I’m tired, boss
Please, we grew up in the unipolar moment, the most stable period in modern history. The worst things we’ve had to face are the regular cycles of capitalism.
This. It’s a typical grass is greener mentality.
I’m about to turn 39. I just want a home or apartment of my own. Why is this happening? Why did the stupids get so powerful?
Because our priorities are wrong
Owning your own home is a privilege, which wasn’t available to the general public until 19-20 century depending on a country. And it’s still not available to many in some countries.
You want too much.
It’s not a Privilege anymore, we have more than enough to provide housing for all in developed countries
Have you ever heard about the housing crisis? The UK for example has a 4.3 million homes deficit. That’s 6.3% of the population if you want to give everyone a house. But if accounting for families of at least two people, then it’s more like 12.6% of the population without homes.
The situation is very similar in most developed countries, especially in Europe. Countries like Italy and Poland have severe overcrowding, 35% of Poles don’t have enough living space (meaning they live in house shares and only have one room to themselves).
So yeah, it is a privilege. Always was. And as the worldwide population grows, housing will only become even more scarce as land is a finite resource.
Thats already where the intention starts, I never specified there are enough homes, for a reason. Not enough homes existing is just to create an artificial crisis
King Crimson’s Epitaph lyrics, from 1969, sing:
Well, knowledge is a deadly friend, when no one sets the rules. The fate of all mankind, I fear, is in the hands of fools.
I knew these wasn’t going to well when I used Epitaph to see Trump winning re-election, King Crimson can’t skip me past the next four years…
Jojo references aside, I should listen to more of that band; Court of the Crimson King, which I listened to in order to try to better understand Diavolo’s character, was pretty damn fire
Oh, King Crimson is the finest wild ride ever. They did things that couldn’t be done anywhere else. However, I don’t know anything about Jojo. I just started listening to KC in the 90s, when they were producing their last memorable original works. They are truly amazing. My favorite albums are the one you mentioned, Discipline, Lark’s tongues in aspic and Thrak, though, Red is highly praised by most people. Also, if you can watch them live, even these days with the band getting old, they are an absolute delight.
Have you tried Necrophagist’s Epitaph? Technical death metal is a much more appropriate genre for these trying times.
It’s not the stupids, but the greeds first and foremost. You can look back at the greedy mf’s that started every single thing and they weren’t punished.
The greeds get away with it because they keep shouting “HE DID IT!” and the stupids keep falling for it.
One of my “favorite” examples of this was when Ronald Reagan murdered American Manufacturing jobs, causing mass layoffs and unemployment throughout the country, and a record high of people on welfare to deal with the job displacement… Causing the first signs of generations being born with lower standards of living than their parents.
So people naturally tarred and feathered Reagan, he’s remembered as a monster, and is the reason why the Republican Party is a faded memory that we only bring up when teaching school children about why we don’t have a Two-Party System. That wacky Trickle Down Economics… I tell ya, glad no one’s dumb enough to buy that anymore…
Oh sorry, that’s what happened in the prime timeline, here reality doesn’t run off of people learning from mistakes, this is a Murphy’s Law Ruins Based Timeline where everything that can go wrong does go wrong.
Here Reagan invented the folktale of the “Welfare Queen” to imply that black people were getting more than “their fair share” from this welfare, and that Americans would be doing fine if only this specific group wasn’t taking more welfare than they should be allowed.
A story that doesn’t make any sense since if black people were getting more in Welfare, wouldn’t Reagan be the one making that call? Ah but they thought of that, Reagan blamed a shadowy cabal of Democrats for getting the black people more then “their fair share” in a scheme to “overthrow whitey” in the name of “liberal guilt”
A story that also shouldn’t work as Democrats had neither the motive nor enough control over the government to pull off this little trick, but people are stupid, so they bought it hook, line, and sinker.
You know our reality isn’t the prime timeline, because none of this makes any fucking sense and it’s only bad writing that lets people be this fucking stupid. I can see the person in the audience cringing at the fact this reality is self-aware and seems to think pointing out the bad writing is the same as doing better.
