the country with the most debt 💀

[@8happyperson]

Talking about how there are always going to have to do labor, hard labor, tedious labor I think should bring us back to why middle class people want to leave the corporate jobs in the first place. Middle class people don't feel like they are getting enough in return from being overworked at a mind numbing job and people in working class jobs also don't feel like they are getting enough either. Part of the solution here is that we need to get EVERYONE better pay and better benefits like maybe universal healthcare, mandated paid vacation days, paid family leave, pensions, etc. a far off dream here in the US.

[@simplydesnyc3617]

But why is this dream far off? No shade, but I think that kind of sentiment is part of the problem. All that stuff u mentioned..vacation days, healthcare, etc is necessary for mental health. I think one of the positive effects to of this panarama we r going through is that we all are being forced to acknowledge our humanness. These business can legit have machines running them. But that human capital is the key factor. They need us. Period. So its our responsibility to get these benefits. All the drama around who is going to pay for it is short sided.

[@marie-francoiset9402]

@@simplydesnyc3617 exactly!

[@alexandravalerious3274]

@@simplydesnyc3617 i think this is a far off dream because when u talk to the average person they get stuck at "who will pay for all this" or look down on people who need help instead of connecting how this will benefit them and their community

[@Demahevans]

Yeah class status is a HUGE part of this conversation. I don’t have a desire or the skills to be an entrepreneur/creator and I’m at the beginning of my career, so I have no other options but to work hard as a wage labourer to give myself a better life in the future.

[@simplydesnyc3617]

Spend that coin wisely

[@joneshalj]

Thank you, Kim. I'm a recent college grad (c/o 2020, the first covid class), and I landed a 60k a year technical writer and editor job with a government contractor. I went in my first day, and that was my last. I was in a cubicle, and long story short, I couldn't imagine myself being there for 20+ years and granted, I could've gotten 3 years down and found better, but something in my spirit coiled. I felt like...an instrument. I couldn't grapple with the fact that I was being used, and I know that is the exchange we have to pay in this world, but I couldn't do it at that job. Sometimes I feel stupid for letting such a high-paying job go. My family was so so excited for me too. I just want to opt for something better for my mental, preferably work from home.

[@daisyflower1545]

As someone who currently works a really good paying 9 to 5 job even I know that the corporate world isn't for me. I have spent the last year thinking up alternatives of work. I don't want to have a life centered on work and I don't want to climb the corporate ladder

[@emkaemusic]

I've never lived above the working class, and I'm deeply attached to the I don't Dream of Labor movement, but I've always felt disconnected from the prominent voices that speak on it right now. I don't dream of exploitative labor that requires me to forfeit my actual passions, dreams and desires that exist outside of traditional labor. I just graduated with my Computer Science B.A. and I'm at a crossroads. I'm struggling to get a job for a variety of reasons despite it being a promising field. More than anything, I know in my heart of hearts I don't want to do it. Even though it's not a bullshit job, I can't imagine myself clocking in every day to perform that kind of labor but it was all I could think off that could get me out of poverty. If all jobs offered thriving wages, I'd happily be a barista, or work in a bookstore, or a grocery store. The lowest rungs of labor aren't a thing I'm particularly afraid of because labor will always exist. If we think we deserve fast food, someone has to do the labor, and that someone ought to be able to do it with benefits, paid time off, parental leave, etc. They shouldn't live horrible lives because it's less prestigious. If we think it's important, employers need to act like it is. I hate that in many ways, going to college and getting into all this debt, and being unprepared for entry level positions, was the better option. I'm the first in my family to get a higher education. In all these videos, I never hear anyone speak to a person in my position--with student debt, no savings, lacking a portfolio, etc. I literally cannot "work for myself" like many of these people do. I don't want to become a business owner who exploits other people. I don't want to wiggle out of this dismal situation only to gladly leave behind others. And Frankly, I can't, because it's either buy into it, or starve. I'd gladly do the work I've been told is "beneath me" if I weren't going to be exploited while doing so. There is so a terror with being poor, getting your degree, and feeling like it's all been a scam, that all your avenues require you to sacrifice your mental peace of mind just to be able to survive. I think the I dont dream of labor movement misses that point. Somebody's gotta do that shit we don't dream of. They need to be able to do it while being treated like a real person. The educated and middle class aren't the only ones who should be allowed free time, leisure, comfortable wages. I'll do whatever work that won't effect my unstable mental health at this point. I'll do whatever doesn't convert me into a wage slave. But I won't do it for a dime less than I'm worth, which makes things tricky seeing that I'm not in a place to be choosy as a poor, new graduate with hardly any experience and tons of debt to pay off. I'm desperately trying to find my place in this movement, but that place might not exist. tldr; Everyone deserves thriving wages. And if a business can't offer that, they need to rethink some things.

