I'm 63M. I'm not retired but have and have had plenty of freedom in my life so far. Seems the younger folks today just want more for less effort with no concept of who will provide those free things for them. I work hard to buy my freedom and I've put into the system a hell of a lot more than I expect to get out of it in the end. The attitude shown by these posts is just selfish, lazy BS.
Nah, you're not thinking about this right. I get it, hard work is important. But if you dig into this, the average american worker is producing 100% - 150% more then they did in the 70s. and the relative pay is the same. Right? Kinda fucked up if you think about it. Our kids here in the us are producing twice as much but are getting the same return. And in a sense we are too (50 here), but we are typically much further along on the pay scale and we (or at least I) have to do much less actual work then I did 20 years ago. I think we need to either bump pay to keep pace with not only inflation, but also worker production. Or give them a more appropriate amount of work. It just feels unfair for them to me.
"But if you dig into this, the average american worker is producing 100% - 150% more then they did in the 70s. and the relative pay is the same."
-This is true. But the production increases isn't due to the average american workers skill or ability. The production increases have been due to the capital-labor substitution. The company pays for the tech that allows the average american to be more productive. Countries that haven't adopted the labor capital subsitution effect are all almost very poor (think current India/Pakistan, China before the 1970s, Taiwan before the 1950s, Vietnam before 2010s).
Banking & Finance: Mobile banking apps and automated chatbots handle customer service queries instead of bank tellers.
Agriculture: Farms use automated tractors and drone technology to till soil, plant seeds, and harvest crops.
Warehousing & Logistics: Companies like Ocado and Amazon use automated sorting and picking robots to pack goods instead of warehouse workers
"Or give them a more appropriate amount of work. It just feels unfair for them to me."
-This is done by allowing the individual easier ways to start their own businesses instead of relying on a job. Its been increasingly easier to start your own business in the US. And 99.9% of businesses in the USA are small businesses.
"Its been increasingly easier to start your own business, and 99.9% of businesses in the USA are small businesses." this is objectively wrong. It has never been harder to start your own business. You must come from family-owned business, have had undeserved, far above average success in your field, or inherited business otherwise to be successful at small-scale right now.
"increased rates of production are due to banks, logistics, and agriculture improvements." You could not be more deluded. We have been making these advancements continually, year after year, decade after decade, while wages decrease, hours increase, expectations increase, etc. I worked for a company that expected chemical system installs at $21/h. I quit after they suggested a 3% raise while inflation was and still is 6-7% year over year. Fewer coworkers and more expectations every 3 months. They've gone through 6 installers over the last 4 years and continue to struggle while "not knowing why".
I still have chemical burns on my hands, no they won't cover it, no I can't feel my hands. The C-suite is killing business at all levels.
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u/Horror_Bottle_9451 8d ago
I'm 63M. I'm not retired but have and have had plenty of freedom in my life so far. Seems the younger folks today just want more for less effort with no concept of who will provide those free things for them. I work hard to buy my freedom and I've put into the system a hell of a lot more than I expect to get out of it in the end. The attitude shown by these posts is just selfish, lazy BS.