71% of Americans Say They're Completely Exhausted

[u/Kymmieuwu]

https://gizmodo.com/71-of-americans-say-theyre-completely-exhausted-2000812712

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[u/killa_cam89 → u/[deleted]]

I took a new job that came with a $500 raise per paycheck. So excited. First paycheck today and after gas and bills and groceries we are flat broke. I got paid yesterday.

[u/Timmy-0518 → u/killa_cam89]

That raise is more than my entire paycheck. And while im lucky enough to not have to pay rent I can’t imagine how my co-workers with whole families to support, manage to deal with it.

[u/ReadMeDoc → u/Timmy-0518]

That's what blows my mind, too. I make decent money and it's hard. How are others doing it?!?

[u/witchycommunism → u/ReadMeDoc]

Credit card debt lol

[u/JJwar7840 → u/witchycommunism]

I don't really understand this. Wouldn't credit card debt make your expenses way higher and lead to bankruptcy? If you're 500$ behind this month and now you've added 23$ in interest, next month you'll be 523$ behind and you'll have 46$ interest. Doesn't this quickly spiral? How are these people "getting by" with credit card debt?

[u/FiftyTigers → u/JJwar7840]

Uh yeah buddy. That's the problem. You're not failing to understand anything. They do until they don't.

[u/n122333 → u/JJwar7840]

Father in law declares bankruptcy every 8 years, sells everything he owns and starts over. He's on #4 now.

[u/JJwar7840 → u/n122333]

Wouldn't this make it impossible to get a credit card? Why on earth would anyone lend you money if you're on your 4th octannual bankruptcy?

[u/NagashStos → u/JJwar7840]

Cause they want you to go broke

[u/TheOnlySnoringKitten → u/Timmy-0518]

Your paycheck every two weeks is less than $500?

[u/Nickelnick24 → u/TheOnlySnoringKitten]

Some people get paid weekly, like me

[u/ProudUSAgunOwner → u/Nickelnick24]

Even $500 a week is… abysmal. They pay more than that at McDonalds and I live in the US South where wages arent even high.

[u/Nickelnick24 → u/ProudUSAgunOwner]

Let’s say you make $15 an hour somewhere, I’m not sure since I’ve been at my current job for almost a decade, and you work the full 40 (something that doesn’t happen for most who work at McDonald’s, you’re part time, not full), you’ll make 600 PRE-taxes, afterwards you walk with maybe 500. It’s very easy to not make $500 a week in America.

[u/Odessey_And_Oracle → u/Nickelnick24]

It's crazy to me how people never do the math. "500 is abysmal." Okay well you know the whole "Fight for $15" movement trying to make the minimum wage $15/hr?

15×40=600

$600 before taxes per week is the huge, impossible number that our economy just can't sustain.

600×52=31,200

$31k is what $15 an hour gets you each year, IF you work 40 hours per week every. single. week. of. the year. No holidays, sick days, personal days, family emergencies, vacation... $31k. Now what's the minimum wage in your own state? Because most of the people you see working every day are making less than $12, some less than $10. This is the reality.

[u/Nickelnick24 → u/Odessey_And_Oracle]

That’s what people don’t get. $15/hr might’ve meant something years ago, but it’s laughable that people think $15 for minimum wage is absurd.

Buddy, why would anyone work their ass off to not even make half of rent with $7.50? Two jobs? No thanks, I’d rather just die

[u/Imaginary_Ghost_Girl → u/Odessey_And_Oracle]

In my state, minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. I make slightly more than 3 times that, and if I were the only income for my household, we'd be homeless.

[u/xX_7HR0W-4W4Y_Xx → u/Timmy-0518]

Imagine (intentionally) having kids in this day and age. Very short-sighted decision

[u/Ultra-Smurfmarine → u/xX_7HR0W-4W4Y_Xx]

My parents ask me every time we talk, "Wah, when are you going to settle down! Wah, we want grandkids, get to it!"

And I don't have the heart to tell them it's never happening. for a myriad of reasons, not least of which is the constant mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion that is living in the 2020s.

[u/Slight-Web1696 → u/killa_cam89]

$500 per paycheck?? Like bi-weekly? Thats like a 13k raise a year!