[@anonymous-xy5ue]

👏👏👏

[@PGOuma]

The issue seems to boil down to greediness. These rich, greedy higher ups do less work while getting more and more money like Jeff Bezos as an example while the people under them are underpaid, in horrible, r@c!st, toxic environments, dealing with Karens on the daily, etc etc. (My mom worked in the Amazon warehouse with no air conditioning or even lunch time...it was like a short timed lunch paid, surrounded by r@c!st workers and managers). If the billionaire and millionaire were more charitable and even donated their money that they aren't gonna use in their lifetime to meaningful causes like healthcare, education, etc, then this wouldn't be an issue to begin with. But no. People are greedy and will forever sit on their pile of money that they won't even touch or waste it on going to the moon 💀

[@thozamamabusela7958]

Thank you for crediting Trudy @TheTrudz. It's pained me to see how far and wide this discourse has spread yet the brilliant Black woman who originated it get erased from her intellectual and cultural contributions.

[@100Stratusfiedx]

Lmao throwback to when I was in high school and excited about working 40 hours a week. I really thought the more time you put in you’re bound to make more money and clearly that’s not the case. Now as a recent college grad I’m not looking for anything that’s not permanently remote. Life/work balance is important.

[@tessy28]

Smart decision! I work remote and its allowed me to do my masters and buy a 2 bedroom house all at 25. Remote working will free up your time to do so many things in your life.

[@Kiamber_]

Been there, did this! I dropped out of working at a NY bank when I was 25 to be an entrepreneur and it was hard AF. Pursuing a dream and/or leisure time is fun, however, there are downsides. I went poor and had to recalibrate because of the pandemic. Learn from my mistakes kids 😩😆

[@gdjwarren2]

Wow.

[@damnmuggle]

I’m sorry best wishes to you!

[@firstname8348]

Thank you for saying this. Everybody wants to be an entrepeneur but don't realize how hard it is and how most people don't succeed.

[@ayanomar1408]

@@firstname8348 this is why I hate when people encourage me to be one. I rather work part time for something i am good at and pays well than taking on a whole new business when I knkw I dont want it in the first place

[@automatic5]

@@ayanomar1408 you inherently have more control over what you do when you run your own business tho tbf. running your own business also doesnt somehow have to always be more laborious than doing someone else’s full time or even part time work.

[@PrettyGuardian]

"There will always be labor" is one of those concepts that I think we should ponder more deeply. There may always be labor, but there doesn't need to be work. We don't need to be demeaned by bosses and customers alike while doing work that does not grant us the means of scratching out a subsistence for ourselves. I do think that most people have a desire to be productive and find fulfillment in their accomplishments. It's the ruling class, our corporate overlords who pervert that against us.

[@yassercastillo2607]

I am a payroll employee and for the context in my country that is the best I can do and as I am getting closer to 30 I am more at peace with it. Not all of us are made to be entrepreneurs or hustlers. The problem is that as a single person, society is not designed for me to thrive and have a fulfilling life. I can't even have a pet because I can only afford a small room and no matter how much effort I put at work I don't see the rewards. So I just go to work and do what is requested of me. Going the extra mile is never appreciated.

[@PGOuma]

This this this!!! Everything about this comment is relatable!! Especially the pet part 😭😭😭

[@ashleysartattack5600]

Not me turning this on right after I got home from work. I worked so hard in 100 degree heat that I almost threw up multiple times today.

[@micalaking1904]

Damn I’m sorry I hope you feel better

[@kimmie4kp]

Are you a mail carrier?

[@ashleysartattack5600]

@@kimmie4kp I work for a large corporation as a merchandiser/vendor for tons of grocery stores, pharmacies, post offices, hospitals, and retail stores. Today we were doing an installation at one of the biggest Walmart superstores in my state. It includes sprinting to lift heavy boxes off of trucks outside, hauling giant flatbeds of trash to dumpsters outside, to squatting nonstop. Building aisles and displays you see in stores. Stocking heavy and fragile items, etc. And it all must be done with a small team in a small time frame. Most people quit within the first week of getting hired when they see how much work we do. I’ve been there for years and have seniority in multiple counties. So I oversee everything and was training new people today as well.

[@K-Boogie7999]

Hope better days are ahead for you

[@kimmie4kp]

@@ashleysartattack5600 Okay! You have a full plate, I understand now. I really hope things get better for you. Seems like you have the endurance and determination to continue pushing through. Stay strong sis!!! You Got This

[@ayanna6327]

Thank you for pointing out that this isn't a way of thinking based in idealism. People that are saying young people are being overly "idealistic" by not wanting to hustle and grind are missing the point. That isn't a psychology of idealism, nor is it optimism. It's a psychology of pessimism, possibly even nihilism. It's essentially saying: "The people who did everything right and played by the book got nothing. They got spat on when they needed government and economics the most. So I'm going to do everything wrong because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter."

[@PGOuma]

Exactly

[@mikat1]

I worked in Beijing for 4 months. It took me one entire year to recover. I still have PTSD. This is all I gotta say about this.

[@star468star468]

So interested in hearing more about your experiences 👀

[@marie-francoiset9402]

Say more. Sounds interesting

[@jessicat2304]

Girl come back spill

[@Stamara2011]

I am generation X and we were sold this thing that if you work hard in school got into college and got a good job you will be set. Nah working 21 years in the healthcare field have Masters etc only to be passed over for promotions, made to work harder and longer and especially if you are a black clinician you pay a big time black tax working healthcare. It is crazy people like me working for 3 different companies just to afford to live.

