Workers Trapped, Disillusioned by Their Jobs
Individuals express deep dissatisfaction with the demands and perceived meaninglessness of traditional employment. The core pain revolves around feeling trapped by financial obligations and societal expectations, leading to burnout, a sense of lost freedom, and a questioning of the value of work itself.
SOURCES (60)
“Do you want the house more, or do you want to quit your job more? If you value the house more than your freedom and happiness, then you need to keep working. If you value your freedom and happiness more and you will also be…”
“Main reason I took the job? Money. Pure and simple. Not many people in this world are lucky enough to have a job that they truly enjoy. At least my unenjoyable job is going to let me retire early and spend the rest of my days sipping umbrella drinks (or whatever else I feel like doing).”
“If I had fuck you money I'd like to think I would apply to jobs like this, go through the rigamarole, get hired, then just act like it's remote and do nothing till they fire me”
“So I recently got a job at an university doing maintenance and it’s a pretty good gig. Consistent schedule, low stress, 5-10 minute commute and I’m actually making more money here then when I was in the field however my one complaint is that I don’t feel like I’m doing real electric work here. I mostly just retrofit lights, replace ballasts and LED drivers. Any work beyond that the university seems to contract out, so it can be pretty boring at times. Is it crazy I’m considering going back into”
“Anybody ever think about how we were born into and live in a unique, roughly 100-150 year period in human history where white collar work is considered the norm, traditional, mainstream, etc. (in wealthy countries, at least)? Like, of course administrative and cognitive work has existed for thousands and thousands of years, but throughout the vast majority of our history, we were hunter-gatherers. For a seemingly large but in fact still relatively fractional period, most of us were laborers or f”
“I work for a major airport, that offers amazing hourly pay, amazing benefits, amazing everything however OT is extremely limited. That unless the apocalypse happens I have a garenteed job for life. Ive been offered a job at a ford Stamping plant that offers the same hourly pay not as good benefits but unlimited overtime so I could basically double my income. But of course the Auto industry is always in flux. I am 29, no kids. Do I quit my 40 hour a week job with the chance to make a shit ton mor”
“So let me get this straight. You are shit at your job and you want more kids? You are even entertaining your wife quitting when this is the case? Because let’s be honest, if you aren’t shit at your job then the real answer is you’d tell me you weren’t. It’s why I have only the one kid, by the way. It’s why I’m back in school at 37 — because I am shit at my job. Fucking sucks, dude. But I accepted reality and I am doing something about it.”
“YEahhhh that is my retirement plan - die on the job haha. But really, I had an eye opening moment working a wedding early last year where the videographer was like 80 and could barely get around and I felt like I was peering into my future”
“I ultimately declined this. I just don’t want to spend almost an hour for only 6.25. If it was $10 I would’ve taken it. I just feel like I’d be doing labor thats worth a little more than that. submitted by /u/Panicbutton19 [link] [comments]”
“55 sounds just about right. I wish we had a maid like system the way Canada does”
“Man, you just described the golden handcuffs. The money's too good to leave but the work makes you feel like a ghost in your own life.”
“I work nights, 6pm to 7am usually so I work 13 hours. Every other week I have to work Saturday. So I can realistically work 78/hrs a week. I am salary + overtime, and can make around $80k with this schedule with a real path of upward trajectory (automotive industry is always changing and evolving, positions opening and closing, I feel secure where I’m at because I’m statistically the best employee in my department). I think sticking it out now will reward me later in my career, and the money I m”
“I think OP said that despite 60 hr work weeks they’re still struggling he never said what he gets paid”
“This might sound crazy but I’m tired of constantly being behind on bills and want to get ahead of myself, for once. Although I’m probably never going to get enough sleep, besides the weekends. submitted by /u/Glum_Historian_9948 [link] [comments]”
“I like affording life I don’t have to like the job. Likewise, I know plenty of people who like their job/company/coworkers and still would do just about anything else if given the opportunity over going to work if money were no issue.”