I’m sorry audience, I wish I could join you as merely an observer who has the option to watch a better movie or read a better book, one not bound by this bullshit, but… alas, that is my fate.
So if I die in the movie, I wake up in my trailer as the actress and enjoy the privileged life that entails? Maybe I’m played by a cischick with huge cans, that’d be awesome!
Why is this happening? Why did the stupids get so powerful?
This isn’t unique to the modern moment. Your parents called their elders stupid. Alphas will call Millennials stupid. But if we want to get to the real disparity between ideologies - the reason so many people are getting MAGA pilled in the face of seemingly obvious disaster - it really does just boil down to our mass media poisoning our brains.
Fifty years of misinformation, con-artistry, and industrial scale commercial fraud has given birth to a population that is simultaneously desperate for a White Knight to come save them and so steeped in cynicism that they accept idiots and assholes in power as the best we’re capable of doing. Whether its Trump or Biden, Bezos or Musk, Wolf Blitzer or Alex Jones, there’s this baseline understanding that “My guy might suck but the other guy is so much worse”.
And the deadliest poison of them all is the pride - the implicit assumption that you can’t trust anyone but yourself because you’re surrounded by morons. We’re increasingly alienated from one another and exposed to manipulation by computerized algorithms A/B testing us for our biases. Divided from one another, with our hatreds toward The Other inflamed while our access to basic necessities increasingly gated, we’re pushed into deeper and more vulgar polarized camps micro-managed by demagogues and other influencers.
“The Stupid” is just the fear - of our looming poverty, of our dangerously polarized neighbors, of declining health and diminished free time. It’s not idiocy, its anxiety. We’re acting rashly because we all seem to know we’re being boxed in for the slaughter and none of us trust anyone else to recognize that we need to work together to escape it.
This must be old because Millennials are over 35 now
Millenial here, I turn 33 tomorrow.
It’s what, 1996 for Millennials? So we still got some youngins. God, to be in my 20s again… although there’s definitely parts of it I don’t miss.
Still better than being a young adult in the 1910’ or the 1940’, so far.
I think part of the problem is disillusion. Millenials in the west grew up in a period where it looked like tech was going to benefit society, and climate change was going to be addressed, and ethical consumerism was somewhat meaningful, and social mobility would still exist. We are having to downgrade our expectations and it hurts.
Best part is, it’s not only US lol. I am from EU, one of countries that back in 2000 were…let’s say backwater (thanks USSR). I remember as a kid watching news about new tech, seeing the new, bold designs, getting hands on west tech, everyone talked how it gets better, ozone layer hole? BOOM, nobody cares cuz fixed, we can do anything!
And then I grew up and and, except for internet getting faster and more bland, nothing happened. I love e-bikes, or EV overall but…don’t take me wrong, it felt like this would be common by 2010. Games got so photorealistic that I turn to indie because if I wanted photorealsitic I’d go touch grass, I’d rather have…you know, the story and wordbuilding progress keeping up. The bold and rabid culture in the net shifted towards defeated and tired. Even news…once something that irked most politicians and was a thorn in the side of everyone for the joy of the public turned into some damned advertisement machine.
Signed, defeated and tired
Your point about the ozone layer response is very relevant to our expectations of solving climate change. I think replacing CFCs was just low hanging fruit, which I didn’t understand as a kid. I just assumed if we kept recycling and not consuming so much it would put us on track. So naive.
Yeah, I remember pretty much 1992 on really well, and they were prosperous, carefree years. Everything was good (save some snags, nothing is 100%). We even turned the corner into the millennium and things were just great. I go into high school and we’re just chugging along, the biggest problems we have are which cable internet provider to choose to download viruses on limewire.
Then, boom, 9/11. And the world just hasn’t seemed to have gotten its footing since then. And perhaps that was naivety and my 14-year-old perspective, but that seemed to be the turning point for me, where the unprecedented became precedented.
+1, with an addendum.
