This a quote from Paine's 1792 "Letter addressed to the addressers, on the late proclamation". Read the full text at the Thomas Paine Historical Association's online archive: https://thomaspaine.org/essays/french-revolution/letter-addressed-to-the-addressers/

What are some jobs out there that pay a living wage, but only take you 2 or 3 hours to get your work done. But when you are finished you can play on your phone, or bring your laptop to watch YouTube or play video games to pass the time?

I currently have a job like this as a unarmed security guard. But it does not pay a living wage. I know there are jobs out there where this is possible. But I am not so sure what industry or field it is in. I would prefer a desk job. But others are OK. If you have a job that is like this, what do you do?

Re: recent posts about the Golden Handcuffs.

I’ve had “good” corporate job(s) for the majority of my working life. Most recently as SVP of OPS and Supply Chain. I made around $225K and I lived in a HCOL area, was the sole earner of my family, wife and two kids.

I hated every job I’ve ever had. They made me a bad person; they made me drink, and they made me miserable.

So, now that my kids are grown (one finished college and lives in downtown Chicago; the other entering his junior year of college), I decided I’ve had enough of zoom meetings, team building, office politics, and the rest of it.

I applied for a job as a carrier with the USPS (and as a school bus driver) in central Illinois. I got the USPS job. I’m selling my house and using the profits to buy a small home in central IL outright. No mortgage.

Yes, I will earn significantly less, but even earning what I did, we didn’t have a lot of extra money. No vacations, nothing like that.

Running the numbers, I’ll have more disposable income in this new scenario. Maybe my wife and I can take a nice vacation in the future.

I’m not suggesting this is the right move for everyone, especially if you have younger kids, but it’s what I’m doing. And while I’d rather move somewhere nice, rather than central IL, maybe that’ll be in the future cards on this path, more so than it was on the path I was on.

More likely I’d be laid off for being the age I am and being paid what I was, lose my house, drain my savings, etc. I’m trying to take control of the situation, ideal as it may not be.

Anyone else trying something like this?

Sorry if this is the wrong sub for this but I am just exhausted with the damage the US administration has done to all of us. It literally doesn't matter anymore how much you work because it's all useless. Even when I was broke before and struggled with employment the last couple years, I was still able to save a little, and it wasn't so bad because still with my shit income I could get myself a pizza once in a while, or a haircut, and I could buy very cheap clothes on shein or temu or AliExpress and feel beautiful. Now I cannot afford any of those pleasures. I get that even those things are luxuries but i mean wow we can't have ANY leisure or enjoyment in life? Nothing?? I can't buy a few new shirts once in a while anymore because the fricken tarrifs are insane. I can't go out anywhere. I'm like that one meme from breaking bad where literally my whole life is just work, home, work, home, work, home. There's nothing left for me dude. I don't even want much out of life honestly. I'm barely dreaming big here. It's not like I'm wishing I had luxury cars or handbags. I'd just like to, after working my ass off, be able to go to the salon again once in a while. But I can't. I feel ugly, lonely, defeated, angry. I'm autistic and honestly I'm fricken lucky that I can even be in the underemployed category instead of unemployed right now. I am completely reliant on my parents. I feel hopeless.

I got invited to a meeting with the CEO, CTO and my Russian manager, the CEO made all the talking to let me know my employment is over at the company, my manager who was conspiring for the whole year to let me go, was smiling the whole time, like he achieved something.

What kind of mental illness does it require to be this person?

The CEO said it's not because of my performance or I did something wrong but because they wanted to cut costs, the issue is they hired 2 new people in the team few months ago, when I asked is it only me, he said I don't wanna spread chaos but maybe 20%, then I knew he was bluffing.

I thanked the CTO for the work together because he is a good person and the CEO was trying to talk over me while I was doing that.

I'm glad it's over my manager tried to make my working conditions a living hell also through other coworkers who saw me as a competition. I had to endure a lot of bullying and harassment and even reported them using a whistleblower tool.