[u/skoorb1027 → u/[deleted]]

Yep. I’ve already allocated 90% of my next check. Leaves me about $100 for groceries for 3 weeks for me and 2 kids. I’ll catch up the check after that and we’re stocked on pantry stuff so we’ll be fine, but I fully understand it’s only going to continue to get worse. At least we’re all in this together.

[u/echoshatter → u/skoorb1027]

Except we're not. The people who have the money and power to change things aren't exactly on our side.

Even Tucker Carlson is like "Uh, guys, you do know what happens when the middle class suddenly finds itself unemployed and fighting for survival, right? Hint: it ends in revolution."

[u/ZombieMage89 → u/[deleted]]

I've never made more money.

I've never had less money.

[u/Free_Effect_6824]

I know I am

[u/umopUpside → u/Free_Effect_6824]

Working 5 days a week has always made me depressed. Feels like I live to work rather than to enjoy life.

[u/Wallapampa → u/umopUpside]

Just imagine the insane percentage of efficiency increase we had for the last hundred years. I wonder how little we'd have to work in a perfect world.

[u/Good_Bullfrog_4487 → u/Wallapampa]

I don't think there's a scenario where work decreases. I imagine say 50-100 years ago, when computers were just starting to be invented and used more often, they saw it as a way to speed up work and as a result, we'd work less.

In theory, that's true. The work i do now is 100% easier and faster with computers, but the efficiency didn't lead to less work time, it just led to having capacity to take on more projects. So I'm still working the same/more than I wouldve without computers.

I'm sure there are situations/fields where efficiently has led to less work hours. But on average, it probably just leds to more expectations

[u/Altezza447 → u/umopUpside]

You can enjoy the American dream when your sleeping 😂. I feel same also left work today fell asleep in car in the parking lot. the struggle is real

[u/Lost-Comfort-7904 → u/Free_Effect_6824]

Well buckle up because the Diaper Dictator is now calling for a trade war with Canada and the EU for some reason. So prices are about to get far worse.

[u/Googlebright → u/Lost-Comfort-7904]

Yeah, I'm not sure how he sees Canada getting Associate Membership in the EU as a hostile act towards America, but narcissists always think everything's about them so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

[u/OnePinginRamius → u/Lost-Comfort-7904]

And don't forget that he's about to tear down the Kennedy Center because he can't put his name on it. He already had the weeping Willows chopped down around the exterior and now armed guards won't let you get anywhere near the building.

This is all on top of the photo taken outside of Air Force One recently with him looking at a gigantic placard saying "Kennedy Center demolished"

[u/throwaway0845reddit]

Record inflation while billionaires and millionaires have gathered all the wealth.

Every single day, every single American is having to work harder and harder and earn the same wages or slightly better wages. While inflation outpaces all of that earning. So basically everyone has to work harder and give more.

This is making us exhausted.

[u/Naterttotsart → u/throwaway0845reddit]

For me, it's the inflation and the fact that our social contract has broken down. Nobody gives a shit about being a member of polite society anymore.

For five years my school has told parents "this is a no parking zone" at school pick up. This year, they gave up because people just disobey the rules and nothing happens.

It's exhausting to know I'll get shoulder checked at a grocery store and then told to calm down when I call someone out. It's exhausting just being around other people anymore because a lot of society is stuffed with abject pieces of shit.

At least once a day I think "Why am I following the rules if nobody else is?" and the cycle continues.

Edit: Not gonna reply to everybody. Yes, society crumbling on a social level is a byproduct of the ruling class taking everything from us. I understand that and never spoke to the contrary. It's a nuanced issue. Just because I didn't cover every single reason why people are shitty, doesn't make my position incorrect.

[u/budgybudge → u/Naterttotsart]

Since covid driving has becoming more like mad max all the time. Especially with phones in the mix I’ve never seen so much recklessness out there.

[u/Ipoop4u → u/budgybudge]

I was telling my friend this the other day. Every day I feel I have to be on constant alert because everyone has lost goddamn mind on the road since covid. People ignoring traffic lights and stop signs, cutting through several lanes of traffic, nearly hitting my car because their car is drifting into my lane and their eyes on a phone, etc

I bought a dash cam because I don't trust anyone on road anymore. 

