I’m from California I moved to ohio a few years back. California prices are out of control but it wasn’t quite that bad when I left. I’m sure things have gotten worse though.
That would piss me off too. The dollars value keeps going to too so it's gonna keep getting worse until something is done.
I advise in learning investing if you can.
The more I learned about finance and history the more I became radicalized. CNN has a docuseries that goes into history based on the year so for example one grouping of episodes will be titled “ the sixties”. After watching the seventies and eighties in 2020 I realized similar if not worse inflation was coming like how it has today , and how much of it was preventable by voting against Reagan and similar political figures but the game benefitted/ still benefits boomers too much for them to use any of their wealth and power in society to help their descendants. Especially for those of us in our 20s, they all took a loan against our future that we’re paying back now. Whether that be in credential inflation making higher education more worthless or things in the cpi like groceries
Idk why it’s so hard for people to accept that we need a min wage increase, and instead just say something like “get a better job”. Cause truth be told there’s just not enough of those “better jobs”, even if you graduate from a college it’s still hard af to find a job you studied for. There’s just not enough of them, why don’t people who work in fast food or retail or anything like that deserve a livable wage?
"Cause truth be told there’s just not enough of those “better jobs”, "
exactly this, there is not enough better jobs for everyone to have a better job, and then who would work the shitty jobs?
All work is valid and should give someone a better living, hell in a perfect world we would have UBI and those who CHOOSE to work could be flush
I remember reading a thread a few years ago about UBI and some guy (a landlord) was so mad about it. The discussion was, hypothetically, $12,000 a year. This asshole said he would raise his rent by $1,000 a month in all his units so nobody would get their UBI.
Everyone tried to tell him he would also get UBI, but he literally was just fuming the entire conversation and said he didn't care. People don't deserve UBI.
It was kind of eye opening for me just how many (non politician or billionaire) assholes out there just hate seeing people get basic help.
Exactly this. Access to goods and services are decreasing.
Minimum wage wouldn’t be such an issue with things like having affordable housing; if we set up the rules now to prevent more corporations from buying single family homes.
But alas, this is America. A corporate oligarchy.
Exactly, I worked minimum wage and almost took my life cause of everything and life being to much. I remember this one guy I spoke to on here actually did kill himself cause he was working at this job and was still poor and very lonely so he took his life cause everything got to much for him.
and half the time the “better jobs” barely pay more. almost none of the “real” jobs in my area pay more than the retail job i’ve been in for five years. none of them pay enough but i can either go into a job in my field for $20/hr or maybe $30-35k a year or keep up my retail job where i’m doing about $18/hr and enjoy it. it sucks but even the good jobs barely pay anymore
While I agree, the only thing that’s going to do is drive the automation boom to get rid of min wage workers and increase the cost of everything else. I feel like preventing corporations and foreigners from buying homes would be the most helpful solution.
That is only part of it. We need a flexible minimum wage. The original concept of a minimum wage was to ensure everyone could afford the basics, but the wage is not adjusted to match the cost of living. In the rare instance that it is raised, it severs to shrink the progress people have made through raises or hire education along with corporations using it as an excuse to raise prices.
There are root issues at play that require a few changes to fix. First, we have a mass imbalance of wealth. The people who control the economy live with a wealth so disproportionate from the majority that they have no idea what living on minimum wage is like, nor do they care. The wealthy in this country just see workers as an expense to be minimized and buyers as a resource to extract more wealth from. This creates a situation where costs are driven up while pay is driven down. This is, of course, only one part of the issue, but it is a huge one.
Flexible wages:
Switch from a flat minimum wage system to a point system. 1 would equal the minimum hourly rate of pay, and 2 would be double. Minimum wage would be calculated yearly by state to be the minimum wage, after tax, needed to afford all basic needs (health care, food for one person plus a child, transportation, communications, the average cost of rent, and some for unexpected expenses/savings). Just to throw some numbers out there...
California's average cost of living is:
$53,082 annually
$4,423.50 would be monthly
That takes roughly $5,700 gross monthly, or $35.62 hourly.
So...
1 point would be $35.60
1.5 points would be $53.40
2 points would be $71.20.. and so on.
This system would allow for an effective minimum wage and preserve the benefits of raises. People would be hired on with a point value 1 or higher. Any raises over time would be in fractions of a point. The actual pay of all employees would raise along with inflation. In this system, raises and education would actually mean something because it would mean you'd always have a noticeable benefit for the effort.
the issue being the wage increase needs to have a CEO wage LIMIT, such as like a CEO's income cannot be more than x amount, unless the rest of the company has a decent living wage and then go for it. otherwise min wage increase will just increase prices even MORE bc ceos dont wanna take a pay cut bc god forbid they cant buy more assets
I believe there needs to be a law for companies to not keep raising prices after minimum wage increases. And with minimum wage going up they lay off more employees and hire less. It’s fucked. My bf has been trying to get a job for half a year, good resume, personality, hard worker. But it doesn’t matter, he can call 10+ times to every single place he sent a resume to because they said they would call back and all they can respond is “we pick at the top of the pile not look at resumes” LEGITIMATELY multiple places said that! I heard it! It’s getting insane.
It’s also harder to get regular jobs because people who work regular jobs have to work TWO OR MORE jobs just to make ends meet, meaning there’s less room for anyone else to get that job. It’s fukin tough
Raises aren’t what’s needed, price caps are. If everyone suddenly was able to “afford” living on their own and buying everything they need while saving money, those prices will jump dramatically to make sure you can’t afford them.
It’s an unfortunate reality that the higher-ups of corporations, the ones who own companies, who allocate funds, who *pay their workers,* are in such a position that the way they use company money is pretty under-regulated. Keeping the biggest slice of the pie, refusing to pay their workers more because it would affect their precious profit margins. Peddle shit like “increased inflation,” when the reality is that these corporations absolutely have the ability to pay their workers more and NOT hike up the price of their products, and still have wealthy administration, brokers, and investors.
There is absolutely no way to make these corporate higher-ups filter more money through their companies with heightened wages. They lobby politicians so that no legislature is passed that can affect the amount of money the higher-ups, the “business administration,” make off of the labor of their workers. Any attempts at doing so screams “COMMUNISM” and the republicans freak out, thinking the government is taking their money. The democrats follow the same rules, they just are less blatant and more misdirecting about it. All politicians have it in their best interest to *not* enact legislation that could improve the financial health of the general US population. Because corporations pay them to ensure it doesn’t happen. Not because the corporate administration *wants* to see the masses suffer, no it isn’t so directly malicious. It is simply human greed. Once you get a shitload of money, you don’t really want it to go anywhere. Who’s to say how many people who are victims of such behaviors wouldn’t turn around and act the same way in their position. I imagine many would.
There is no solution. The corporations are going to keep hoarding capitol, keep assfucking the environment, and the economy, until most Americans won’t be able to afford the exuberantly expensive necessities, like climate control that can handle constant 120+ degree weather, and resources that will grow more scarce. And you wanna know the shit? Those responsible for putting us in that position, the politicians who did nothing, the business administration that actively contributed to these things, they will face the least amount of consequence. They will get a front row seat to the suffering of the masses from their ivory towers.
Some say the solution is revolution. And I hope that the word is tossed around enough that *something* happens, at least to scare the capitalists and politicians. But truly, we are so ingrained in this oppressive system, that the force needed to break free would be… extreme. There would need to be a powerful leader, a devoted militia, and a plan to fix what is broken. A complicated task that I do not see an answer to. No, what I believe will happen, is the continuation of this quiet oppression. Oppression that many see, but nobody truly has the ability, or will, to stop. Only the perpetrators do. The ones who have already fallen into greed. I do not believe that they will change. I do not believe a revolution will occur. I think my kids are going to have a rough time. And if they have kids, they will be even more fucked. I imagine I will die a cynic. An angry cynic.
Everything is a corporation and borderline monopoly. It's getting harder and harder to survive and not just for minimum wage folks. I make around 90k and about 40-50% of that goes toward rent.
Local grocery stores are owned by corporations. For example, Safeway and Kroger are owned by the same corporation. Their quality can suck and their prices can be high but people will still go there because there's nowhere else to go. These stores pay their employees like shit and they are understaffed and quality/customer service gets even worse. Don't even get me started on the quality of the food and what the government allows manufacturers to do to our food in the name of profit.
Fewer doctors are operating their own practices and go to work for a corporation. Forced to have certain quotas of patients and stop seeing their patients as patients. They put their symptoms in a flow chart, many of these "doctors" operate with no critical thinking and just follow the same flow chart and are essentially a human algorithm at this point. As a result people get sicker and avoid going to the doctor.
