Working-class American men are getting lonelier and sicker and their lives are shortening. It’s not just a sad state of affairs. It’s a full-blown crisis that demands policy solutions.
  • pdxfed@lemmy.world
    231·
    14 hours ago

    Good news lads, you’re not “working class” if you have a college degree according to the rubric.

    What 1960s bullshit is this? People with degrees might earn more but many are cuffed and strangled by loan debt. There is a Far Side I believe that has a panhandler and various folks passing him on the street with “net worth” bubbles over all of them and the panhandler is far ahead as he has no debt. Yes, it can work out that you finally get your college paid off and then have accelerated earnings, but the timeline has massively increased or even made indefinitely unachievable as MBAs started running institutions that formerly focused on education instead turned to egotistical expansion projects and luxurioxation of student experiences.

    In a country where “at will” is the standard employment arrangement in 44/50 states, where layoffs have and increasingly do happen regularly with no notice, where there is anemic unemployment in most states that kicks citizens when they’re down…why the hell would anyone want to go to college and sign a multi decade, non-dismissable in bankruptcy debt contract? The same for housing. How are you supposed to feel confident in a 30-year mortgage when you get laid off ever 5-10 years?

    I will completely agree, those who do not go to college often have even worse jobs, more physically brutal and dangerous jobs, but fuck.

    We’re all working class if we have to work. Degree or not.

  • Ep1cFac3pa1m@lemmy.world
    223·
    15 hours ago

    Working class American men ferociously oppose any attempts to address this. Is there a name for this particular form of stockholm syndrome?

    • HasturInYellow@lemmy.world
      1·
      12 minutes ago

      I am a part of this group and everyone I work with thinks that it is capitalism’s fault, and the fault of the rich. The main problem is that they seem to think that the Republicans are going to help the poor because of decades of propaganda. There are a lot of conservatives who are in a prime position to be flipped. It’s like hate fucking. There are strong emotions but love and hate are not opposites, if you can redirect that hate at the right people, they may actually flip sides.

      I am feeling unusually optimistic today so take this with a grain of salt. Talk to them about the specifics you hate about capitalism and how things could be different. Don’t mention ideologies.

    • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
      121·
      15 hours ago

      Bootlicking of the among American wage slaves is one of the greatest psyops in history.

      Best part peasants keep each other in check 🤡

  • Nommer@sh.itjust.works
    11·
    15 hours ago

    I read this as I’m forced to work a 6th day this week. When do I get a chance at life? I’m in my mid 30s and never had a job that was both good and payed enough to live on.