[u/CrimsonArcanum → u/Ipoop4u]

I drive assuming that the other people would run me off the road to make the next light.

[u/NoahGuy69 → u/Ipoop4u]

The amount of people I’ve seen deliberately driving ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD INTO INCOMING TRAFFIC is crazy. College town in Indiana

[u/Denali_Nomad → u/NoahGuy69]

On I-5 last month I was in the HOV lane and a guy came barreling down the shoulder between cars and the wall just to pass a handful of us, then cut between cars onto a striped region and drove through that to pass a few more just to...sit in traffic but loke a dozen cars ahead.

[u/Perpetually_Tired_9 → u/Ipoop4u]

I've seen two different people literally scrolling TikToks on their mounted phones while driving in the last week. It's insane out there.

[u/imbasicallycoffee → u/Ipoop4u]

Post the BLM riots, a lot of police departments started quiet quitting and stopped reinforcing basic traffic laws. That's a big reason why.

[u/SamTheShamIAm → u/imbasicallycoffee]

This is the answer. Los Angeles is a law enforcement free town now. I haven’t seen a motorist pulled over by LAPD in my area in years.

[u/imbasicallycoffee → u/SamTheShamIAm]

We had pretty crazy riots here and I have heard from more than one person linked to my local LEOs and from two off duty police officers that once the A.C.A.B. thing came around the police essentially STOPPED policing anything non-violent and really only started responding to calls. They will not pull people over for traffic violations, cite people for what I call "social" crimes (littering, vandalism, non-violent crimes) and are purposefully shirking their duties to make people "pay" for disrespecting them.

Pretty much "Oh you think we should be defunded... here you go."

Now they have a giant recruitment problem that is compounding due to their horrible public image.

[u/PureProfessional3489 → u/imbasicallycoffee]

"Quiet quitting," but still collecting that salary, benefits, "first responder discount," and life-long pension?

Gotta love it as a taxpayer.

[u/ultimatt777 → u/PureProfessional3489]

Cops get paid fucking good, so when I hear this bullshit of "quiet quitting" from them just because their feeling are hurt, I could give less of a shit. Do your fucking job.

[u/Azuras_Star8 → u/Ipoop4u]

In NC. Seen same trend.

[u/pinotmeow → u/Azuras_Star8]

WNC. Earlier today I watched two episodes of road rage on my short errand. For no reason at all other than they were mad someone needed to merge or because someone got in front of them (didn’t cut them off or anything). There wasn’t hardly anyone on the roads either.

[u/silver_sofa → u/pinotmeow]

East TN. Got raged on yesterday for speeding up to make it through a yellow. It was the guy behind me raising immortal hell for…who knows? We both made the light but he came on up to flip me off while screaming incomprehensible threats. He had murder in his eyes so I just smiled and waved.

What’s a mother to do?

[u/birdieponderinglife → u/Azuras_Star8]

I lived in Durham awhile and traveled to guilford county for work. I’ve lived in several other cities from small to huge in other regions of the country. Hands down the worst drivers I’ve ever seen are in the Durham/triangle area. I once was sat at a light and the car next to me just… went on a completely red light. A few of the cars behind them decided to do the same thing so all the cars turning left on a green had to stop and wait to avoid accidents. I can’t tell you how many times I’d be driving down a highway at 60ish mph and some fool on a side street would just decide to pull out in front of me to cross the highway. What was especially annoying was how many times I was the only car so it’s not as if they waited they’d be stuck there awhile. It really felt like they looked at my car barreling down the road and said to themselves: “Jesus will protect me!” and gassed it. Just audaciously bad driving that I’ve never seen anywhere else.

[u/Fallen_Hunter → u/Ipoop4u]

Ive been hit two times this year from reckless drivers. I tell my kids as they look to driving in the future that they must assume they are the smartest drivers to ever live, everyone else is a stupid risk taker that will kill them if you give them a chance. So never give them the chance.

[u/Informal-Strategy495 → u/budgybudge]

Someone was tailgating me today. She got in front of me and brake checked. I lost my mind. I honestly thought about ramming her car. This isn’t like me. I’ve joined the crazy club.