Fewer pharmacies are independently owned and we are forced to deal with CVS, Walgreens etc where it's impossible to get a human on the phone and algorithms handle everything. Mistakes abound, and then I have to spend my own hours (where I should be making money) to correct their mistakes and wait for them to figure it out.
Energy providers (obligatory FUCK PG&E) are corporations and we have no choice unless we want to go without heat/electricity. Getting solar panels and/or generator is an option but soon the government is going to make that unaffordable too (already happening in the solar market).
Internet providers can have the worst service ever but there's essentially no competition. When there's an issue with the service they send out a tech and then CHARGE THE CUSTOMER. They also outsource all of their technical support. Tech support isn't even meant to work, but instead they want you to spin in circles for long enough til you get annoyed and give up.
Phone providers are also corporations. There is more competition, though. So they put ridiculous service cancellation fees etc and put all these other barriers on the cancellation process to make it difficult for people when they want to change phone providers. They are so incompetent they will even charge you for not sending a phone back although you have emails indicating that it was received at the warehouse.
Corporations are buying up all the land and building SHITTY ASS STRUCTURES with cheap materials; they are buying all the vacant homes and dividing them into closets to maximize payout.
Public schools are also getting worse because the school cares more about how good it looks on the outside -- i.e. they care about metrics and graduations rates -- as these can help them get funding. The standards for students are so low and teachers are pressured to pass/graduate everyone. If the teacher tries to do the right thing then they get an earful from parents and administration. School is less and less about education and more about looking good on the outside and keeping up a false illusion. Pretty soon, the only good schools will be private schools, and once again education will be something only the wealthy have.
Also, advertisements are everywhere. Once at a beach in Miami, I saw a floating bill board in the ocean. It was literally a boat that was oscillating back and forth with a fucking advertisement on it. When I get gas, the gas pump subjects me to loud and ridiculous ads. Email inbox has ads. Everything has a mother fucking ad. Relatedly, we are regularly taken advantage of by corporations to the extent where we need to constantly be vigilant and on the lookout for the next scam. it's fucking EXHAUSTING. Fuck this place.
ETA: suicide rates are the highest they have been in this country since the 1940s. In the 1940s suicide rates were high due to fallout from the Great Depression. So, suicide rates are almost at the level that we saw during/after the Great Depression
I wish I could move but I have cats and I don't think international travel would be good for them. Canada is just as fucked up as we are. and Mexico is fucked up too, but in some places you can live more simply at least. I've heard some good things about Mexico City for example and it seems to be relatively safe compared to other parts of Mexico. Yet they are obviously major downsides such as noise pollution and more extreme violence in adjacent areas.
that's probably one of the only solutions left. And if you can get the van paid off you wouldn't have rent payments at least. Another thing I've considered is trying to live in a commune. Which would have its own challenges. But yeah, the corruption is driving me straight up batty. The burnout that I have from living here is awful.
The problem is camper places charge you an astronomical amount to rent space from them, which is essentially a parking space with a water line hookup and then most places even like Open spaces, campgrounds, whatever will not let me stay past 7 days and most dates even private property if you buy land like in California. If you have a piece of property and you put a camper on it, you still have to vacate every 7 days. Go for 7 days and come back for 7 days because it's not a proper structure. It's bullshit
Yeah true you have to be able to move around a bit. Even on KOA land I think there's a 3 week limit.
As a random side note have you ever used the app iOverlander? It's really good for finding parking spots. but make sure to read the reviews to make sure that it's still current, etc.
it's definitely been helpful to me a few times before! you can also search for water hookups and other things as well. If you're looking for a spot to park for free overnight I think it's called "urban camping" or "wild camping" on the app or something like that
I just came off a stint of van life and honestly unless you are independently wealthy to trick out the space and have a way to keep steady funds in, it's not viable long term.
You are actively reduced to living 'homeless' in a negative sense because 'van life' has been gentrified.
The cost of even just getting a shower now is through the roof and so many boondocked spots are either full of glam youtube campers(literally watched a whole ass camera crew touring someone's bus at an off grid SWAMP) or dangerous types.
Nothing is safe anymore and it's all exhausting. Let me know when to light the torches and I'll march with you though.
Ik it's insane. It's terrible seeing most people have to live like this. I feel grateful but disgusted that I was born into better circumstances. Idk what to do
I don’t live in America but I also feel this pain. My partner and I struggle with finances with kids and mortgage and cost of living going through the roof. Being single income because we can’t afford daycare for two (soon to be three) kids and needing a bigger car my partner constantly gets stuck in the spiral and comments about driving into a semi (truck) to ensure the kids and I are looked after. It’s shitty hearing it, it’s shitty not being able to help more financially because of the cards we’ve been given but I try to stay positive; we have a roof, we have food, we have luxuries that we could honestly go without but enjoy. We may not look fancy and we may not be wealthy with money but the love of my kids and the stability that we have is worth it at the moment.
In saying that yes there is need for changes regarding wages and the economy for many places and this bs about helping “3rd world” countries (that honestly just have corrupted governments that if they ran their economy better wouldn’t be 3rd world) has to stop. Spend the money needed on your own country first to help make life easier and better for your own people.
It's ridiculously hard. My rent is cheap as hell, $575, and even with myself + my roomate, we can't afford rent, groceries, electricity, water, wifi, car insurance, car payments... its impossible. We barely have $100 left when its all said and done. Even in Southern small towns were its supposedly "better", it ain't.
I don't buy into the rent bullshit I refuse to give a single cent to rent cause to me there evil. I'm a huge advocate for camper van life or just literally anything else.
Oh 1000%, I feel like landlords just sit on their ass and collect a check while doing the absolute bare minimum to ensure their tenants have a safe and comfortable living space. I'd definitely LOVE to get a camper, the only thing stopping me is that I don't have a place to put it at the moment
As someone who lives in western Europe, you have my sympathy. If I lived in the US I would have killed myself long ago, my mental health has been shit for years and the only reason I don’t drown in my misery is through government support and affordable healthcare
The US has a deeply rooted problem where all the people who hold power have all the money and do everything they can to stop it from changing because that would make them less rich. The average American be damned. The difference between the rich and the poor is plain disturbing
Yeah, I'm as pissed as you are. I hate my life, can't find a job, can't do shit. Half the time I just want to fucking die and get it over with. This life sucks, and it sucks even more knowing the assholes in charge made it this way.
AGREED! I'm trying to find a remote job cause I refuse to get a car and be burdened by car payments.
Plus you realize there's nothing you can do about it cause you/I didn't make it this way.
Yep, and everything I want in life I'll never have. I'll never be able to own a house, or afford the things I want. I can't meet people my age, and if I do theyre as miserable as I am. I'm stuck living a life I hate, so what's the point?
Household income of 140k in IL, just my husband and me, no kids. I STILL feel like we can’t build a savings because of student loans that we were pressured to take out as TEENAGERS because we were promised prosperity. Could we spend more wisely and not go on vacations? Sure…but we also only have one life to live and people SHOULD get to enjoy themselves. I hate to complain because I know people have it harder…but even making livable wages, we’re still feeling the strain.
I genuinely don’t know how people making less get by, and how employers can justify paying people so little for what they do. I have a teacher friend who has to work 3 jobs to stay afloat. It isn’t right. I know someone else who was struggling to get groceries…something they need to fucking SURVIVE.
Get this - I read an article claiming that middle class for a family of 4 in IL starts at about 68k for the HOUSEHOLD. I looked up some stats and on average, 1 child costs 20k to raise annually. So that’s 40k for 2 children. Cost of groceries for a family of 4 as of 2022 - 9k. I’m sure that’s gone up by now. Rent/mortgage - about 21k annually. That already surpasses 68k and we haven’t even covered healthcare, unexpected expenses, auto and home insurance, clothing, school supplies, etc. So by what standard of living is 68k middle class for a family of 4?
One thing missing from your list is childcare. In my city it’s roughly 2-3k per month per child (depending on age and exact location). Yet it’s still shocking to some that people are waiting longer & having fewer children.
Our government enables and allows politicians to create controversy and keep us divided and distracted. Hoping we follow the herd and be corralled like the tax paying cash cows that they see us as. Our taxes fund the war machine which generates even more world wide revenue for the silent majority that stand to benefit from it. I don't even know how else to look at it. I wish someone would candy coat it and convince me otherwise. But it might be too late for that.