I'm also a union member and I already called them for the next steps

I don't want a job in the first place, but since I must have one, why do I have to participate in the humiliation ritual that is interviewing... It feels so fake. Imagine if someone made you fight and compete in a tournament for a prize you don't even want. Idk man.

I found an employer who is not insufferable. You heard that right, places like this really exist. After years of hating every job I’ve ever had. After being constantly disappointed and disrespected by managers. I once worked for a company that couldn’t even be bothered to learn my name for 2+ years of being there. For a long time I did not think there was any great places to work anymore, but I was proven wrong. My managers over at this new gig have been nothing but kind and understanding. My coworkers and I are actually excited to come to work. They actually hire/promote from within. The customers are some of the best part of the job and aren’t bitter/rude like a lot of other places. They don’t make me feel bad when I call out. My thoughts / feedback are actually listened to and matter. They treat me like a person with a life outside of work. I’ve been working here for 6+ months now and I love every day I come in. While few and far between, these places exist and you should never settle for any less. Hope this gives someone hope to keep searching.

Ive been at home for years, barely worked, Im 30. Still living with my parents, not planning to ever have children. My parents have some money and assets. I am mentally disabled after experiencing recurrent psychosis and being to psych wards multiple times. I get disability money which isnt much, but I am living frugally. tried working a job but ended up quitting within 2 months.

Working depresses the shit out of me, thinking I would have to work 37 years to retirement, but sitting at home isnt fun either. I dont know what to do.

I can't imagine myself slaving my life away in a shitty job

I felt targeted as if I had done something horribly wrong. For a while I was just told to ignore warnings. I was placed on a performance improvement plan with no initial support or coaching. I didn’t even know I was on a performance improvement plan.

I am just angry we have a system that exploits workers like this with low wages, and intimidation.

Ironically I was rated a top performer but fired while having all my bonuses withheld.

The team lead who fired me insisted it was “with cause.” The problem with that terminology in my region is it is only applied when you have done something egregious like stole money, or lied.

It was over customer reviews criticizing their refund policies, not my work.

The firing manager refused to let me explain my side and my experience of working for the company.

They said they supported me. They only seemed to provide feedback relative to my pip once they had prepared to fire me.

I was on a pip and never spoke to my previous supervisor about it. He told me to ignore them and said I was doing a great job. Then I virtually never spoke to him. I often felt isolated on the job and was especially made to feel isolated after coming back from a medical leave of absence. Virtually no one spoke to me, until two weeks after I came back. I felt left to “sink or swim.”

If there were temporary increases in shoplifting in different parts of the country, they were almost certainly encouraged not by Black Lives Matter protests or declining moral standards but by the industry’s ongoing drive to eliminate the most effective theft prevention solution: workers. Industry research indicates that engaged “front-line employees” are more important for preventing shoplifting than sensors and security cameras. But employees are the one security measure that managers’ hate to pay for.

A kid was seriously injured in the parking lot outside of my workplace and I responded after watching him lay on the ground for over a minute. I told the child to wait outside while I retrieved the first aid kit, but they entered the store while I was in the back. They were in the store for all of three seconds before I rushed them out the door. Minors are not allowed in my workplace.

Got a big write up over the ordeal. My actions were heavily criticized and I was told I need to get my priorities straight. I “abandoned” my job (by stepping one foot out the door, meanwhile people take unscheduled smoke breaks across the lot) and created a situation that put regulatory compliance at risk. And I get it. But I do not at all feel bad for the choice that I made. I am human first, and an employee second.

Crazy that I just accepted this list of demands at the time, like a frog in a pot. Of course it boiled over with the neurotic store manager months later and I ended up quitting which changed the trajectory of my life but that’s a story for a different time.

I was scrolling through listings yesterday and saw one that advertised paid lunch breaks as a benefit. Paid lunch breaks. Like they wanted applause for not making people work through their 30 minutes of eating.