[@simplydesnyc3617]

This is so real.

[@simplydesnyc3617]

Black tax

[@marie-francoiset9402]

What's the black tax?

[@JNS865]

@@marie-francoiset9402 the black tax is being pulled is many directions because you have decent income or are willing to help people. helping relatives and friends who beg for financial help on top of all of the other challenges

[@missfabularian2449]

@@JNS865 I'd also add, while eing paid less than everyone else

[@bigfranco]

Preach! I actually do ONE of the things I love and it still feels like a trap because... entrepreneurship does NOT equate to freedom and like you said we are all multi-purposeful. The burn out from that thing you love is very real.

[@NicoleJButler]

Actress here, & SAME!

[@cremepuffle]

Would rather burn out on a passion that progressed my spirit and skill than burn out in a walmart or cubicle

[@bigfranco]

@@cremepuffle agreed

[@Nunofyabizzzzz]

When I first realized I don’t really want to work I felt guilty and ashamed. Like it was something bad and didn’t think it’d be something I’d share with my friends but turned out the feel the same! They shared it with me! So I am SO happy to see so many people of a similar mindset as me! More importantly to see that how popular it’s spreading. It brings me so much excitement. Sadly though I decided to work and now all I do is work (40 hrs work week) and as much as I’m planning on figuring out a solution of how to make my job work for me as much as I’m working for my job I am still stuck at home working non stop.

[@stuartpratuch7036]

I didn’t even realize the “what do you do?” Question was like genuinely so important to people. Like I just end up thinking “is my job really that interesting that I am supposed to talk about it when I’m not even doing it?” Then I say that and people think I’m rude for some unspoken reason. I don’t get it and I’ve lived here for almost my entire life.

[@BlairCadetabc]

Entrepreneurship in the US, for those in their 30s or 40s work, if you're **married** and have a spouse whose job provides benefits like: health insurance, a steady paycheck, stability, etc. so one can take risks.

[@sunnysideup1218]

Thank you. So many of these videos don't take into consideration what happens when you're poor. As someone who grew up poor and my brother and I are 2 of only 3 people in my family that have been able to get a degree I know what hard working hard can do for you. My mom worked so hard to give us all that she could and allowed us to live rent free while we were in college. I feel like so many of these people making these videos have just never had to struggle. There were times when we had to be on food stamps and as a young adult and mother I had to use welfare. Now at 27 I'm in grad school and working full-time. I have a good job and I am able to provide a comfortable life. But it was not long ago that I couldn't even afford to buy milk and this whole discourse just makes me feel like a lot of middle class people will end up with a rude awakening.

[@naturallybeautiful9109]

That is fine but you should also acknowledge that when you get there into that comfy job even if you come from a poor background it is not as it seems and it’s OK to opt out

[@chimutsan1]

The way this whole video has helped me and made me feel normal. People don't understand why l have been saving up to move out of the U.S just to live in a place with a stronger safety net.

[@user-dq7cm6ug4h]

Scandinavian countries seem to have the best quality of life and a social safety net for their citizens. They speak their native language AND English so there might be less of a culture shock when adjusting to a new way of life.

[@angelasmith5019]

I Love in Europe, I’ve never been to the US. I understand.

[@theprimeoflife9263]

Something that I think is important to remember when discussing the I don’t dream of labour/ hussle culture/ Protestant work ethic conversation is that it forms the basis for a lot of ableism. Valuing people based on productivity is ableist! It’s probably one of the main reasons societies have been able to justify eugenics against disabled folks in the past, and why people can dehumanise and marginalise disables people- if we tie our value, humanity, identity and morality to hard work and productivity and traditional success and labour, it strips disabled people of those things in society’s eyes

[@PGOuma]

Thissss

[@msheree1009]

You can be obsessed with achievement and overwork and be standing still after two decades. It won't get you a quarter of a million dollars a year and tons of leisure time.

[@simplydesnyc3617]

Leisure time..can't lie, I want some..I want so bad to spend time with my Grandma who live in another country. But instead I'm working and going to school.

[@lulabell34]

This might be the first nuanced conversation I've seen on this topic. I finally feel like I have words to express the frustration I felt working as a public school teacher

[@kaielyse9313]

Can you share more about your experience? I’m feeling reluctant about becoming a teacher.

[@anonymous-xy5ue]

@@kaielyse9313 I would put it on hold until after covid times if you're in the US or UK, I've heard some horror stories to put it lightly.

[@kaielyse9313]

@@anonymous-xy5ue thanks for your response! I just saw this today but I actually made the decision yesterday to put it on hold!

[@kaielyse9313]

@@anonymous-xy5ue btw, what horror stories did u hear? 😭

[@missmelodies52]

I’m so grateful for this conversation!! As a disabled woman with ADHD, I can invest every mental resource I have in work and it will still never be great. On top of that, seeing how being a woman holds me back in my career makes it so futile to try to get ahead. I got that MBA but I can tell you now I sit at work all day and do the bare minimum, dreaming about getting out into my garden the second that clock hits 4:30.