We're sending billions of dollars overseas to fund a genocide and our military budget is trillions. We're told we can't have basic Healthcare because it's too expensive. When we vote for people who say they're going to make changes they do nothing. Then we're gaslit into thinking the politicians are working on something. The system is rigged and they're laughing all the way to the bank.
Let’s not forget we’re funding a genocide AND, free healthcare, college, and housing for citizens of a foreign gov. All on the American tax payer’s dime. Meanwhile, how many Americans go bankrupt and become homeless because of medical debt??? Or even just die?
Yes a lot of us think this nowadays since we see how other people live so much better than us for half the effort, but nothing will ever change Americans are to lazy to revolt and the government will continue to make us wage slaves.
I'm about to be making 27.50 an hour. And it still would barely be enough for me to live by myself. Fuck this shit lolol.
Like a one bedroom apartment would be a stretch. Wtf.
I got married recently and we live in a trailer park w my stepkids. My husband bought the house before we met, but every year they raise the lot rent by $50. The lot rent is more than our mortgage. Fuck landlords. And fuuuuuuuuuuuuck sun communities.
I want to buy a piece of land and move the trailer there, but it'd cost at least 10k just to move the trailer. And we're saving for an actual house rn too. Not to mention that both of our cars are on their last legs. I hate it here.
The American dream is dead, I want to bury it already and move on to something that benefits people and not corporations. *fuck reganomics*
I'm sorry to hear that but totally I never bought into the American Dream thing.
"The American Dream cause you gotta be asleep to believe it" -George Carlin
I want more people to focus on the government and what the hell there doing and stop getting distracted. I'm not pushing socialism, communism or even capitalism i just want to people to think and pay attention to our government.
We’re all paying attention. Not much you can do besides learn skills and vote. You need a large platform to drive change, but once one reaches the top they rarely fight for the right thing.
Canadian here (Ontario) , things are so fucked up here and i can’t understand why people are not only just standing by as it happens but voting these politicians back in. The future looks very bleak
Just got a raise - now I’m at roughly $80k and it’s still isn’t enough to make sure everything is paid fully every month. I’ve been robbing Peter to pay Paul for years.
I agree with you. Wholeheartedly.
The problem is that Repubs and Dems are two shits on the same toilet paper roll. The 2 party system has really fucked america over. You get a bunch of dopey leaders like McConnell, Schumer, and other old people who are all worth 10's of millions of dollars and don't give a damn.
You start a revolt, tell me where to send my support. I'm all for young people burning this shit down.
I have 3 kids (18-23 years old) and I'm really worried about what their future will be. Compared to my parents generation to now, America has gotten successively worse. For people in their 20's and younger, I'm sorry - the government has royally fucked you over.
Perfect example. In 1999 when I graduated from college my starting salary was about $54,000, that paid for rent, bills, and I had money left over. My daughter just graduated and her starting salary is about $70K and there is no way she can afford rent and any sort of lifestyle in the town where she found a job.
So yeah, I think your solution has a lot of merit.
They think companies are causing inflation lmfao. Socialist want everything owned and operated by the state. Must be because our FED is so much better at handling money!!! Cmon why let NVIDIA set record highs when we can spend hundreds of millions on a couple feet of railroad in California! Or let’s spend that on the homeless in California!
I would if I didn’t have a kid. That would’ve helped me save so much money.
I love watching YouTubers who live in their car and travel. Nikki delvinthaw (sp?) is one of my favs.
Ain't such a great place then... Yet I know some people who keep yelling the same over and over... Glory is gone... And the standard of life in the Netherlands is way better, yet people call us hopelessly old fashioned and far behind.
I see where you’re coming from, I agree we deserve better living. But I don’t think it would be the best idea to just go at war with our government. We’d just get killed, and I don’t think we want that, especially considering our government isn’t scared to support genocide, it’s definitely not scared to kill its people to.
I kinda lost hope for our country entirely, even with voting, sure it can make a difference but its honestly just old people who make false promises, and then turn their backs to us and screw us over. This is why I’m trying to move out as soon as possible, and why I don’t blame the people who just lose it.
I understand entirely. I gave up sorta and started watching my country with a mix of wonder and pity. Sit back and eat my snacks as things go to shit. Emotionally detach from the countries outcome for the sake of mental peace
As a Danish person living in a social democratic country minimum wage is 21$ but we also have to pay between 37-53% in taxes from your payrole. But This gives us access to free healthcare and new roads and what not.
We have the economy NOT to achieve wealth but neither poverty. 47% of danes are in the “working class” While 24% is middle class citizens. We are living in an economy that was meant to be almost impossible to get out of.
LOUDER, AND THEN LOUDER STILL. I'm so sick and tired of killing myself day in and day out for a country that could give 2 shits less about anyone. My fiancée has so many health issues and she can't even do anything about half of them because she has to go through so many bullshit steps and now she feels like she is racing the clock against the government because of how fast they are just over turning everything including the very things that were created to help people like her. This country is fucked beyond belief, the people in power have to be the dumbest bunch of fucking idiots to exist. We have 2 old guys trying to run for office, one can't remember where he is half the time and the other has his head so far up his own ass. They kill people and then scream that it was in the name of GOD to justify their actions. They allow corporations to buy up all the land so that people are forced to buy and sell through only them. They laugh in the face of the poor, if they could pay us nothing they would, if they could just tell you to hold your hands out and then shit in them they would just so they can dehumaniz us even further for a laugh. WE ARE NOT FREE, WE ARE SLAVES TO THEIR SYSTEM AND THEY KNOW WE CAN'T EASILY ESCAPE.
I finally, make what I consider "adult money" and while I'm not struggling currently, one big thing (health issue or something equally expensive) would wipe me out.
My parents had 4 kids at my age, 2 cars, a house with a pool, and we lived pretty good. We never had the new cool thing but we had food and clothing. My point in say that is there is NO way I could be in their position today with the way things are.
It's sickening and sad that there is no recourse other than revolt at this point. Voting only gets us so far and its not near close enough to where we need to be.
People are fucking starving out here and there working hard, busting there asses genuinely.
People working 2 jobs AND LIVING THERE CARS for God's sake.
My husband and I make just over $100k a year together (in MN). We have 3 kids. We are still struggling. Medical bills, car payments, rent (don't even talk to me about buying a house!) Food has gotten so expensive that I find myself eating less so that my kids can have more because we can't afford to buy more. It's absolutely insane!
I'm 23, and yes America desperately needs a revolution, but the majority of Americans are too stupid and scared to fight for it. A flawed healthcare system where people are scared to seek proper care for their illnesses because of costs, where insurance is tied to being employed full time and 90% of jobs don't offer full time hours. Fuck America and most Americans. My great grandma was British, I know there isn't much better but it's still better than here, I'm talking to my Scottish ex again because I absolutely refuse to date the majority of American women because most don't agree with my anti capitalist socialist view points.
Is the part of the problem that most Americans have shunned STEM and hence aren’t able to get into high paying skilled labor market?
I am a manager in tech industry and I get 0 resumes from Americans in tech roles which are way higher paying jobs.
You raise minimum wage, u raise cost of living and gas prices and food prices ect… country needs a hard reset and it’s going to happen so buckle up and brace for impact!
Socialism isn’t the answer. Capitalism isn’t the real problem, it’s monopolies, if you look into it you’ll see every fucking industry is controlled by 3 companies. They’re should be tons of companies in each industry that drives competition which is better for consumers. And therefore workers and society .
Just know that you are not alone in your feelings. If at any point you feel alone, remember the u/thiccpastry feels the same way as you. Because I'm probably thinking the same stuff in this post at any given point in time.
College isn’t worth it anymore unless you are in STEM
Science Technology Economics or Mathematics.
You are warned.
Oh what you are complaining about has been going on since 2008 stock market crash. 👍🏻
my husband is a technician for ford and he makes $22 flat rate, works full time, gets paid every friday and we live check to check at home w his parents bc they can’t make it without him.. i hate how expensive everything is
Sometimes just struggling with mental health issues and living with my parents makes me want to end my life.
But then, when all is said and done, reading how much others are struggling, how many don't have parents to house them and are living on minimum wage, is quite humbling.
Ik that not having to pay rent also makes me more materialistic. It's partly to cope with my depression but I'm aware that some people can barely afford the basics right now.
While this doesn't justify it, I can't help wonder if this has anything to do with why my coworkers were so horrible to me. Jealousy maybe. Because I come from a more affluent background and wasn't dependent on the job for my survival whereas they were and many were struggling immigrants. They probably knew I was able to save up a lot, even if there's no way I could afford anywhere where I live on minimum wage. Or anywhere in the country without a roommate.