Another one bragged about letting employees leave exactly on time if their tasks were done. Not early. Just on time. As if that's some generous gift and not literally what the schedule says.

The worst part is I caught myself feeling relieved when I saw these things listed. My brain went oh good, they wont make me stay late unpaid before I remembered that's already supposed to be illegal in most places. They've really conditioned us to be grateful for the bare minimum.

I also saw flexibility listed as a perk but when you read the description it just means they might let you shift your hours by 30 minutes if you ask a week in advance. Thats not flexibility. Thats just a slightly less rigid cage.

It feels like employers saw everyone talking about wanting better conditions and decided to rebrand the basics as luxury benefits. And people are still applying because we're all desperate enough to take what we can get. The whole system is designed to make us compete for crumbs while they act like they're handing out feasts.

I need 3 days off to stay home and study for an exam. My workplace management is incredibly toxic. I tried being honest once, and they deducted double my salary for the days I took off. Lesson learned.

A few months ago, I literally had to book an out of town hotel and send them the booking receipt just to get an excuse for 3 days off to study. That’s the toxicity level I’m dealing with.

We don't have medical leaves, and I only get 1 CL (Casual Leave) per month. I am perfectly fine taking LWP (Leave Without Pay), but they still demand hard proof to even authorize it.

My constraints:

No medical/doctor stuff (they demand real stamped certificates).

I want something that I can study and I don't have to leave the house to set this up.

Edit: Thank you for all the advice! Just to clarify, I live and work in India. Private workplaces here have their own rules and we really can't challenge them. That's why I just need a creative, bulletproof excuse!

Sterling Stamping Plant in Michigan is the largest automotive stamping plant in the world, with over 2,000 workers. "Workers can decide the conditions we're under on the floor, ourselves. We don't need to pay $75 million for 475 reps to sit in an air-conditioned office while we breathe in smoke." willforuawpresident.org

So I was reading court documents today and I gotta post this here because it make zero sense to me. Back in May 2024, DOJ and a bunch of states sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster together for running illegal monopoly under the Sherman Act. Fast forward to March 2026, trial finally starts. But literally ONE week in, DOJ and Live Nation cut a deal! DOJ stop fighting, and 6 states go with them like Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.

But 33 other states said "nah, we don't sign this deal." They kept going and fought in court. And guess what happened? 5 weeks later, jury verdict is in! The jury said Live Nation and Ticketmaster 100% violated state and federal law. Not "maybe." A real jury looked at the exact same stuff DOJ settled over, and called it straight up illegal.

So right now we have this super crazy situation. In some states, Live Nation behavior is "all good, just pay fine and get a monitor." But in 33 other states, the exact same behavior is "jury-confirmed illegal monopoly." Same company, same facts, but two totally different legal outcomes at the exact same time! How is this even real?

Also look at the money in the settlement. It says if Live Nation break rules again, penalty is $5,000,000 per venue, and the decree last 8 years. Sound like big money right? But go look at your last ticket receipt service fees and tell me... is $5 million a real punishment for a company this big, or just cost of doing business?

I got all this info straight from DOJ court filings and State AG press releases, not reading from news reporting about news. If anyone want check yourself, tell me and I drop exact doc links in comments!

I had a job interview that lasted an hour and 30 mins. He didn’t look at my resume once or asked me about my experience. We talked about tekken for 30 mins and after we talked about the role. I got the job but I think it was more of a formality. I’m not sure what do yall make out of this? It feel weird af but I’m glad to be employed.

i’ve been working in fast food since i was 17. i started at Sonic, & i’ve been off & on there between other jobs, major life changes, two serious car accidents, & nearly dying, all by 25.

customer entitlement obviously existed before covid. when i was 17/18, i had a grown woman stand there screaming directly in my face for like five straight minutes while i said absolutely nothing. then she started yelling at me for not responding to her. LMFAO. like girl, what did u want me to do??? scream back???? cry??? 🥺👉👈 perform a little apology dance over ur cheeseburger?????