I had (and have) some crazy Evangelical family in the South. Climate denial, anti vax, Democrats burning in hell, unspeakable acts from their pastors they worship, the whole nine yards. Simplifying drama, I’d wince, then chuckle, and dismiss them as relics the US (and maybe Christianity?) would move past.
I’m not laughing anymore.
For sure, I think the patriot act was a turning point in trust of government in the US. It filtered though to our government in Australia during the Howard years. Similar to the US, around the GFC we had a hopeful change of government, but that hope for progressive values (Obama for you guys, Rudd for us) turned out to be misguided. I tend to think of those “centre left” governments as representing managed societal decline as opposed to the accelerated decline of the right wing parties.
Physically, yes. But the psychological warfare possible with the internet really hasn’t been quantified.
I feel this. My beard and hair have about half as much grey as the meme and I’m still a few years from 35. I want off Mr Bones’ Wild Ride
While being called lazy
Nah, enjoy the time while you are in it. Wait until you are about to turn 60, fit and healthy by all indicators, and you still think your body is like 30… but it’s not.
I’m on the oldest edge of Gen Z, 27 year old here.
I can maybe handle my parents promising a good life for me before rug pulling that. Well, I can’t and that’s one of the many reasons why I have mental health issues.
I don’t think they could have predicted 3 economic crashes in my life before I turn the age they conceived me.
It’s just profoundly sad that there are people who were raised for this planet and the planet has changed fundamentally in the last 20 years alone. The technology, the temperature, the expected job market, the ability to own even basic things, the political climate.
Most people on Lemmy were raised with a bright future that has been dimmed each passing year. The only light we have are those we are close to.
A big reason why the old people don’t get it, is that they see young people with luxuries, and don’t realize that luxuries, like my high end gaming PC and addiction to junkfood… Still costs less than three month’s rent no matter how much I splurge
Plus quite a few luxuries are now necessary, like a good smartphone, laptop/computer and a car (in more rural areas).
The few sort of luxuries you splurge on are what keeps you from losing your sanity
Ya know I’m gonna feel real stupid stockpiling this Steam games if Valve ever becomes a publically traded company, especially if they become ban happy like Reddit or VRChat
Edit: For the record, no I’m not banned from VRChat, I don’t use it, I prefer Resonite, but I have heard horror stories of people getting 6 days bans for no reason out of the blue with staff refusing to elaborate.
I thought you were exaggerating but I calculated the cost of it… Damn, you’re right.
That’s really what it comes down to, Luxuries cost less, Necessities cost more
A computer is also an incredibly cost efficient luxury in the long run, You spend a decent amount on it once and then you’re good for essentially endless free content for at least a decade, maybe 5 years minnimum if you have to have the latest and greatest hardware.
Edit: Quick maths for building a new PC every 5 years with flagship (though not Halo stuff like 90 series) hardware works out about 10 eurodolarpounds a week.
Realizing we’re the generation “socialism or barbarism” applies to, but I’d rather not get killed.
Why not both?
Because I’m not 85 years old. If I was I’d sign up for the first available suicide mission against the oligarchy.
Will Smith is a bitch’s bitch
I’m an “elder” millennial… I’m 40+.
Pretty much everything went to shit right after I got to the workforce. It was somewhat subtle at first, but it’s only gotten far worse and far more obvious as time has gone on.
Kids? Nah bro. Have you seen the world? I don’t want to live here, why would I subject someone that I care about to a life, living in this hellscape? Like all parents, I’m sure I would love my children if they existed and even though they don’t exist, I still love them enough to not subject them to gestures at everything this.
I haven’t gotten a meaningful raise since starting work. I was originally hired at basically minimum wage, a bit better than it in my area (ironically, my starting wage in my career is now below what minimum is now), and the only time I went up in salary is when I changed jobs.
With more than half a dozen years of experience (this is a while back) I was fighting for anything over $60k/yr (it gets worse), while housing in my area was skyrocketing above $400k for a modest home…
After the usual expenses of food and rent, I’ve been robbed blind by being given no choice but to buy things “as a service” and own fucking nothing. I’ve pushed back against it as much as possible and after years, I paid off my vehicle and absolutely, positively, 100% own this now 13 year-old car. Whoopee…
I’ve lived through everything from 9/11, to Trump… Twice… And nothing has ever quantifiably gotten “better” without getting worse in some other way.