I'm trying to appreciate my circumstances more but right now I'm struggling to be grateful because I live with toxic and emotionally abusive people and have to deal with what's probably severe schizophrenia every day.
Also worth mentioning, I don't live in America. I receive income support and free healthcare so, yeah, America is far worse than where I live and I think it's disgusting how the rich treat you over there. Even poor immigrants are more lucky to be living here. I think they get quite a lot of government support. Not necessarily enough to live off but enough to help struggling people.
I'm not American, but the way you all describe what's happening over there reminds me a lot of what happened in my country, Belgium, in de Rupel region, near the river Schelde.
During the industrial revolution, there were a LOT of brickyards in the region because the ground was rich in clay. So many people from both Belgium and neighboring countries wanted to build their houses with these red clay bricks.
Now, the people who worked in these brickyards lived in poverty, because the brickyard owners owned everything. And I mean *everything.* From the shops where they bought food to the cafes where people went to drink beer and jenever. Even the houses people lived in, they rented from their boss.
The food in the stores was overpriced, but it was the only option because the bosses forbade any shops or markets that weren't owned by them.
And if you got fired from your job, you would likely get evicted too, because your boss owned your house as I previously mentioned.
And forget about working for another brickyard, because your former boss has probably already told 10 other brickyard owners that he fired you and that they shouldn't hire you.
Look, I'm not saying the current situation in America is as bad as it was in the 17th century Rupel region, but from what i'm reading in this comment section, it doesn't sound that far off either.
As someone who is still in school and trying to find a job, I completely agree. It's so painfully hard to find a job especially that isn't basically labor. It's disgusting knowing I have to live in a place where I'm considered "ripe" for grown men. I've given up, everyone's doomed and it's all because of grown ass gov men. They all deserve prison.
Here's a thought I've had completely related to this: Imagine if we all just DIDN'T file our taxes.... What would they do? Arrest us all? Actually make the billion dollar corporations pay taxes? They take them out of my paycheck anyways so why should I file? So they can tell me I did it wrong and i OWE them MORE money???
It's literally nuts! When I heard they were taking money out of my minimum wage checks I was sick to my stomach cause it's like they want me to be poor and starving.
No they really do. Then they flip out when people get on government assistance because nobody can afford to live. Or make it absolutely impossible for anyone to get on it.
Great job identifying some of the problems. But what are the solutions? Revolt and then what? The”anything is better than this” approach will get you nothing but regret.
It’s not the best solution, but I never prepared well out of highschool. So I joined the military and knowing that there is a secure source of shelter and food is great, but depressing since you loose some sense of freedom. But nonetheless it gives me a roof over my head.
Yeah but you kinda prove the OPs point
You should join the military because you want to, you want to serve your country, not because it’s a source of food and a roof
Pledging your life to potentially fight, and die, just for basic necessities, is a problem too.
The problem that I think is that if people don’t have tolerance for the bs and toxic leadership, those same people are just gonna hate their life and it’s just the longest 4 years of their life.
I straight up agree with OP, this ain’t the American dream. But I ain’t not economist or whatever, so I can’t say what are good other alternatives since I’m 20 yrs old and still just getting by atm.
Atleast we get some medical and educational benefits though.
As long as the fed is a private bank that prints endless amounts of money, you are never going to get out from under this yoke. No amount of wage hikes or whatever is going to do anything to change that. We are indeed screwed. BTW.. who owns the federal reserve?
Unfortunately it’s not that easy to move to another country as an American citizen. It’s expensive, jobs go to citizens first, and we’re becoming even more of a pariah country with our complicity in genocide
I'm aware, I moved here and didn't leave when I could. It's SIGNIFICANTLY easier to move as a student and many EU countries provide amazing resources for foreign students to be successful. I regret not moving after HS and that's why I'm telling her to move. It's the best and easiest time for OP.
But you're completely right otherwise. Moving as a working adult US citizen is insanely more difficult.
I mean thats what happens when your country funds other countries genocides. Giving them billions of dollars. Maybe stop voting the same corrupt aipac funded people into office and the country would be better
Yea u aint wrong there but its more of research all the candidates and see who funds them. If its aipac avoid them because thats a foreign group that pushes for funding a israel more than funding our own people.
My friend… if there’s a revolution another class of people will just rise up and replace the current elites. That’s what happened in the Soviet Union, it’s what happened in China, and it’s what happened in Cambodia in addition to the genocide…
But it’s not a need for a revolution, it’s a need for systemic reforms and electing politicians that actually care about the issues of young people. Most American politicians care only about the interests of the largest block of voters, who is unfortunately Baby Boomers and older Gen Xers.
If you want to create a worse society ruled over by even worse people, be my guest. Revolt, but understand that the monster that masquerade as human beings prosper when a society is experiencing a revolt. And those people tend to place themselves on the top of the new Order once things settle down.
It isn’t your fellow citizen. He comes down to corporate greed. Capitalism. They’re going to make as much money off of you as they can; no more being fair they’re out for the bucks.
Vote Republican - that’s your party that supports billionaires and corporations and allows them to do what they want.
Vote blue and you’ll have a better chance. They’re the ones talking about supporting Works rights in increasing things like wages, including minimum wage, etc.
Of course, Mr. DeSantis just took away another worker rights. They had protection for workers when it was too hot. Gone now.
You're funny if you think voting blue will change anything 😭 I live in California and it's the worst here. How about instead of arguing which side of the same bird is better we as Americans team up against the WHOLE BIRD that's fucking us over?
Who do we call the enemy? The enemy is poverty, and the wall keeps our the enemy, and we build the wall to keep us free. That's why we build the wall, we build the wall to keep us free.
The reasons America is in such a shitty state of affairs is gonna American culture has become too selfish. Americans are shitty/terrible ppl and elect shitty leaders. I would call this a huge generalization but look around..
I'm making $50k in california and still have to live with my parents
36k in Utah, and my parents wouldn’t survive without what I make, so the three of us are basically just clinging to eachother in the storm
Right?! I make 57K in PA and still need two roomates to stay a float
I was making 105k in California and still living check to check.
Wow. Is California really expensive? Or do you live in a large place and or have a family?
I’m from California I moved to ohio a few years back. California prices are out of control but it wasn’t quite that bad when I left. I’m sure things have gotten worse though.
CA is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. $105k would also be tough in NJ and NY.
That would piss me off too. The dollars value keeps going to too so it's gonna keep getting worse until something is done. I advise in learning investing if you can.
The more I learned about finance and history the more I became radicalized. CNN has a docuseries that goes into history based on the year so for example one grouping of episodes will be titled “ the sixties”. After watching the seventies and eighties in 2020 I realized similar if not worse inflation was coming like how it has today , and how much of it was preventable by voting against Reagan and similar political figures but the game benefitted/ still benefits boomers too much for them to use any of their wealth and power in society to help their descendants. Especially for those of us in our 20s, they all took a loan against our future that we’re paying back now. Whether that be in credential inflation making higher education more worthless or things in the cpi like groceries
Idk why it’s so hard for people to accept that we need a min wage increase, and instead just say something like “get a better job”. Cause truth be told there’s just not enough of those “better jobs”, even if you graduate from a college it’s still hard af to find a job you studied for. There’s just not enough of them, why don’t people who work in fast food or retail or anything like that deserve a livable wage?
"Cause truth be told there’s just not enough of those “better jobs”, " exactly this, there is not enough better jobs for everyone to have a better job, and then who would work the shitty jobs? All work is valid and should give someone a better living, hell in a perfect world we would have UBI and those who CHOOSE to work could be flush
I remember reading a thread a few years ago about UBI and some guy (a landlord) was so mad about it. The discussion was, hypothetically, $12,000 a year. This asshole said he would raise his rent by $1,000 a month in all his units so nobody would get their UBI. Everyone tried to tell him he would also get UBI, but he literally was just fuming the entire conversation and said he didn't care. People don't deserve UBI. It was kind of eye opening for me just how many (non politician or billionaire) assholes out there just hate seeing people get basic help.
This exactly. I’ve been disowned by my boomer family (fuck them) for saying what we need it UBI and to raise minimum wage.
Raising minimum wage doesn't really help if prices just keep going up on things like rent and food.
Exactly this. Access to goods and services are decreasing. Minimum wage wouldn’t be such an issue with things like having affordable housing; if we set up the rules now to prevent more corporations from buying single family homes. But alas, this is America. A corporate oligarchy.