“They're intended so that you aren't fairly paid out. submitted by /u/reiichiroh [link] [comments]”
“I feel their anger and frustration more than anything else. Instead of taking it personally, I just kind of think to myself, “nah, they’ve got a point.” Anyone else like this? 😂 submitted by /u/eternallyfree1 [link] [comments]”
“When you get a job that pays something, anything, try to hold on to it. I don't agree with what these jobs do to people. It's insulting what they pay people, and I certainly don't agree with it at all. But when that is your only income coming in, please try not to mess that up. Because it's something. I mean, I make $19 an hour, and I have an accounting degree. I don't agree with that, it pisses me off, but I'm not going to jeopardize the only income I have coming in.”
“You're not fighting for the job , you're fighting to make money to fund the type of lifestyle you want to live outside of work, whatever that be. The job is just the ends to that means.”
“Something i’ve realized is that most jobs being hired for absolutely suck. And it’s not because the work sucks or company sucks or whatever - But people who have good jobs don’t leave. Any position being hired for is just more likely to suck compared to existing positions that are filled. At my new company everyone on my team has been there for 15+ years and their attrition rate is very low. Feels like once you land somewhere you truly enjoy you either move up to management or just sit there for”
“Im planning to quit my job by the end of the year or by next summer. So I have enough time to save up some money. I plan to go back to being a sahm, with my kids. I just don’t know if I can make it that long. I have 2 kids who are now in daycare. Even though they love daycare. I hate that I can’t take them or pick them up. Or even put them in spots since it’s hard to get there in time to practice since I drive an hour home. Since I start early at 4am and get out late at 3pm) My son is starting t”
“Sorry to say but your job sounds like BA and not PM. But if your title and salary match a PM's, while the work is of a BA, I'd say you have a dream job.”
“Hello I need a job suggestion I'm very scared that I have to wake up every morning and go to the work I hate to do I need the job that will not force me to wake up at 8AM every morning and come back home at 9pm I want something simple that won't take too much time from my life so I have some time for myself and to enjoy my life submitted by /u/Any_Acanthisitta6162 [link] [comments]”
2 comments bro. I just am not going to get into it deep lmao
Whats the advantage of going freelance instead of a 9-5? More flexibility?
“Have you worked in finance before? I guarantee you they do care about compliance because the law has fangs in that industry, huge fines at least for grunts (not so much for executives, but what else is new.) Hiring for finance entry level jobs with no licensing staffing a phone bank tends to be in the $16-22/hr range. The kinds of work you might be able to do would be substantially higher than that. And sure, they'd love to underpay you - those wages ARE underpaying, but they're also mar”
“It had good work life balance, but a mix of people. Some really knew what they were doing and others didn't. The people who knew what they were doing were working 12-20 hour days. I worked there for eight years. There have been a lot of changes to the company in recent years that in my opinion prioritize profit over their original mission, and there are still good people there. It depends on what department you're in. I signed an NDA so that's really all I can speak to.”
“I feel like I could scream right now. I work in a case management role for the government. When I tell you it’s like high school it’s even worse than my high school years. We have teams with different tasks. Everyone is in a cubicle setting. This job is a flex position. I come in usually every morning. My one coworker and I exchange small talk about our evening for roughly 5 minutes prior to getting to work tasks. At the end of my supervision today, I was told that my boss has gotten a complaint”
That seems like a very isolating approach and way to think about life.
“I apologize for using the word lucky, I certainly wasn’t trying to disparage you. By lucky I meant that your achievements are not common and many people work hard and struggle to get ahead but ultimately are not able to. Success isn’t just about hard work, unfortunately, otherwise more people would be in a similar position which would be great. But that’s great you were able to get ahead.”
“Let say money is not a concern. You're single and have no responsibilities. You're comfortable with long days, harsh conditions and difficult work. What are some careers that I can help others or the environment? I don't care if I have to risk life and limb. It could be anything, humanitarian aid, wild land fire fighting, smuggling food into war torn areas etc. Just for reference I'm a blue collar worker, I'm approaching 30, have some level of financial independence. Problem”
“Mate, that sounds unreal. That's exactly what I mean. Not every job has to make you rich if you wake up excited to do it.”