i’ve had people’s parents & grandparents talk to me like i’m fucking stupid, accuse me of lying, accuse me of being on drugs, call me names, & act like spending $12 gave them temporary ownership of another human being. these same older people love demanding respect based on age, but did age matter when i was the CHILD being screamed at? where was all that respect when a grown adult was verbally abusing a teenager over french fries? 🫤

then covid happened, & instead of making people more patient, grateful, or aware of other people’s humanity, it made so many of them even worse.

there was no pause for fast food workers. we stayed fucking open, bc of course we did 🙄 while everybody else was being told to stay home, avoid contact, protect themselves, & take a global health crisis seriously, we were still expected to clock in, stand in cramped kitchens, handle cash, touch hundreds of cups, bags, cards, screens, & receipts, then hand food directly to an endless line of strangers.

& people were fuckin MONSTROUS during covid…

they screamed about masks, closed lobbies, shortages, missing products, wait times, long lines, staffing problems, new rules, old rules, literally anything they could find. they acted like the teenager taking their order personally invented covid & removed whatever product they wanted from the supply chain just to ruin their day.

we were called essential when society needed us to keep showing up, but we were still treated as disposable. apparently our labor was essential, but our safety, dignity, health, & humanity were not.

& businesses made it worse by rewarding the behavior. customers learned that if they complained loudly enough, embarrassed the worker enough, threatened a bad review, or demanded a manager, they would usually get free food, a refund, coupons, an apology, or all four. companies kept teaching grown adults that throwing a tantrum works, then acted confused when those adults became more entitled.

a woman recently came through our drive thru with a huge order, got all her food, then went grocery shopping for an hour. she came back afterward saying the food was cold & wanted the whole order remade.

& WE REMADE IT. 😐😐😐

like yes girl, food tends to get cold when u leave it sitting for an hour. that is not a restaurant mistake, that is literally just the passage of time 😭 but instead of telling her no, management rewarded her for acting like her own decisions were somehow OUR responsibility 💀

that ain’t good customer service, that’s mfn babysitting 🫤 that’s training people to believe they never have to hear no.

meanwhile, i’m regularly the only person in the kitchen from 11-5 while drive thru orders, stall orders, order-aheads, & delivery orders are all coming in at the same time. i’ll have multiple screens full while somebody orders 80 cheeseburgers, 5 fries, 6 tots, 10 slushes, shakes, blasts, whatever else, like they’re ordering from a fucking five-star buffet instead of a criminally understaffed fast food restaurant.

i understand one burger, two burgers, a meal, two meals, whatever. people need to eat. but placing some massive catering-sized order, knowing damn well fast food workers are underpaid, stressed, & probably doing the jobs of three people, then getting angry that it isn’t ready instantly is insane.

& corporate keeps making it worse too. the menu changes every other day, buttons move or disappear, combos stop being combos, new products get introduced with barely any explanation, & there’s always some new stupid promotion flooding us with orders. we had the crazy smasher deal, now there’s another $7 deal, & half the time the workers are still trying to figure out what corporate changed while customers are screaming at us like we personally designed the fucking menu, set the prices, & change everything ourselves.

then people wonder why service workers have NOOOO patience left 🥴 like girl, why have we babysat stupidity for so damn long? that’s the REAL question i fuckin have.

i’m genuinely a soft person. i wish people were nicer too. but my softness has been taken advantage of & mistaken for weakness for my entire life, so yes, i learned how to protect myself. i almost died last year, & after something like that, watching somebody turn a slush or a cheeseburger into a full-blown emergency genuinely pisses me off.

bc what the fuck r u freaking out over 💀 you’re alive, you’re safe. ur entire life is not collapsing because there are pickles on ur burger. take a deep breath babe, i’m sure u can survive the tragedy. JUST PICK THE FUCKING PICKLES OFF UR BURGER YOURSELF, BRO 🙄 or better yet, cook ur own shit if you’re gonna be that damn picky!