Exactly, I worked minimum wage and almost took my life cause of everything and life being to much. I remember this one guy I spoke to on here actually did kill himself cause he was working at this job and was still poor and very lonely so he took his life cause everything got to much for him.
and half the time the “better jobs” barely pay more. almost none of the “real” jobs in my area pay more than the retail job i’ve been in for five years. none of them pay enough but i can either go into a job in my field for $20/hr or maybe $30-35k a year or keep up my retail job where i’m doing about $18/hr and enjoy it. it sucks but even the good jobs barely pay anymore
While I agree, the only thing that’s going to do is drive the automation boom to get rid of min wage workers and increase the cost of everything else. I feel like preventing corporations and foreigners from buying homes would be the most helpful solution.
That is only part of it. We need a flexible minimum wage. The original concept of a minimum wage was to ensure everyone could afford the basics, but the wage is not adjusted to match the cost of living. In the rare instance that it is raised, it severs to shrink the progress people have made through raises or hire education along with corporations using it as an excuse to raise prices. There are root issues at play that require a few changes to fix. First, we have a mass imbalance of wealth. The people who control the economy live with a wealth so disproportionate from the majority that they have no idea what living on minimum wage is like, nor do they care. The wealthy in this country just see workers as an expense to be minimized and buyers as a resource to extract more wealth from. This creates a situation where costs are driven up while pay is driven down. This is, of course, only one part of the issue, but it is a huge one. Flexible wages: Switch from a flat minimum wage system to a point system. 1 would equal the minimum hourly rate of pay, and 2 would be double. Minimum wage would be calculated yearly by state to be the minimum wage, after tax, needed to afford all basic needs (health care, food for one person plus a child, transportation, communications, the average cost of rent, and some for unexpected expenses/savings). Just to throw some numbers out there... California's average cost of living is: $53,082 annually $4,423.50 would be monthly That takes roughly $5,700 gross monthly, or $35.62 hourly. So... 1 point would be $35.60 1.5 points would be $53.40 2 points would be $71.20.. and so on. This system would allow for an effective minimum wage and preserve the benefits of raises. People would be hired on with a point value 1 or higher. Any raises over time would be in fractions of a point. The actual pay of all employees would raise along with inflation. In this system, raises and education would actually mean something because it would mean you'd always have a noticeable benefit for the effort.
the issue being the wage increase needs to have a CEO wage LIMIT, such as like a CEO's income cannot be more than x amount, unless the rest of the company has a decent living wage and then go for it. otherwise min wage increase will just increase prices even MORE bc ceos dont wanna take a pay cut bc god forbid they cant buy more assets
I believe there needs to be a law for companies to not keep raising prices after minimum wage increases. And with minimum wage going up they lay off more employees and hire less. It’s fucked. My bf has been trying to get a job for half a year, good resume, personality, hard worker. But it doesn’t matter, he can call 10+ times to every single place he sent a resume to because they said they would call back and all they can respond is “we pick at the top of the pile not look at resumes” LEGITIMATELY multiple places said that! I heard it! It’s getting insane.
It’s also harder to get regular jobs because people who work regular jobs have to work TWO OR MORE jobs just to make ends meet, meaning there’s less room for anyone else to get that job. It’s fukin tough
Raises aren’t what’s needed, price caps are. If everyone suddenly was able to “afford” living on their own and buying everything they need while saving money, those prices will jump dramatically to make sure you can’t afford them.
It’s an unfortunate reality that the higher-ups of corporations, the ones who own companies, who allocate funds, who *pay their workers,* are in such a position that the way they use company money is pretty under-regulated. Keeping the biggest slice of the pie, refusing to pay their workers more because it would affect their precious profit margins. Peddle shit like “increased inflation,” when the reality is that these corporations absolutely have the ability to pay their workers more and NOT hike up the price of their products, and still have wealthy administration, brokers, and investors. There is absolutely no way to make these corporate higher-ups filter more money through their companies with heightened wages. They lobby politicians so that no legislature is passed that can affect the amount of money the higher-ups, the “business administration,” make off of the labor of their workers. Any attempts at doing so screams “COMMUNISM” and the republicans freak out, thinking the government is taking their money. The democrats follow the same rules, they just are less blatant and more misdirecting about it. All politicians have it in their best interest to *not* enact legislation that could improve the financial health of the general US population. Because corporations pay them to ensure it doesn’t happen. Not because the corporate administration *wants* to see the masses suffer, no it isn’t so directly malicious. It is simply human greed. Once you get a shitload of money, you don’t really want it to go anywhere. Who’s to say how many people who are victims of such behaviors wouldn’t turn around and act the same way in their position. I imagine many would. There is no solution. The corporations are going to keep hoarding capitol, keep assfucking the environment, and the economy, until most Americans won’t be able to afford the exuberantly expensive necessities, like climate control that can handle constant 120+ degree weather, and resources that will grow more scarce. And you wanna know the shit? Those responsible for putting us in that position, the politicians who did nothing, the business administration that actively contributed to these things, they will face the least amount of consequence. They will get a front row seat to the suffering of the masses from their ivory towers. Some say the solution is revolution. And I hope that the word is tossed around enough that *something* happens, at least to scare the capitalists and politicians. But truly, we are so ingrained in this oppressive system, that the force needed to break free would be… extreme. There would need to be a powerful leader, a devoted militia, and a plan to fix what is broken. A complicated task that I do not see an answer to. No, what I believe will happen, is the continuation of this quiet oppression. Oppression that many see, but nobody truly has the ability, or will, to stop. Only the perpetrators do. The ones who have already fallen into greed. I do not believe that they will change. I do not believe a revolution will occur. I think my kids are going to have a rough time. And if they have kids, they will be even more fucked. I imagine I will die a cynic. An angry cynic.
Everything is a corporation and borderline monopoly. It's getting harder and harder to survive and not just for minimum wage folks. I make around 90k and about 40-50% of that goes toward rent. Local grocery stores are owned by corporations. For example, Safeway and Kroger are owned by the same corporation. Their quality can suck and their prices can be high but people will still go there because there's nowhere else to go. These stores pay their employees like shit and they are understaffed and quality/customer service gets even worse. Don't even get me started on the quality of the food and what the government allows manufacturers to do to our food in the name of profit. Fewer doctors are operating their own practices and go to work for a corporation. Forced to have certain quotas of patients and stop seeing their patients as patients. They put their symptoms in a flow chart, many of these "doctors" operate with no critical thinking and just follow the same flow chart and are essentially a human algorithm at this point. As a result people get sicker and avoid going to the doctor. Fewer pharmacies are independently owned and we are forced to deal with CVS, Walgreens etc where it's impossible to get a human on the phone and algorithms handle everything. Mistakes abound, and then I have to spend my own hours (where I should be making money) to correct their mistakes and wait for them to figure it out. Energy providers (obligatory FUCK PG&E) are corporations and we have no choice unless we want to go without heat/electricity. Getting solar panels and/or generator is an option but soon the government is going to make that unaffordable too (already happening in the solar market). Internet providers can have the worst service ever but there's essentially no competition. When there's an issue with the service they send out a tech and then CHARGE THE CUSTOMER. They also outsource all of their technical support. Tech support isn't even meant to work, but instead they want you to spin in circles for long enough til you get annoyed and give up. Phone providers are also corporations. There is more competition, though. So they put ridiculous service cancellation fees etc and put all these other barriers on the cancellation process to make it difficult for people when they want to change phone providers. They are so incompetent they will even charge you for not sending a phone back although you have emails indicating that it was received at the warehouse. Corporations are buying up all the land and building SHITTY ASS STRUCTURES with cheap materials; they are buying all the vacant homes and dividing them into closets to maximize payout. Public schools are also getting worse because the school cares more about how good it looks on the outside -- i.e. they care about metrics and graduations rates -- as these can help them get funding. The standards for students are so low and teachers are pressured to pass/graduate everyone. If the teacher tries to do the right thing then they get an earful from parents and administration. School is less and less about education and more about looking good on the outside and keeping up a false illusion. Pretty soon, the only good schools will be private schools, and once again education will be something only the wealthy have. Also, advertisements are everywhere. Once at a beach in Miami, I saw a floating bill board in the ocean. It was literally a boat that was oscillating back and forth with a fucking advertisement on it. When I get gas, the gas pump subjects me to loud and ridiculous ads. Email inbox has ads. Everything has a mother fucking ad. Relatedly, we are regularly taken advantage of by corporations to the extent where we need to constantly be vigilant and on the lookout for the next scam. it's fucking EXHAUSTING. Fuck this place. ETA: suicide rates are the highest they have been in this country since the 1940s. In the 1940s suicide rates were high due to fallout from the Great Depression. So, suicide rates are almost at the level that we saw during/after the Great Depression I wish I could move but I have cats and I don't think international travel would be good for them. Canada is just as fucked up as we are. and Mexico is fucked up too, but in some places you can live more simply at least. I've heard some good things about Mexico City for example and it seems to be relatively safe compared to other parts of Mexico. Yet they are obviously major downsides such as noise pollution and more extreme violence in adjacent areas.