Better, faster, more capable computers? You’re obligated to run software that spies on you. Better cars with fancy tech that makes them basically drive themselves? Only if you subscribe to activate the seat warmers for a nominal yearly fee… Phones are more capable, better, faster, more connected and overall significantly improved? These are now devices used by companies to harvest every meaningful ounce of information from you, selling it to the highest bidders (multiple times, I might add), and giving you nothing for your contribution. Congratulations, someone has monetized your existence via an app on your phone.
Everything is worse. You never have time off work anymore. Even if you take vacation, the expectation is that if they call you, you’ll answer, then you’re working for free. But if you don’t answer, then your job is at risk.
Fuck everything. This world sucks. I’m fucking sick of all of this shit and I’m mad as hell about it.
Same position and age as you, except I got diagnosed autistic and ADHD at 33. Haven’t been able to work in the one field I have any training in for decades, as that now basically means call centre work which triggers migraines (now known to be sensory overload).
Can’t afford to retrain, can’t get disability to help with costs because of UKGov cycling disability claimants through tribunals to massage the statistics. I lose the disability, I lose my funding. I get the disability back plus back pay, but am still booted from university for not being able to pay in the mean time.
G fucking G. I guess I just wait around until I die or get angry enough to commit an act of political violence that leaves a mark.
I was diagnosed with ADHD a few years back… Just shortly before I turned 40.
I’m lucky that seems to be the only thing my brain struggles with. After about a year and a half, I found a combination of drugs that works for me, and I’ve been doing ok, as far as my ability to think, concentrate, or focus at work goes…
I’m in Canada, so we have similar issues with our social support programs. I know this because, while I got off light in my diagnosis, my brother has far more severe ADHD symptoms, and he has other medical complications that make treatments difficult at best. I won’t go into his medical issues since that’s not my story to tell, but from a high level, most of the problems root in the fact that he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in his mid-teens…
He’s actually registered in the disability system and I’ve helped, or at least tried to help him navigate it and get to a point where he can do anything and get any support at all. Needless to say, I get it. Our system isn’t super different from the UK system. Personally I think it’s shameful that we give such a hard time to people with diagnosed disabilities, it’s not like those disabilities are going to… Idk, stop being a thing? It’s kind of a life long problem.
I’m lucky in the fact that if I continue taking the meds, I’m more or less “normal”. I have a steady job and I help my brother as I am able.
None of this is to detract, compare or “one-up” your challenges. The purpose to saying all of this is that I get it, I emphasize with your situation. I hope you are doing better and that the UK disability system stops fucking up your coverage so you can get back to living your life.
All the best, from across the ocean.
Still “experimenting” via my GP with various meds. Perhaps one day we’ll stumble onto something that works.
Glad to hear you’ve found a regimen that works for you though, and that it enables/better places you to help your brother.
Ultimately, helping each other survive existence with the minimum of anguish is the best any of us can be.
As for UKGov (or CanGov for that matter) getting their collective heads out of arses and not using disabled folk as easy marks, I suspect much worse is to come before it gets better. This place is like a microcosm of the US in a lot of ways.
I appreciate your well wishes all the same 💛
I agree, helping eachother is the best any of us can be. I’ve dedicated my life to helping others.
My dayjob is IT support, and I am often holding certification in first aid (I currently need to renew this), and I have a lot of skills that I’ve developed specifically to assist others. I have, know how to operate, and actively use radio technology as a qualified amateur and regularly volunteer for events to help communication and coordination between medical teams, security, supplies and other services at public events.
I even carry a car battery boost device in my vehicles trunk for the odd time I come across someone who’s car won’t start, and I have a set of booster cables in case the battery in the pack is flat… As an example. I usually have a first aid kit in there too. Just in case.