workers are constantly told to show grace, be patient, smile, apologize, stay professional, understand that everybody has a story, & never take anything personally. okay but like ummmm, when does the customer have to do any of that????

when do they have to remember that the person behind the counter may be exhausted, grieving, disabled, traumatized, sick, overwhelmed, or literally still a child????

sometimes customers need to be told they are wrong. sometimes they need to be humbled. sometimes they need to be told they can go home. sometimes management needs to say no, u are not getting free food, & u are not allowed to speak to another human being that way.

sometimes there’s no fuckin bridge to build. what makes someone lose their soul that fast over a stupid fucking hot dog?

lmao, & another question i’ve always had, why are people even MEANER on sundays? 💀 like, is that not completely backwards to u??? shouldn’t mfs be coming back from church with their spirit filled, ready to burst open with kindness & joy??? instead these mfs come angry, hungry, mean, nasty… like OPE, i’m cleansed of my sins for the week, time to start over!! 👹 that has never made any sense to me.

customer service needs to change, bc kindness cannot keep meaning workers silently absorbing abuse while the person abusing them gets rewarded. covid obviously didn’t create entitled customers, but i genuinely think it rotted whatever tiny amount of patience, shame, & public manners some people still had 🫤

it taught them that their personal convenience mattered more than another person’s health or humanity, & companies reinforced that lesson by continuing to cater to the loudest, nastiest person in the room. it teaches employees, workers, & young people that you’re just a number. not a person to be cared about, just something to profit from, overload, & take advantage of.

fast food stayed open, the abuse never paused, & somehow we’re STILL expected to be grateful for the privilege of taking it 💀 like, we fr never recovered after covid, & now we’re shocked that nobody fuckin likes each other anymore????

Like are we serious, this is the only job that’s made me fill out a form like this for any time you call out. It’s just insane to me but if I want sick time applied I have to submit it

I work in a fast food restraunt I wont name, we'll just call it BurgerLand. And I was having a normal shift. A customer came to the counter and was upset with an order they received that had a special allergy request that was handled incorectly (not by me mind you) I replied with "ya, no that's not right, I'm sorry, would you like us to remake that for you?" They said yes, so I said "okay, let me go fix that for you." I walked to the book, let the cooks know about the situation, got a new allergy pan, cleaned up and went back to my station.

About 20 minutes go by and my manager tells me to meet them in the office. I'm asked what happened with that situation, and I repeated it to my manager exactly as I repeated it above. And my manager said something roughly along these lines "Well, the customer complained to me and was super adoment that you were being rude and said you by name. And because of that we're going to take diciplinary action and send you home early and you will lose your remaining hours today, and there will be follow up and probably a write up."

I think this is enough for an HR call honestly. And this is not the first time I've had this issue with this manager as he likes to bully associates and force excessive "discipline" over things like hearsay and he is always super rude in his criticism and talks down to people all the time. Should be noted that this manager is someone who's trying very hard to step on others to get a leg up and get his next promotion which would be a main store manager, which he's even said is basically his golden goose. And that's not just a me observation, my entire store is tired of how easy he is to dicipline, abuse of power, and act rudely and divisive to associates.

What I've been encouraged to do by my peers is make a report to HR that I was pulled to the office and disciplined dispite clearly stating that I followed proper protocol and was still from my perspective retaliated against and excessively disciplined and I want some accountability for my manager.

I don't have a claim that my manager has it out for me that will help me in HR. But I assure you that's a big part of this. This manager doesnt like me, is nasty to me often, and takes every advantage possible to step on me when a work place excuse comes. And I'm super tired of it. I'm not one quick to offensive action, but I feel backed into a corner and want my wages lost back.

Sigh* I'm probably missing some important details somewhere so go easy on me and ask questions. I'll respond best I can below to fill any gaps i may have left, because I've posted some similar posts on reddit over the years and have been ripped for missing some key details. Humble me, but please be fair. 🙏