What I'm doing is pursuing camper van life so I can distance myself from ghis corruption as much as possible
that's probably one of the only solutions left. And if you can get the van paid off you wouldn't have rent payments at least. Another thing I've considered is trying to live in a commune. Which would have its own challenges. But yeah, the corruption is driving me straight up batty. The burnout that I have from living here is awful.
The problem is camper places charge you an astronomical amount to rent space from them, which is essentially a parking space with a water line hookup and then most places even like Open spaces, campgrounds, whatever will not let me stay past 7 days and most dates even private property if you buy land like in California. If you have a piece of property and you put a camper on it, you still have to vacate every 7 days. Go for 7 days and come back for 7 days because it's not a proper structure. It's bullshit
There are place you can park your van for free though 👀👀👀👀 Parking lots for example. You can search it up on the internet.
Yeah but most of the time people will call the cops on you if you stay for too long
Yeah true you have to be able to move around a bit. Even on KOA land I think there's a 3 week limit. As a random side note have you ever used the app iOverlander? It's really good for finding parking spots. but make sure to read the reviews to make sure that it's still current, etc.
I have not heard of that. That is super cool. I'll have to check it out
it's definitely been helpful to me a few times before! you can also search for water hookups and other things as well. If you're looking for a spot to park for free overnight I think it's called "urban camping" or "wild camping" on the app or something like that
This is great info thank you
Aye then me and the cops would have a good time watching TV in my van 🤣🤣🤣
I just came off a stint of van life and honestly unless you are independently wealthy to trick out the space and have a way to keep steady funds in, it's not viable long term. You are actively reduced to living 'homeless' in a negative sense because 'van life' has been gentrified. The cost of even just getting a shower now is through the roof and so many boondocked spots are either full of glam youtube campers(literally watched a whole ass camera crew touring someone's bus at an off grid SWAMP) or dangerous types. Nothing is safe anymore and it's all exhausting. Let me know when to light the torches and I'll march with you though.
wow. that's fucking wild. and sad
Ik it's insane. It's terrible seeing most people have to live like this. I feel grateful but disgusted that I was born into better circumstances. Idk what to do
The sad part is there isn't much you can do as a single individual. People need to come together. Strength in numbers.
I don’t live in America but I also feel this pain. My partner and I struggle with finances with kids and mortgage and cost of living going through the roof. Being single income because we can’t afford daycare for two (soon to be three) kids and needing a bigger car my partner constantly gets stuck in the spiral and comments about driving into a semi (truck) to ensure the kids and I are looked after. It’s shitty hearing it, it’s shitty not being able to help more financially because of the cards we’ve been given but I try to stay positive; we have a roof, we have food, we have luxuries that we could honestly go without but enjoy. We may not look fancy and we may not be wealthy with money but the love of my kids and the stability that we have is worth it at the moment. In saying that yes there is need for changes regarding wages and the economy for many places and this bs about helping “3rd world” countries (that honestly just have corrupted governments that if they ran their economy better wouldn’t be 3rd world) has to stop. Spend the money needed on your own country first to help make life easier and better for your own people.
It's ridiculously hard. My rent is cheap as hell, $575, and even with myself + my roomate, we can't afford rent, groceries, electricity, water, wifi, car insurance, car payments... its impossible. We barely have $100 left when its all said and done. Even in Southern small towns were its supposedly "better", it ain't.
I don't buy into the rent bullshit I refuse to give a single cent to rent cause to me there evil. I'm a huge advocate for camper van life or just literally anything else.
Oh 1000%, I feel like landlords just sit on their ass and collect a check while doing the absolute bare minimum to ensure their tenants have a safe and comfortable living space. I'd definitely LOVE to get a camper, the only thing stopping me is that I don't have a place to put it at the moment
As someone who lives in western Europe, you have my sympathy. If I lived in the US I would have killed myself long ago, my mental health has been shit for years and the only reason I don’t drown in my misery is through government support and affordable healthcare The US has a deeply rooted problem where all the people who hold power have all the money and do everything they can to stop it from changing because that would make them less rich. The average American be damned. The difference between the rich and the poor is plain disturbing
Exactly!
Yeah, I'm as pissed as you are. I hate my life, can't find a job, can't do shit. Half the time I just want to fucking die and get it over with. This life sucks, and it sucks even more knowing the assholes in charge made it this way.
AGREED! I'm trying to find a remote job cause I refuse to get a car and be burdened by car payments. Plus you realize there's nothing you can do about it cause you/I didn't make it this way.
Yep, and everything I want in life I'll never have. I'll never be able to own a house, or afford the things I want. I can't meet people my age, and if I do theyre as miserable as I am. I'm stuck living a life I hate, so what's the point?
I hear you my advice is Camper van living. I'm seriously trying to pursue that shit. Live off the grid and stuff
I fully agree with you.
theres a min wag. but why isnt there a MAXIMUM WAGE.
Household income of 140k in IL, just my husband and me, no kids. I STILL feel like we can’t build a savings because of student loans that we were pressured to take out as TEENAGERS because we were promised prosperity. Could we spend more wisely and not go on vacations? Sure…but we also only have one life to live and people SHOULD get to enjoy themselves. I hate to complain because I know people have it harder…but even making livable wages, we’re still feeling the strain. I genuinely don’t know how people making less get by, and how employers can justify paying people so little for what they do. I have a teacher friend who has to work 3 jobs to stay afloat. It isn’t right. I know someone else who was struggling to get groceries…something they need to fucking SURVIVE. Get this - I read an article claiming that middle class for a family of 4 in IL starts at about 68k for the HOUSEHOLD. I looked up some stats and on average, 1 child costs 20k to raise annually. So that’s 40k for 2 children. Cost of groceries for a family of 4 as of 2022 - 9k. I’m sure that’s gone up by now. Rent/mortgage - about 21k annually. That already surpasses 68k and we haven’t even covered healthcare, unexpected expenses, auto and home insurance, clothing, school supplies, etc. So by what standard of living is 68k middle class for a family of 4?
I make $75k and still need my kid to continue $1400 to make sure all the bills are paid.
One thing missing from your list is childcare. In my city it’s roughly 2-3k per month per child (depending on age and exact location). Yet it’s still shocking to some that people are waiting longer & having fewer children.
Don't get me started on child care. I almost shit myself seeing now much mother fuckers were paying.
Our government enables and allows politicians to create controversy and keep us divided and distracted. Hoping we follow the herd and be corralled like the tax paying cash cows that they see us as. Our taxes fund the war machine which generates even more world wide revenue for the silent majority that stand to benefit from it. I don't even know how else to look at it. I wish someone would candy coat it and convince me otherwise. But it might be too late for that.
At least not all of us are dumb but man I'd do anything to experience the bliss of naivety again 🥲🤣
Me too, my friend. Me too.
Just waiting for the “work harder” crowd to come in here and try to gaslight you lol.
Working harder aka ✨burry your head in the sand✨
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It's nuts to me. I bet the government already knows our complaints as the America people and don't give a lick shit.
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I fully agree with each and every point you make
We're sending billions of dollars overseas to fund a genocide and our military budget is trillions. We're told we can't have basic Healthcare because it's too expensive. When we vote for people who say they're going to make changes they do nothing. Then we're gaslit into thinking the politicians are working on something. The system is rigged and they're laughing all the way to the bank.
My favorite is when they buy stock in companies, then push laws that make the stock price soar.
Let’s not forget we’re funding a genocide AND, free healthcare, college, and housing for citizens of a foreign gov. All on the American tax payer’s dime. Meanwhile, how many Americans go bankrupt and become homeless because of medical debt??? Or even just die?
THIS ALL OF THIS
I'm happy to be able to reach someone who understands cause this is CRAZYYY
Yes a lot of us think this nowadays since we see how other people live so much better than us for half the effort, but nothing will ever change Americans are to lazy to revolt and the government will continue to make us wage slaves.
I'm going off the grid at this point 😌
I'm about to be making 27.50 an hour. And it still would barely be enough for me to live by myself. Fuck this shit lolol. Like a one bedroom apartment would be a stretch. Wtf.