“In Europe and still burnout. A few long vacations don’t really solve much, if the rest of the time is still shit”
“So I am 25F and I want to quit my full time job. I got a part time job lined up that I am very excited for. I originally got this job because I wanted a second job but now I am debating on quitting my full time job to have more time for the part time job and to look for new full time jobs. I know I would making significantly less but I have some money saved up and I still live at home. I don’t have a lot of bills to pay just my student loans, some subscriptions, and car payments. For context, I”
“Thinking about starting on 1/1 or later. So tired of the grind of training and working and want to take a loooooooong break (fortunately financial situation allows for this), especially if we plan to get pregnant around this time. I haven’t really heard of many people starting that late (a lot of Septembers it seems). What are people’s thoughts? submitted by /u/crystalpest [link] [comments]”
“A flight attendant make lifestyle choices, a military personnel who is regularly deployed, traveling salespeople, a lot of careers are this way. I'm not saying someone who has/wants kids is unemployable in tech, I am saying they are at a disadvantage. The whole thing about on who's time learning should happen is not really a theoretical debate, it has already been decided and it is how I say it is. Sorry, for the reality check. I'd also love to know how you do spend free time that co”
It’s unfortunate we can’t all just live and work wherever we’d like. :/
“Uh…it’s pretty hard to move into a higher financial/social class for both middle and lower incomes but especially if you’re lower income. The US’s intergenerational mobility index is a lot lower than most of Europe, we’re even lower than Japan. :/ Obviously if you start out rich that’s not a problem…but if you move down or start out poor you’re unlikely to be able to move up the scale.”
“So, I really need money for the semester, and I'm currently working in a factory with not so great working conditions, and 10 hours a day of physical work plus 1 hour of walking is really burning me out. But I really need money to survive the semester and got no other options because other traditional jobs take a few weeks to hire you, plus they expect you to work there at least a few months. Is there something I can do to work for only a few weeks and get a couple hundred? (Whether it be id”
“Anyone else feel like we’re the most disrespected professions out there? I’ve been seeing so many posts lately across social media of people who genuinely believe we have an easy job that is well compensated because we have summers off. I’ve even heard it directly from people and I always just take the high road. It’s honestly insane to me. If my job is so easy, well compensated, and I have all of this amazing time off, then you do it 🙂 submitted by /u/rledesma530 [link] [comm”
“I’ve been doing some self reflection after I burned out and quit my previous job (I have a lot of financial support. I’ll be fine even in this job market). Doing the work itself, even for hours a day, never really bothered me that much. I don’t see myself as a lazy person. The thing that burned me out the most was things like complaints about being understaffed falling on deaf ears, meanwhile I had to be on the front line meetings with the client trying to come up with an excuse for why the work”
“Maybe you guys will understand. I’m a working mom. It’s been a hard go. For years I struggled but I clawed my way out of it. Stumbled into writing last September. It has become practically my only hobby. It is pure joy. I still do other stuff, busy life, but I’ve stopped playing video games, watching movies or shows with any regularity, rarely listen to podcasts anymore. Nothing is as fun as writing. I have finished and edited my first book, sent it to betas a few weeks ago. I guess I’ll query i”
“I work 65-70 hours/week between two jobs: a daytime white collar job, and a nighttime/weekend food service job. I get paid okay for both. I've been at the food service job for over a decade now. I'm a supervisor there and bend over backwards to make sure things run smoothly. If anything happens (even when my boss/general manager is present), almost everyone comes to me for help addressing it. If it helps paint a better picture, the place would survive if I left, but would definitely acce”
“I'm looking forward to being semi-retired. I have one full-time job and a very part-time one. I plan to leave the full-time job in 13 months and working maybe five to 15 hours a week. Is there a term for the kind of feeling when you are waiting for the day you are free from a five-day-a-week job? Is it depression that I'm feeling thinking about going to work tomorrow for another week? I'm holding out for an important benefit that I'll be eligible for in 13 months. I could leave s”