[@everythingispolitics6526]

This speaks to my reservations about material generational wealth. Accumulating wealth that's later handed down to offsprings/descendants doesn't guarantee wealth retention ESPECIALLY where contextual generational struggles are left out of the narrative/intra-generational knowledge transfer.

[@firstname8348]

So what's the alternative? Isn't leaving the future generations with nothing worse?

[@maichai13]

I am in support of generational wealth. But you are so correct in that it doesn't garuntee anything. My great grandparents and grandparents built generational wealth. My Aunt is doing so well and never wanted for anything. My dad squandered their hard work. All of my family is doing well except my dads branch. I had to really struggle to get where I am and I am doing good. I want to rebuild what my father threw away and hopefully my future kids won't do what he did.

[@firstname8348]

@@maichai13 I mean nothing is guaranteed in life. It's important to not only provide generational wealth but also pass along money management skills and work ethic.

[@marie-francoiset9402]

what? that sounds crazy whatever it is you're saying lol. My life would have been COMPLETELY different if my parents had left me some kind of inheritance. I have personally seen how much easier like is when a family passes down generational wealth. For one thing, the next generation is free-er to pursue their own interests beyond just the focus of making money and surviving.

[@maichai13]

@@firstname8348 I completely agree. As well, you can leave behind wealth, but you can only teach/ demonstrate work ethic and money management skills. Its up to the individual to follow through.

[@ReincarnatedStargazer]

This country has done an impressive job with selling the idea that we deserve everything rather than being content with a thing. That is the place scarcity middle class find themselves. At every turn there is an ad insisting we need an upgrade and everything we own needs an upgrade. I'm approaching 50 and it's refreshing this generation is opting out of the illusion and refusing to engage in burnout culture. I work in an environment where hoarding annual leave is a badge of honor. It's baffling how manufactured success is in this country. Make it make sense.

[@coilyqueen312]

I resigned from my high paying job in June due to burnout and am relaxing, resetting, and recalibrating during my time off. I understand I'm only able to do this because I have 6 months of expenses saved. I'm going to go back to the labor force in a few months as I don't see any alternative. I'm just investing heavily particularly in my 401k and planning to retire early at 55. This was so unimaginable to my mom because she's had the same job for 35 years and was a single mother of 3 so wouldn't dream of quitting a job. I read David Graeter's book bull$hit jobs and it was spot on. Really enjoyed hearing your point of view on this Kim.

[@NicoleJButler]

Maybe consider expatriating to a country with a lower cost of living. (That's where I am right now.)

[@PGOuma]

@@NicoleJButler which country?! 😭😭😭

[@NicoleJButler]

@@PGOuma Most of them, tbh.

[@birdiewolf3497]

Yeah the whole KZbin thing. Like I thought about it because I wanted to create videos that were things I found helpful in my field while also making some side money because "multiple streams of income." And when started doing research I was like this is way too much labor that I don't want to do and I would only get pennies in return. Kudos to all that KZbin and do social media, yall pretty much have to operate on a loss for too long. I can't do that.

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

Thank you for realizing this. Most people want that KZbin payout then get frustrated when there first few videos don't go viral. Like honestly, KZbin is a mix of luck and high sacrifice and more luck. You can invest big, do everything "right" and never hit the algorithm in a way that makes you "big" enough to function as a profitable business (this is across all social media). Some people enjoy it enough to do it as a hobby and therefore a couple extra bucks every month is just a bonus for something they enjoy.

[@TheAudraReins]

Yes! I did vlogmas which is like the highest paid time on KZbin, and it broke down to about $13 a day for ALL the work I put in. You do KZbin because you love it, not for the money🖤

[@birdiewolf3497]

@@TheDawnofVanlife Yeah I thought of doing it more has a hobby, but I just don't like content creation at all. Like overall there is so much behind the scenes work and my time is limited and I'm not trying to do all that to give some tips to a very niche audience.

[@birdiewolf3497]

@@TheAudraReins Right, there are things that I would gladly spend hours doing, but KZbin and social media in general are not one of those things. Too many people get into the KZbin/social media game without first wondering if they even like it enough to do it for free since that will be your situation.

[@all4Dorian]

Because KZbin is one toolbox in your shed if you can createsome value and get ppl from KZbin to your Website or blog it can be a powerful streams of income in five years

[@AshleyGoode]

“There will always be labor” yes, but I think the real convo should be how can I do work that fulfills me and doesn’t make me feel drained. Work with the intention to do what you love and not allowing the drive to be work to survive or pay bills.