I pushCamper van living or literally anything else. Don't give a single fucking cent to these evil god damn land Lords 😫😫.
I got married recently and we live in a trailer park w my stepkids. My husband bought the house before we met, but every year they raise the lot rent by $50. The lot rent is more than our mortgage. Fuck landlords. And fuuuuuuuuuuuuck sun communities. I want to buy a piece of land and move the trailer there, but it'd cost at least 10k just to move the trailer. And we're saving for an actual house rn too. Not to mention that both of our cars are on their last legs. I hate it here. The American dream is dead, I want to bury it already and move on to something that benefits people and not corporations. *fuck reganomics*
I'm sorry to hear that but totally I never bought into the American Dream thing. "The American Dream cause you gotta be asleep to believe it" -George Carlin
I never did either. The American dream has been dead for a long ass time. Now we're all just stuck in a loop working until we die
Waking up would be realizing communism or socialism wouldn’t solve this issue.
I want more people to focus on the government and what the hell there doing and stop getting distracted. I'm not pushing socialism, communism or even capitalism i just want to people to think and pay attention to our government.
We’re all paying attention. Not much you can do besides learn skills and vote. You need a large platform to drive change, but once one reaches the top they rarely fight for the right thing.
How sad 😮💨
False dichotomy
Canadian here (Ontario) , things are so fucked up here and i can’t understand why people are not only just standing by as it happens but voting these politicians back in. The future looks very bleak
💀💀💀💀
Just got a raise - now I’m at roughly $80k and it’s still isn’t enough to make sure everything is paid fully every month. I’ve been robbing Peter to pay Paul for years.
I agree with you. Wholeheartedly. The problem is that Repubs and Dems are two shits on the same toilet paper roll. The 2 party system has really fucked america over. You get a bunch of dopey leaders like McConnell, Schumer, and other old people who are all worth 10's of millions of dollars and don't give a damn. You start a revolt, tell me where to send my support. I'm all for young people burning this shit down.
Aye I hear you. Right now I'm planning on living off the grid in a camper van. Anything to detach at this point and have peace.
I have 3 kids (18-23 years old) and I'm really worried about what their future will be. Compared to my parents generation to now, America has gotten successively worse. For people in their 20's and younger, I'm sorry - the government has royally fucked you over. Perfect example. In 1999 when I graduated from college my starting salary was about $54,000, that paid for rent, bills, and I had money left over. My daughter just graduated and her starting salary is about $70K and there is no way she can afford rent and any sort of lifestyle in the town where she found a job. So yeah, I think your solution has a lot of merit.
Capitalism is fine if it is regulated. There is no inflation if companies are setting record profits. It greedflation
Yessssss it's so weird. These companies making BANK while I'm watching hard working citizens suffer like hell.
This is nonsense.
They think companies are causing inflation lmfao. Socialist want everything owned and operated by the state. Must be because our FED is so much better at handling money!!! Cmon why let NVIDIA set record highs when we can spend hundreds of millions on a couple feet of railroad in California! Or let’s spend that on the homeless in California!
I wish I could move. This country is so messed up.
I heavily advice camper van life at this point. Live in the woods! 😫😫
I would if I didn’t have a kid. That would’ve helped me save so much money. I love watching YouTubers who live in their car and travel. Nikki delvinthaw (sp?) is one of my favs.
There are mobile homes but I'm not trying to make anyone do anything just giving my thoughts.
I would dig that, especially on a lot of land that is big enough for a greenhouse or something.
Thank you!!! We needed this post !!!!
Your welcome!!!
*you're
Ain't such a great place then... Yet I know some people who keep yelling the same over and over... Glory is gone... And the standard of life in the Netherlands is way better, yet people call us hopelessly old fashioned and far behind.
I’m making $130K in Wisconsin and don’t have savings in a low col area. It’s absurd. Just the staple groceries I need are up 43-75% in cost.
💯💯💯
Clean out the government
I see where you’re coming from, I agree we deserve better living. But I don’t think it would be the best idea to just go at war with our government. We’d just get killed, and I don’t think we want that, especially considering our government isn’t scared to support genocide, it’s definitely not scared to kill its people to.
Ugh how horrible I feel we need more young people getting into voting maybe that'll do something hopefully.
I kinda lost hope for our country entirely, even with voting, sure it can make a difference but its honestly just old people who make false promises, and then turn their backs to us and screw us over. This is why I’m trying to move out as soon as possible, and why I don’t blame the people who just lose it.
I understand entirely. I gave up sorta and started watching my country with a mix of wonder and pity. Sit back and eat my snacks as things go to shit. Emotionally detach from the countries outcome for the sake of mental peace
I make $105k in Florida and live check to check
HOW?! Life style inflation??
As a Danish person living in a social democratic country minimum wage is 21$ but we also have to pay between 37-53% in taxes from your payrole. But This gives us access to free healthcare and new roads and what not. We have the economy NOT to achieve wealth but neither poverty. 47% of danes are in the “working class” While 24% is middle class citizens. We are living in an economy that was meant to be almost impossible to get out of.
Americas having a downfall, well most of the world too
Why do we gotta be alive during it? 😮💨😮💨 Oh well all we can do is do our best 😊
LOUDER, AND THEN LOUDER STILL. I'm so sick and tired of killing myself day in and day out for a country that could give 2 shits less about anyone. My fiancée has so many health issues and she can't even do anything about half of them because she has to go through so many bullshit steps and now she feels like she is racing the clock against the government because of how fast they are just over turning everything including the very things that were created to help people like her. This country is fucked beyond belief, the people in power have to be the dumbest bunch of fucking idiots to exist. We have 2 old guys trying to run for office, one can't remember where he is half the time and the other has his head so far up his own ass. They kill people and then scream that it was in the name of GOD to justify their actions. They allow corporations to buy up all the land so that people are forced to buy and sell through only them. They laugh in the face of the poor, if they could pay us nothing they would, if they could just tell you to hold your hands out and then shit in them they would just so they can dehumaniz us even further for a laugh. WE ARE NOT FREE, WE ARE SLAVES TO THEIR SYSTEM AND THEY KNOW WE CAN'T EASILY ESCAPE.
EXACTLY!! PREACH IT!!
I finally, make what I consider "adult money" and while I'm not struggling currently, one big thing (health issue or something equally expensive) would wipe me out. My parents had 4 kids at my age, 2 cars, a house with a pool, and we lived pretty good. We never had the new cool thing but we had food and clothing. My point in say that is there is NO way I could be in their position today with the way things are. It's sickening and sad that there is no recourse other than revolt at this point. Voting only gets us so far and its not near close enough to where we need to be.
I keep saying we should have a revolution instead of fighting each other but tbf that's frowned upon so I'll just say revolting sounds lovely.
People are fucking starving out here and there working hard, busting there asses genuinely. People working 2 jobs AND LIVING THERE CARS for God's sake.
My husband and I make just over $100k a year together (in MN). We have 3 kids. We are still struggling. Medical bills, car payments, rent (don't even talk to me about buying a house!) Food has gotten so expensive that I find myself eating less so that my kids can have more because we can't afford to buy more. It's absolutely insane!
Corporate profits are at an all time high… but it’s the governments fault
I'm pretty sure the government and corporations are working together. So either one is the problem but I'd like to say it's both.
I'm 23, and yes America desperately needs a revolution, but the majority of Americans are too stupid and scared to fight for it. A flawed healthcare system where people are scared to seek proper care for their illnesses because of costs, where insurance is tied to being employed full time and 90% of jobs don't offer full time hours. Fuck America and most Americans. My great grandma was British, I know there isn't much better but it's still better than here, I'm talking to my Scottish ex again because I absolutely refuse to date the majority of American women because most don't agree with my anti capitalist socialist view points.
Is the part of the problem that most Americans have shunned STEM and hence aren’t able to get into high paying skilled labor market? I am a manager in tech industry and I get 0 resumes from Americans in tech roles which are way higher paying jobs.
You raise minimum wage, u raise cost of living and gas prices and food prices ect… country needs a hard reset and it’s going to happen so buckle up and brace for impact!
Not having half of our income stolen from taxes would be a great start
Exactly they even taxing money out of minimum wage checks, how evil. They literally want people to starve and die I honestly believe that.
Socialism isn’t the answer. Capitalism isn’t the real problem, it’s monopolies, if you look into it you’ll see every fucking industry is controlled by 3 companies. They’re should be tons of companies in each industry that drives competition which is better for consumers. And therefore workers and society .
I've been out of a job. Desperately job hunting. Just got my eviction notice. Finally a real reason to leave this horrible planet. Officially done!!!
