The Long History of Nobody Wants to Work Anymore

Re:The Long History of Nobody Wants to Work Anymore by nradov on Sunday July 30, 2023 @12:46PM (#36933113)

Here's some perspective. In lower cost areas of the country it's still totally possible for a single worker to support a family of five, buy a house, a car, and afford a vacation. But in that idealized version of the past that you're describing the normal standards of living were much lower. The typical worker's house was small with everyone sharing one bathroom. The car was unreliable and dangerous. The vacation was a road trip to go camping. Now it seems everyone's expectations have risen.

I do agree that demographic changes are going to cause economic problems. That is basically unavoidable now.

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Re:The Long History of Nobody Wants to Work Anymore by pclmulqdq on Sunday July 30, 2023 @01:10PM (#36933394)

A big part of this seems to be the idea that a highly-educated urban professional ought to have a better life than a journeyman plumber in a rural area. The reality is that there is a lot more supply of educated professionals and a lot more demand for city life, so it should not be surprising that wages in formerly-elite jobs are being depressed and cost of living is shooting up. In the meantime, the plumber's economic situation has largely improved with the booming economy and the dwindling supply of plumbers.

If you want a high quality of life today and aren't worth $10+ million, the best way to get it is to get out of a city.

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