[@lshardy1up]

I was like this since a child. I always said I was "non-money motivated" because I always hated the idea of hustle and centering my schooling around making money. Even though I work to make a living, I never wanted to jump/stay at a job solely for earning more money. I didn't wanna go to grad school, I saw MA and PHD people working the SAME jobs as me while I was earning my BA and thought this is bs. Even now, I'm in a medical cert program and my externship (which is 40hrs a week unpaid for 8 weeks 😪) is reminding me that this ish is for the birds longterm. It's NOT SUSTAINABLE. I barely sleep, take energy drinks AND caffeine tea combos several times a day, I always feel slightly sick and constantly injure my joints/back etc. and my weekends are spent desperately re-feuling and doing chores to prepare for the next week. It's no secret healthcare workers are running on fumes and prayers and that's been the norm pre-pando and just got worse. Funny thing is as soon as I started this program everyone and their mom started saying so when are you gonna go to nursing school cause they make EVEN MORE money, meanwhile nurses are quitting left and right because they're burned out, abused, and fed up. I've decided to use this career as a means to stack proper investments and buy a property, live modestly. I love caring for patients but I physically can't afford to do this FULL-time (regularly over-time) the rest of my life, I don't want the heart disease, cancers, and bent over body that comes with that.

[@leyhaw6762]

i had an internship this summer, and everyday I was like “this is so stupid” just want a job that allows me to save the environment. lol i was a box ticker😂

[@PGOuma]

Felt omg

[@svinitials]

Your video topics are scarily apropos at times 😂 I was recently thinking about this and beating myself up over the fact that I don't have overly grand career goals anymore, especially compared to my friends. Living comfortably and happy is enough, but I can't shake that sense of shame or feeling lazy for feeling that way

[@simplydesnyc3617]

I feel you on that. Why dream of a fancy pants suit and a corner office when you can dream of owning your own land ..or at least a nicely decorated apartment.

[@_danyelb]

Same

[@Perogativeprincess]

Wow same 😩

[@bgurley1998]

This! I just don’t have the energy

[@emuhu001]

Same as well

[@shablagoo6491]

I’m 20 minutes into this video and already feel 100% seen.

[@ellah2303]

I wish people talked more about how hard it is to be an entrepreneur, how financially and physically exhausting especially doing it all with no help. Thank you for this video❤

[@ruquiamulamba8668]

I have only worked a total of 3 weeks this year…I worked 60 hour weeks last year abs ha s never had a break since age 14. I saved a bunch of money abs told my boyfriend I wanted to be a stay-at-home girlfriend. Been spending my time on my mental health, classes and business. It feels great and it saved me. Your needs>>>>>. P.S. grew up gifted so I working 2 jobs, plus high grades, plus playing classical music on one if the highest levels…to be honest I was burnt out by 15…but ignored it till a full mental breakdown at 19…..TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF….this country sadly doesn’t give af

[@normandy2501]

Do you think this trend can apply to your boyfriend as well though? This is not a "gotcha". I genuinely want to know just exactly how far this actually reaches, because I rarely see men (black men at least) that speak on this, or women that would encourage that of their men.

[@ruquiamulamba8668]

@@normandy2501 yeah he can as well. He owns 3 businesses and comes from a wealthy family…so yeah he takes a lot of breaks and we go on vacations a lot. He’s not black so I really can’t speak on that. One thing we both promised each other is too work for ourselves cause these corporations don’t care.

[@normandy2501]

@@ruquiamulamba8668 I suppose all I can say is congrats on your exceptional situation at that point then.

[@marie-francoiset9402]

@@ruquiamulamba8668 smart young woman! It was said in that mainly terrible book 'lean in' that women need to be very very cognizant of the type of partner they choose. H/she needs to be in alignment to the type of life they want to live. Sounds like you chose very well! congrats

[@tessy28]

@@normandy2501 Unfortunately a lot of black men in America come from low income households. I was fortunate enough as a black woman to come from middle class parents in the UK who owned their own home and business in London. So thanks to their hard work I now at 25 have been able to buy a vacation home abroad while studying for my masters. I now also have a remote job where I work from my apartment, at a start up company with amazing benefits and my CEO even bought me a Macbook. In about 2 to 3 years my house will be paid off completely. I am now also middle class in my own right without my parents wealth included, because I now have my own assets. This is only because my parents were incredibly stable and planned and provided for us, my parents have been married 35 years and just proves that stability breeds wealth Unfortunately a lot of black men are the providers of their families or coming from single parent homes, or unstable and broken homes. They do not have the luxury of not dreaming of labour, they are too busy just trying to survive. My boyfriend is a high earning black man and even he does not have the luxury of forgoing labour because he is the breadwinner for his ageing mum who depends entirely on him. It's just harder for men because unfortunately they are judged based on their ability to provide. Their output seems to determine their value and that's not something that's limited to just western society.

[@TheMichelex20]

I’m 43 and slightly outside the demographic here but I feel like this also applies to many baby Gen Xers. Talking to all my friends we are all moving away from full time work and leaning more into passions. I worked prn for 5 years and I absolutely loved the fact that I could choose when I felt like working more or less. Now I’m back in a 9 to 5 and I’m struggling. I’m planning for a gap year in about a year or so. I dream of living van life on the road but my parents are sick so I got to stay readily available.

[@sewhip]

41 year old here, who is experiencing the same, as are many of my peers.

[@RimahVideo19]

I'm 41 and this is my exact situation. From PRN to 9to5 and I feel so out of my element

[@happygucci5094]

I am 42 and I have NEVER dreamed of labor. Still don’t.

