The REAL Reason No One Wants To Work Anymore

In recent times, the American workforce has been gripped by the narrative: the labor shortage myth. Despite the clamor for workers across various industries, there seems to be a startling reluctance among individuals to re-enter or even join the workforce. This phenomenon has sparked widespread debate, with many attributing it to a myriad of factors. However, beneath the surface lies a truth obscured by misconceptions and oversimplifications.

One of the primary drivers behind this phenomenon is the high cost of living in the United States. As housing prices soar and basic necessities become increasingly expensive, individuals find themselves struggling to make ends meet. This has led to a surge in the adoption of frugal living practices as people strive to stretch their dollars further. In such a climate, the prospect of working low-wage jobs that fail to adequately cover these rising expenses becomes unappealing, if not unsustainable.

Furthermore, the issue of stagnant wages exacerbates the situation. Despite economic growth and productivity gains, real wages have remained largely stagnant for the majority of workers. This discrepancy between the rising cost of living and stagnant wages creates a disincentive for individuals to actively participate in the labor market. After all, why would one choose to toil away for minimal financial gain when their efforts barely make a dent in their expenses?

Inflation further compounds the problem, eroding the purchasing power of individuals and diminishing the value of their earnings. As prices continue to climb, the prospect of securing a job that offers little to no wage growth becomes even less enticing. The relentless pressure of inflation undermines any semblance of financial stability, pushing individuals towards alternative means of subsistence or prompting them to reassess their priorities.

Moreover, the labor market itself plays a pivotal role in shaping the reluctance to work. The proliferation of precarious employment opportunities, characterized by part-time or gig-based work, fails to provide the stability and benefits that individuals seek. With limited job security and few opportunities for career advancement, many opt for non-traditional forms of employment or choose to forgo work altogether in favor of pursuing alternative paths.

It is crucial to debunk the myth of a labor shortage and instead recognize the systemic issues that underlie this phenomenon. By addressing the root causes such as the high cost of living, stagnant wages, inflation, and the changing nature of the labor market, policymakers can begin to formulate effective solutions. Implementing measures to ensure fair wages, affordable housing, and access to essential services can incentivize individuals to actively participate in the workforce.

In conclusion, the reluctance to work stems from a complex interplay of economic, social, and structural factors. By understanding the realities of frugal living, the impact of low wages and inflation, and the evolution of the labor market, we can unravel the truth behind the labor shortage myth. Only by addressing these underlying issues can we foster a more inclusive and sustainable workforce for the future.

0:00 Intro
0:09 The Carrot On The Stick
0:21 Work Force In 1920 / Economy
2:01 Work Force In 1970 / Economy
4:14 Work Force In 2024 / Economy
6:41 Same Carrot Different Decade
11:00 The Cost Of The Carrot
15:54 Greed

#financialfreedom #consumerism #frugalliving

Titles for the Algo!
Why “No One” Wants To Work Anymore
The Real Reason "No One" Wants To Work Anymore
Why No One Wants To Work
Why Everyone Is Quitting Their Jobs
Why No One Can Afford To Work Anymore

[Hodenkat]

Nobody wants to work 40 hours a week for 40 years and never be able to buy a home or retire.

[thomasbruner]

Back in 1971, I made $2.65/hr., was able to finance a new car, have a nice apartment, and still save a little. It was in retail, and we had full medical, life insurance, and a defined pension plan, I'm not joking!

[andrew_owens]

Plenty of people want to work. They expect a living wage to do it.

[stephenbonaduce]

When I was a boy, in the early 1970s, our family lived in the suburbs. Almost without exception, every Dad in the neighborhood went to work in the morning, and almost every Mom was home with the kids (except one lady, who was a schoolteacher). All the kids played together in the neighborhoods yards, street, and various driveway basketball hoops. We knew every one of our neighbors and we even had neighborhood cookouts and events for holidays like the Fourth of July and Christmas. I didn't realize, at the time, how good I had it.

One year, one of the Dads in our neighborhood was laid off. The adults spoke of it in hushed tones, as if he had died, and he became so depressed that even the neighborhood kids knew about it. I mention this because it was something that had never happened before. It was both frightening and confusing: how could you be doing your job one day, performing well, doing everything asked of you (if not more)... and then the next day, be told you no longer work at the company? It defied all understanding. Worse: what if it wasn't just one unlucky individual? If anyone could lose their job at anytime, for literally any reason or no reason... how does anyone build a future?