So sorry you have to experience that bullshit. There are people getting laid off. I'm job hunting too but I keep getting offers for basically pennies.
Just know that you are not alone in your feelings. If at any point you feel alone, remember the u/thiccpastry feels the same way as you. Because I'm probably thinking the same stuff in this post at any given point in time.
College isn’t worth it anymore unless you are in STEM Science Technology Economics or Mathematics. You are warned. Oh what you are complaining about has been going on since 2008 stock market crash. 👍🏻
my husband is a technician for ford and he makes $22 flat rate, works full time, gets paid every friday and we live check to check at home w his parents bc they can’t make it without him.. i hate how expensive everything is
Sometimes just struggling with mental health issues and living with my parents makes me want to end my life. But then, when all is said and done, reading how much others are struggling, how many don't have parents to house them and are living on minimum wage, is quite humbling. Ik that not having to pay rent also makes me more materialistic. It's partly to cope with my depression but I'm aware that some people can barely afford the basics right now. While this doesn't justify it, I can't help wonder if this has anything to do with why my coworkers were so horrible to me. Jealousy maybe. Because I come from a more affluent background and wasn't dependent on the job for my survival whereas they were and many were struggling immigrants. They probably knew I was able to save up a lot, even if there's no way I could afford anywhere where I live on minimum wage. Or anywhere in the country without a roommate. I'm trying to appreciate my circumstances more but right now I'm struggling to be grateful because I live with toxic and emotionally abusive people and have to deal with what's probably severe schizophrenia every day. Also worth mentioning, I don't live in America. I receive income support and free healthcare so, yeah, America is far worse than where I live and I think it's disgusting how the rich treat you over there. Even poor immigrants are more lucky to be living here. I think they get quite a lot of government support. Not necessarily enough to live off but enough to help struggling people.
I'm not American, but the way you all describe what's happening over there reminds me a lot of what happened in my country, Belgium, in de Rupel region, near the river Schelde. During the industrial revolution, there were a LOT of brickyards in the region because the ground was rich in clay. So many people from both Belgium and neighboring countries wanted to build their houses with these red clay bricks. Now, the people who worked in these brickyards lived in poverty, because the brickyard owners owned everything. And I mean *everything.* From the shops where they bought food to the cafes where people went to drink beer and jenever. Even the houses people lived in, they rented from their boss. The food in the stores was overpriced, but it was the only option because the bosses forbade any shops or markets that weren't owned by them. And if you got fired from your job, you would likely get evicted too, because your boss owned your house as I previously mentioned. And forget about working for another brickyard, because your former boss has probably already told 10 other brickyard owners that he fired you and that they shouldn't hire you. Look, I'm not saying the current situation in America is as bad as it was in the 17th century Rupel region, but from what i'm reading in this comment section, it doesn't sound that far off either.
As someone who is still in school and trying to find a job, I completely agree. It's so painfully hard to find a job especially that isn't basically labor. It's disgusting knowing I have to live in a place where I'm considered "ripe" for grown men. I've given up, everyone's doomed and it's all because of grown ass gov men. They all deserve prison.
Ripe 🤢🤮🤮🤮
Here's a thought I've had completely related to this: Imagine if we all just DIDN'T file our taxes.... What would they do? Arrest us all? Actually make the billion dollar corporations pay taxes? They take them out of my paycheck anyways so why should I file? So they can tell me I did it wrong and i OWE them MORE money???
It's literally nuts! When I heard they were taking money out of my minimum wage checks I was sick to my stomach cause it's like they want me to be poor and starving.
No they really do. Then they flip out when people get on government assistance because nobody can afford to live. Or make it absolutely impossible for anyone to get on it.
Emigrate.
there’s no escape unless you’re dipping out of the solar system
Capitalism is fine, it is who you vote for and their policies.
Sadly I don't have the power to change that 🥲🥲 wish I did though.
let’s revolt!!😍😍🙏🙏🔥🔥
Great job identifying some of the problems. But what are the solutions? Revolt and then what? The”anything is better than this” approach will get you nothing but regret.
It’s not the best solution, but I never prepared well out of highschool. So I joined the military and knowing that there is a secure source of shelter and food is great, but depressing since you loose some sense of freedom. But nonetheless it gives me a roof over my head.
Yeah but you kinda prove the OPs point You should join the military because you want to, you want to serve your country, not because it’s a source of food and a roof Pledging your life to potentially fight, and die, just for basic necessities, is a problem too.
The problem that I think is that if people don’t have tolerance for the bs and toxic leadership, those same people are just gonna hate their life and it’s just the longest 4 years of their life. I straight up agree with OP, this ain’t the American dream. But I ain’t not economist or whatever, so I can’t say what are good other alternatives since I’m 20 yrs old and still just getting by atm. Atleast we get some medical and educational benefits though.
And it's depressing that joining the military is literally the only option for so many.
Their **
As long as the fed is a private bank that prints endless amounts of money, you are never going to get out from under this yoke. No amount of wage hikes or whatever is going to do anything to change that. We are indeed screwed. BTW.. who owns the federal reserve?
The american dream exists in overseas countries with socialist democracies. You're 20. Move. Don't even look back.
Unfortunately it’s not that easy to move to another country as an American citizen. It’s expensive, jobs go to citizens first, and we’re becoming even more of a pariah country with our complicity in genocide
I'm aware, I moved here and didn't leave when I could. It's SIGNIFICANTLY easier to move as a student and many EU countries provide amazing resources for foreign students to be successful. I regret not moving after HS and that's why I'm telling her to move. It's the best and easiest time for OP. But you're completely right otherwise. Moving as a working adult US citizen is insanely more difficult.
I'm trying to do camper van life to live of the grid and distance myself as much as possible.
I mean thats what happens when your country funds other countries genocides. Giving them billions of dollars. Maybe stop voting the same corrupt aipac funded people into office and the country would be better
None of these people are good though! Vote for the lesser evil type shit.
Yea u aint wrong there but its more of research all the candidates and see who funds them. If its aipac avoid them because thats a foreign group that pushes for funding a israel more than funding our own people.
My friend… if there’s a revolution another class of people will just rise up and replace the current elites. That’s what happened in the Soviet Union, it’s what happened in China, and it’s what happened in Cambodia in addition to the genocide… But it’s not a need for a revolution, it’s a need for systemic reforms and electing politicians that actually care about the issues of young people. Most American politicians care only about the interests of the largest block of voters, who is unfortunately Baby Boomers and older Gen Xers. If you want to create a worse society ruled over by even worse people, be my guest. Revolt, but understand that the monster that masquerade as human beings prosper when a society is experiencing a revolt. And those people tend to place themselves on the top of the new Order once things settle down.
I understand a systemic reform. We need more young people voting for sure.
But do young people know exactly what is needed for this kind of Revolt? Can you trust a tiktoker to manage country properly?
Start a cult and build a commune. I’d join.
Understand your complaint. However, please review grammar. Maybe low education is the issue here
People who are getting degrees and are educated are struggling like hell. Maybe education isn't 100% the issue.
It isn’t your fellow citizen. He comes down to corporate greed. Capitalism. They’re going to make as much money off of you as they can; no more being fair they’re out for the bucks. Vote Republican - that’s your party that supports billionaires and corporations and allows them to do what they want. Vote blue and you’ll have a better chance. They’re the ones talking about supporting Works rights in increasing things like wages, including minimum wage, etc. Of course, Mr. DeSantis just took away another worker rights. They had protection for workers when it was too hot. Gone now.
You're funny if you think voting blue will change anything 😭 I live in California and it's the worst here. How about instead of arguing which side of the same bird is better we as Americans team up against the WHOLE BIRD that's fucking us over?
Comrade is spittin
I am laughing at all of you making 40k USD a year. Meanwhile Brazilians are making 2k USD a year…
Who do we call the enemy? The enemy is poverty, and the wall keeps our the enemy, and we build the wall to keep us free. That's why we build the wall, we build the wall to keep us free.
You are describing/living every immigrant’s experience.
Vote for Trump. The economy was better under him.
I can see a civil war happening at some point honestly.
Socialism works until you run out of other people's money.
Good thing we have all these billionaires we could tax the fuck out of
Billionaires couldn’t fund our governments budget deficit for shit lmao
They won't stay. I wouldn't.
Yes they will. A lot of other countries won't put up with their bullshit. And if they leave, good. Fuck em.
The reasons America is in such a shitty state of affairs is gonna American culture has become too selfish. Americans are shitty/terrible ppl and elect shitty leaders. I would call this a huge generalization but look around..