[@myaht9810]

I absolutely loved this discussions. It was right on time for the “Monday” blues. I really resonated with the “I don’t dream of labor” movement and your perspective has given me a lot to consider. And it made my nerdy sociological heart smile, ha! Great video!

[@smitherooomarks8328]

This was really interesting and I'm a big fan. I just wanted to add something from the perspective of someone who does manual labour for a living (I'm a carpenter). I found that my job satisfaction came from making something tangible. Also living in the UK and being a skilled worker I can take holidays whenever, move to other countries knowing i will find a job, go self employed and set my own hours etc. But growing up as a middle class girl I was firmly steered away from labouring type jobs, my careers advisor laughed at me when I said I wanted to do an apprenticeship, because I got good grades. Basically I think that a lot of people would find more physical work appealing if they had the chance and weren't steered away from it early, so maybe the shortage of people doing necessary jobs wouldn't be a problem.

[@all4Dorian]

This is the problem I’ve always had with the Norm. Attaching your identity to “ what you do for a living “ laziness if you don’t want to do the work grind. I was over this crap at 20 years old!

[@ceecollette6708]

There were so many good points here but I think one thing you mentioned that many of these solutions for the 9-5 grind lack is a focus on collective action. I think people promote a lot of individualistic solutions because it’s easier to focus on what you as a person can do, but like you said, it’s not sustainable for everyone (by design) and it can perpetuate conditions that make it worse for the working class tbh. I do think that the real answer is using our collective power to fight for better conditions for all of us. It feels less attainable when employers seem to have the upper hand but tbh it’s probably a more viable route that encouraging us all to become freelancers and entrepreneurs. This is coming from an adult with ADHD who still wants to work for myself of course. 😂

[@glossygrape620]

That’s it right there

[@siklysarkastik04]

absolutely.

[@loveandjoy810]

I totally get where the younger generation is coming from. Everyone is one car accident, medical bill away from total disaster. Wages are flat, upward mobility is a myth and afforded to the few. It has been shown that zip codes are destiny.

[@jackiemaldonado7777]

Yup I lost my car and now I'm f***ked. My opportunities were severely limited when I was starting to feel on top of the world

[@marissawilson4644]

Thank you for saying that!

[@pumpkin03]

This topic of not dreaming of labor is fascinating. You covered all areas thoroughly. I am an older Millennial (36 years old) & I have future plans that require me to work & bring in consistent income. It would seem that many who are engaged in this topic & seriously go for it are young, no kids, no real bills & able bodied. This reminds me of the young Americans who live overseas & work as “digital nomads” only to move back to the U.S. when they begin to have real life obligations or want to marry & have kids.

[@alexisgarcia1344]

Living abroad is a different experience for different folks. I worked and lived in education because I could earn a better living as an educator than I could stateside. I met my husband and got married. He wanted to change jobs, so we moved to a different country. I became the housewife with the baby in a new place. I was forced to move home because in the UK I could not draw benefits because the US has its own support systems. That was the start of the larger problems people don't know or discuss and that's how children need to be verified from the other parent before you can take them abroad. Each country has their own directives based on this. So, long story short, there are a lot of different factors that come with trying make without balancing it out with someone else.

[@gabrielar9611]

I’m 37, we were the very beginning of this “not dreaming of labor movement” in a way. I job hopped a lot in my 20s. And many of my peers did. But each job was much better then the last. My mom was horrified, but I am in a well paying job with benefits years later. Don’t know how long I’ll stay though lol. I think maybe older millennial’s were disenchanted with corporate America, but there was not a huge gig economy yet. So it was hard to find our footing. Plus I graduated college during the recession (that’s a whole other thing). But I do feel like settling and saving more, but that sometimes comes with age and children. But the young millennials definitely have it better, economically, then we did.

[@pumpkin03]

@@alexisgarcia1344 I understand yours & many others dilemma. That is why I stated that a lot of these ideals are for the young with limited responsibilities. It sounds good in theory but many find themselves living the traditional lives they so dreaded as young adults.

[@pumpkin03]

@@gabrielar9611 You’re right. Older Millennials were the start of this movement. However, as we age many have settled into lives that look a lot like our parents….and that’s okay. I job hopped as well but only because the economy during the recession was rocky & the jobs were low wage. I am still working & plan to bring in income as long as I can. I would like to eventually live off the grid so we shall see.

[@automatic5]

many engaged in this topic are way more than just young people with no responsibilities lol

[@judithpriestess7781]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Kim. For your cerebral labour in articulating what we millennials- particularly Black/female ones- grappling with this existential crisis. And, for doing so ethically, cuz at the end of the day, we are privileged enough to even have the internet to have this discussion.