When it became clear that corporations had no loyalty to or concern for their employees--when employees were no longer valued, but considered a "cost" to be reduced--that's when employees (rightly) stopped caring about the companies they worked for. They showed up only to collect a paycheck--nothing more, nothing less. The kids today call it "quiet quitting, " I believe--and it's the rational reaction to being disposable.

[jimb]

My late father born in 1940 had a 10th grade education and worked as a maintenance man all his life. My mom stayed home. Money was tight but we still made it. And he got a pension and medical. Those days are

[maximumtrollmagic]

Companies have discovered that they can still function despite being short staffed. No one wants to be doing the job of two people. People are getting burnt out.

[SenorTucano]

It’s not that people don’t want to work anymore, it’s that they don’t want to work for the pitiful wages being offered and have most of those wages stolen in taxes.

[izvfynd]

CEO-to-worker compensation ratio reached 344-to-1 in 2022. This stands in stark contrast to the 21-to-1 ratio in 1965. People are tired of working to make these jerks rich and not being able to make any progress in their own lives.

[cactuscanuck]

Sir Richard Branson said, "Train your employees so well that they could work anywhere. Treat them so well that they'll never want to leave." I've been in the work force since age 15. Now, 37 years later, scumbag corporations and bosses are more prevalent and more terrible than ever. The only work satisfaction I've had in the last 6 years was handing a now former boss his ass for violating both the Employment Act as well as contractual terms of my employment. I won every penny of my claim. Pretty sad this is what it has come to

[HooliTV]

The problem is we are run by everyone who has sold their soul. The good guy loses every time

[shellylofgren]

For boomers and senior citizens, the current market and economy are unnecessarily harder. I'm used to simply purchasing and holding assets, which doesn't seem applicable to the current volatile market, and inflation is catching up with my portfolio. My biggest concern is whether I'll survive after retirement.

[MilePost]

I’m a baby boomer and grew up in the best times. We had tons of jobs all mostly small or big business, once the government allowed big corporations in and gobbled up everything the jobs disappeared fast closing up everything. I live in a town of 7500 and we had a lot of industrial and small business’s and no fast food joints. Once that door opened everything disappeared including the small mom and pop business’s. Now we have big Walmart and fast food on every corner. It will never be the same, the good days are gone!

[thethcircle]

Allow me to reiterate this.
The idea is "people want to work...just not for you."

[nickx]

I worked 23 years for a great company full of great people doing a great thing… and then the CEO retired. The new leadership came in “cutting and gutting “and got rid of everybody that was tenured and/or expensive. Now the place is a complete cluster and nobody’s happy, but the stock value is up.
i’m sure the new CEO, who even fired his own right hand man to replace him with someone cheaper, is happy. And that’s how it works in America now.

[ianupchurch]

When I was a gas station cashier, I had to do managerial duties, as well as lead duties without it being reflected in my title or pay. Literally. I had to put up entire deliveries, scan them in, audit tobacco and alcohol, train new employees, be the de-facto night manager for customer complaints, as well as both filing police reports and manning the security system to burn video evidence for the investigations. On paper, my only responsibilities were manning the register, cleaning the store, and keeping the coolers and fountain drinks stocked. So one of my co-workers, who was great friends with the managers(whom only worked first shift ever) got promoted within months, and I got fired when I closed the store because my overnight never showed up and I could no longer keep working with my broken ribs. This was in a high crime area, where they had me working alone 95% of the time, during hours when I could handle more than a thousand people per night depending on the local goings-on. BY. MY. SELF. No security, no co-workers, nothing. Why should I bother doing anything other than underachieving as hard as I can?

[dezbro]

Weak leadership, poor innovation, and general apathy is what I see in corporate America. I was in banking for 12 years and now 10 years on the brokerage side of things. Zero incentive, and meaningless work. You hit the nail right on the head. Like a hamster on a wheel going nowhere fast. The real question we should all be asking ourselves is, how do we fix it? We've identified the problem, we need solutions.

[jimmymac]

Between inflation and inflammation, I dont really feel good about getting out of bed each morning

[Liz-wzdh]

I don't mind working. I'm tired of corrupt management and terrible coworkers. I don't really want to work for a corporation that has useless HR department that does nothing for employees anymore either.

[a.jlondon]

Greed is what has lead to the decline and fall of the West.

[harrisonbergeron]

I'm a 53 year old white male. I still work but what has really taken it out of me the last couple of years is seeing my fairly large 401k dwindle, the thoughts of retiring at a decent age being pushed out (very deflating, huge taxes being taken and used by a government (and given to other countries) for things I don't believe in. And an overall feeling that as a tax paying, non-criminal, decent hard working citizen of the United States being completely taken advantage of, ignored, taken for granted and abused.