There’s a lot we could, and probably should be doing to help ourselves and others; I firmly believe that basic emergency first aid and CPR should be a part of the highschool curriculum, and we should learn how to access social services like disability services, welfare, unemployment, and other government services, in highschool as well. Instead we take classes on English in countries where that’s the native language, yet people still don’t know how to articulate themselves in a comprehendable way, and we take several years of maths classes, including algebra, geometry, and so much more, that most people never even see similar problems again ever… Instead of teaching algebra, how about a class on how to file your taxes?
I have a lot of strong feelings about it and bluntly, nobody with any possibility of enacting change, cares.
I strongly feel like highschool failed me, and most of the people in society, and it could be so much better, and there’s simply no evolution or evaluation of what’s being taught and what’s actually relevant for people to know.
In any case, I hope I can continue to help others and that’s the biggest reason why I’m still alive. I’m trying to make this place a bit more livable for the people that are here.
We share a lot of traits and opinions it would seem.
It’s uplifting to come across someone who reminds you that there are still at least a few worth fighting for, that not everyone is a self-absorbed asshat with an axe to grind or agenda to push.
School in general in the UK is a bit of a shit show, slowly getting more and more privatised with each successive government. “Privatisation isn’t working… Maybe we’re not doing it hard enough…”
Perhaps the things your economy relies on should not be placed in the hands of organisations whose very raison d’être is to extract the maximum possible profit possible for themselves…? Energy, transport, education, healthcare, food supply; all privately owned and decreasing in quality while costing more, and, to rub salt into the wound, the entities responsible then dodge as much tax as is possible.
Our supposed “Labour” party is captured by self-serving neoliberal corporate puppets that are beholden to the extremists running the US right now.
They’ve recently announced that they’re going to make it even harder to claim disability benefits, and those that still make it will be paid less than currently. In almost the same breath, they were excited to let everyone know that they’re going to either cut or get rid of the new Digital Services Tax designed to ensure Amazon, Google et al actually pay tax to speak of. Because, y’know, Bezos needs another new yacht.
Honestly, it seems we’re long overdue to remind the politicians who they’re actually supposed to work for. If that means a few heads have to come off to get the message across loud and clear, I’m certainly not upset about it. I don’t see things getting better until that level of event occurs, to be frank.
One word for you. Antidepressants
Ha. I’m on them. The meds I take for ADHD are classifiably also anti depressants.
What now, Poindexter?
Here’s one for you: Empathy.
Bunch of fucking doomers. Wow…
Chaos is a Ladder.
But its a ladder that periodically collapses when you’re halfway up and leaves you splayed out on the sidewalk in horrible pain and with five digit hospital bills.
I had a discussion about this very thing with a Boomer, who proceeded to state they essentially went through more and including the shared recessions that myself as a millennial went through. Gas shortages of the 70s, wars, protests, etc, failing to grasp the point that was being made that their generation has had all the opportunities. They closed it out with, oh well maybe you should work harder and save more… yeah okay, hard to do that when I am overtaxed, inflation is on the rise, were likely entering Great Depression 2.0 thanks to Donvict, can’t afford a house when a mortgage would be cheaper than renting where I am at, but sure yea I will just work til I drop with little living in between, that’s the fix, its not the system, its me. Their “I got mine” attitude is astounding dismissive and part of the issue with their generation. Not all of them, some of them get it, but a large majority look at millenials and the younger generation as being lazy and that’s why there is such a massive homeless population problem. Not that wages have not grown proportionally with the cost of living, its just that we don’t work hard enough. I half joked that the greatest thing that could have happened was that COVID wiped a large swath of their generation off the map, it would save Social Security, free up housing, bring down the burden on healthcare, lower GOP voting base of angry bigot whites that hold on to the belief that America is only right if it is white, a large part of politicians that have made a career out of it would be removed ushering in a new more modern means of thinking into politics, and we might actually make some progress in this country. But nope, now we have angry Karens and racist Kyles who blame immigrants for all their problems rather than looking at the disparity between American generations.