[@BirdieBree]

You are absolutely right about the KZbin thing. I’ve just launched my gaming channel about two weeks ago (only got 2 subscribers, but I’ve LITERALLY just started! lol). And I can tell you right now that the process of starting isn’t easy. I had to spend money on equipment to record, set up the lighting, get on camera (even when I don’t want to, kinda camera shy), and invest in the software to edit the videos. This all costed me around $4,000. I also had to consider the sustainability of my brand (which unfortunately many people don’t do), because I wanted a name and face that people can remember that would eventually expand into a snack business and sponsor E-Sports teams as well as Twitch and KZbin gamers. That requires a lot of planning and consistently crafting the quality of my work. And I did this with no help. But that’s not to say I don’t enjoy my job. I love entertaining people, and I admit I’m in a privileged position to pursue this career. What made me start my channel was my love for playing video games since I was a kid (technically I was creating content for over 10 years on Facebook, but I’ve decided to take it seriously on KZbin this year). But of course, I didn’t know where to start at the time, and with only an Associate degree in Graphic Design (because I couldn’t afford to go to a four-year college), I worked for several retail companies (all horrible btw). My last job was at Whole Foods as a Bakery Team Trainer, and although the place was great at first (great benefits, great pay, employee gatherings, free food at the end of the night), I’ve noticed the company started to change when Amazon acquired the company. Everything seemed “Robotic” (the way we logged our inventory in OTS, to how much productivity we should put out). The food was looking low-quality (rotten and looked donated from another store). They also took away our gainsharing in favor of the $15 wage, and although it sounded great on paper, the work we were producing did not match the salary. I also worked a shift from 2PM - 1AM almost everyday doing everyone’s job. And lastly, I did not live in the town, so I was heavily taxed. It all wasn’t worth it at the end of the day. Of course, I left not by choice (my mother suffered an Aneurysm and so I became her Personal Care Assistant). But I felt like it was meant for me to leave because it was a way for me to finally pursue my career. Also, when I left, the place went to shit. We had 25 team members in my department: now it’s down to 9. They left because of the stress of Covid, the verbal fights with the boss, and two of my cake decorators caught Covid. It was pretty bizarre. Now I’m home with my mother, getting paid $20/hr., and using that money to invest in games, equipment, a house, and buying stocks. I’ve also used the skills I’ve learned in college and in retail leadership and applied it to my brand. Again, I’m very privileged to be in this position because I know for SURE that I am not made for retail, but this KZbin career is definitely not what people think it is. It is WORK! Lol. But I’m looking forwards to seeing what happens in the future. It's still a learning curve for me.

[@tessy28]

Good luck with the youtube channel!

[@BirdieBree]

@@tessy28 Thank you.

[@msluvmesomehim]

I am divorced with no kids and on my 21st year as a federal civilian employee. I have hated this working environment and projects for 90% of my career. Yet I stayed because I abhor hustle culture and actively pursued a career with a 401k, retirement, Healthcare benefits, automatic cost of living increases, opportunities for performance cash and leave awards, 8 weeks of paid time off of work yearly, plenty of opportunities for paid relocation/developmental assignments, paid training and work ends at 4 pm. No one is intruding on my time when I am off of work. Unfortunately, I have dealt with way too much racism in order to secure retirement benefits and a paycheck. I love to relax and that is my focus during my off time. 8 more years and I will retire at 55. F this!! What does retirement look like for me? Relaxing, some travel and arts and crafts. That's it! I do not believe in overworking and never have done it. Your employer does not care about you!

[@mariametheexplorer]

I love this discussion! I’m a mix of gen z and millennial, I was born in 1996. I’m also a first generation immigrant in the US , my parents came from Africa. I am honestly tired of working for corporate and not being payed enough for my work . I don’t even want to work as hard as my parents did. Obviously, I don’t have a privilege that aren’t rich or own anything, so I can’t just get up and leave my job 😂. But right now , I’m trying to focus on my passions and ideas hoping it will lead me to work myself. But I would definitely buy those books you suggested based on this interesting topic

[@user-hq6gt6wr9k]

As an econ major in undergrad, I can also confirm that economic is fake 😂 It took me a while and many iterations for it to really sink in that the Entire field is just theory and that economists are philosophers with a very specific focus (which I'm not saying is a bad thing btw). Graphs, statements, predictions, tables that you always have to suspend disbelief for because the unpredictability of the world and people is impossible to convey simply or easily on paper; in pretty much every theory we have to "assume perfect conditions" of some sort. You can imagine my 🤦🏾‍♀️ moment when in my final semester of the major, I learned for the first time about "behavioral economics," an evolution of the field that actually tries to take into account more of the unpredictability and nonsensicalness of human nature lol.

[@FDSignifire]

Over an hour in, and I'm starting to crystallize a stance on this and why it doesn't quite sound right for me. So much good stuff

[@shinadevon4464]

Nice to see you here. :) Can’t wait for your video on the topic!

[@swansimcil956]

I can't wait for your take too because I too am tired but confused how we can fix it? 😐 Idk

[@teresaebner4110]

i live in Austria and the state of your health care shocked me once again. I now pay about 400€ (internship job) in general taxes and can essentially go to every public doctor/hospital for free. once again great video kimberly!

[@MichiruEll]

The irony of me watching this while doing some work for my 9 to 5 at 11 pm...

[@FlyingPancake0390]

My partners parents had a similar experience to Kim’s parents (grew up poor, financially “successful” later in life) and his father cannot fathom that we don’t want the same level of excess he’s crossed into. We’re talking over 5 cars he doesn’t drive (collection purposes), hundreds of thousands in remodeling of interior/building into the property, etc. When we say we don’t want that are happy with making less and working less, his mind goes to “that’s lazy” and so many good points in this video were made speaking about where the whole idea comes from and why we (I’m a 30 y/o millennial) are not buying into it any longer like their generation did.

[@normandy2501]

It reminds me of that Steve Harvey episode about tiny homes where he said the people who live like that don't have any drams/ambitious

[@FlyingPancake0390]

@@normandy2501 It's so strange - what if that is someone's dream. It's not my business to say it is or isn't. Let them be happy in their tiny home and give them access to good work + healthcare. The end.

[@normandy2501]

@@FlyingPancake0390 Exactly. We place the criticisms more on the individuals than the systems we already pay into that don't provide as much for us as other countries by a basic human right.

[@music4life813]

I quit my job as an electrical engineer 9 months ago after paying off student debt and saving for a house. I do domestic labor and my husband works. It’s amazing how such an old school looking paradigm feels so liberating for us… (26 y/o white female. Previously upper middle class, now middle class)

[@myfinanciallyfreelife5429]

I'm happy you were able to get out!! Hoping for the same too.

[@tessy28]

Congratulations i'm glad you got out and now living your dream. It's definitely not as easy as anyone thinks. The same thing happened to me. I'm 25. Paid off my personal loan debt and credit card last year after a terrible relationship which left me broke and drained my finances and mental health. I moved out of my parents house, got a work from home job at a start up company working part time and currently doing my masters. To top it all off I just bought a 2 bedroom investment property abroad. Somewhere along the line I actually became middle class. This was something I definitely needed to acknowledge especially as a young black woman. I realise now that having the ability to be free to make choices in your own life is actually a middle to upper class trait. Lower incomes and poor people don't have the privilege of being able to truly think about choices to improve their own lives.

[@jackiemaldonado7777]

@@tessy28 thank you for saying this

[@kaielyse9313]

Happy for you

[@birdiewolf3497]

Yeah. I decided to pick up sewing. I first wanted to do it, I got discouraged by feeling like I need to have the cleanest stitches and all the people were like you need to practice for one stitch for 80 hours to be excellent at it.But recently I have been searching for some specific items and couldn't find anything to my satisfaction and I just fuck it I am gonna just started and make what I want to make instead of waiting for someone else to do it or waiting until I can pay someone lots of (well earned) money. I could just learn to do it myself and that it doesn't have to be perfect because frankly a lot of our clothes ain't perfect either, but at least I can make it for me and it will be what I want instead of making compromises that I will end up regretting making anyway.

[@BBrunnel]

This video basically told me why I’m so unhappy in my life 🥸

[@AdoseofAlana_]

I bigtime felt this man. I am reaching a midlife crisis because I am not ina career yet and I HATE my job with every fiber of my being due to the management and the job itself has morphed into a call center position which i do NOT like call center jobs. I have a sociology degree and just trying to get into somewhere i can really utilize my degree because i thoroughly enjoyed my courses for this degree so i would like to work related to it lol. For research purposes I'm 34 and will be 35 in January. On top of that, I am reaching THAT age and have no children. Part of me really wants one the other part is not anxious enough to do that knowing that I hate what I do. i would NOT want to return to the job i have from maternity leave I would feel trapped there.

[@marie-francoiset9402]

Don't have a baby broke. Thats all I can say. Your life will turn to hell.

[@theeotakufam6825]

Personally....I love working hard for my money and success. The only thing is...I don't want to wait 40 years to finally be able to enjoy my success.

[@kaielyse9313]

What do you do?

[@solofemmenoire9108]

I would like to add that I think lots of working class people also do not dream of labor. Why wouldn’t we be tired of constantly being told that our worth is tied to production and if we work hard enough we could move beyond our station? Only to realize we are more likely to just drop dead on the job. We are opting out of holding up this society

[@ChibiKawaii3]

When I first heard the phrase without context, I thought about it for a bit then agreed. When I say I don't dream of labor, I literally think that I no longer have a dream job. I've been kind of a workaholic the last few years, and I'm coming to the realization that my happiness, and being with my loved is my ultimate goal. I hate that we spend more time at work than anything else. I hate that I didn't get vacations, or even decent lunch breaks. My job was also non-profit so they kept reiterating that though we were working ourselves to death, it was worth it.

[@brothersco8723]

6:52 , I live in Belgium and when I tell you we don't joke around with our holidays , it's not even funny 😂😂. Even people who run their own business will tell you , "we are closed, call in a month." My mom and her colleagues hold onto their " rest" days/weeks like they are diamonds

[@bazodee2]

I dont believe there is such thing as meaningful work. All jobs a crappy, but some jobs are crappier than others.

[@simplydesnyc3617]

Meaningful work n jobs don't have to be the same thing. I c ur point tho.

[@jackiemaldonado7777]

Right they're all trash!!!!

[@jackiemaldonado7777]

@@simplydesnyc3617 yes, jobs not work per se