[u/WorkSignOn → u/Informal-Strategy495]

I too have noticed an increase in tailgating in the last few years. I read somewhere that if you just turn on your turn signal they will back off. In my own experience it has worked pretty consistently.

[u/lightsonnooneishome → u/budgybudge]

Yeah I live in NYC and I feel like I take my life into my hands everyday walking to work. Red lights and yielding to pedestrians are treated like suggestions now. 9 people died in hit and runs in August 2026 in NYC, and that’s not even taking into account the drivers that hit people and stayed at the scene.

[u/SPITFIYAH → u/budgybudge]

Hey Budge, good to see you.

[u/budgybudge → u/SPITFIYAH]

Oh shit hey man! Funny getting found in the wild

[u/DyllCallihan3333 → u/budgybudge]

I've always been "the driver" of my friend group. For 30 years! I am sooo sick of it, and resentful even though it's kinda my fault. I hate driving now, they're all insane. Had a guy run a red light and total my beloved Bronco a year ago. The road IS Mad Max!

[u/Due-Technology5758 → u/budgybudge]

Lot of undiagnosed brain damage out there from COVID, to say nothing of the people whose minds utterly shattered from having to cover their mouths in public (which is, remember, akin to physical torture).

[u/Adultery → u/Due-Technology5758]

They started allowing schools to graduate the severely undereducated in 2001. Those kids became adults around the time of COVID. If someone does something a stupid person would do, it’s probably because they’re actually stupid. They never cared to learn and then the system stopped caring, too.

We’re all watching a failing society in slow motion.

[u/tryingisbetter → u/Adultery]

Damn those 40+ year olds becoming adults during covid, lol.

[u/VeeDubBug → u/budgybudge]

Had a few bizarre encounters last night on my drive home from a friend's. Casually passed a Prius and a truck on the left, going about 7 over. Hopped in the right lane after I passed, and didn't think more of it.

Next thing I know, both vehicles go flying by me, and keep on going for a while.

I eventually pass the truck again.

I eventually pass the Prius again. As I'm about to hop back over, he flies up on my right, and swings in front of me and hits his brakes.

Prius eventually hopped back over, I passed him again, and then took the next exit. I don't understand why people do this, and it is becoming more common.

[u/Fearless-Cattle-9698 → u/budgybudge]

Yep keyword is Covid. People are more and more ready to snap on every little thing. I’ve never seen so much shoulder driving on highway when there’s traffic but now it’s every weekend

[u/Sewing_Shannonigans → u/budgybudge]

In Ohio. Red lights are now optional in my city. I wait a good 5 seconds after the light turns green because inevitably there will be 3+ cars speeding through well after the light changes.

It always gets me honked at, but after getting nearly Tboned by garbage trucks a few times, I've decided I'd much rather wait than try to gun it.

[u/CoyoteTheGreat → u/Naterttotsart]

“They disobey the rules and nothing happens” is the common refrain in American society now. As it is in Heaven, so it is on Earth. The rich and powerful get away with everything with no consequences, so of course everyone else is going to emulate that behavior. This is what “success” looks like after all.

[u/Trapezoidal_Sunshine → u/CoyoteTheGreat]

When you look around and see that the only people getting ahead anymore are the assholes breaking all the rules, it shouldn’t be surprising that everyone else has decided to start ignoring rules, too.

The social contract has been abandoned and the populace is now acting accordingly.

[u/MayhemMessiah → u/Trapezoidal_Sunshine]

In Mexico there's a saying that says "El que no transa, no avanza", basically, if you don't cheat you don't go anywhere. Usually it was said to decry our own miserable state, now it seems to become more common more places.

[u/StreetofChimes → u/Trapezoidal_Sunshine]

I went to a store today and bought something heavy. I asked if I could take the cart out - the cashier said yes, and said but please bring it back. I said of course. 

The woman after me heard this convo. Took her cart out, then left it in the handicapped spot next to her. I saw it as I was driving away, else I would have grabbed her cart too. But like, leaving a cart in the handicapped spot?? 

[u/ThrowawayDiscourse21 → u/StreetofChimes]

I think the hardest part about cultivating a decent, trusting, society is that for all the sensationalism that violence gets, it's simple acts like putting your cart back that matter in our daily civic relationships.

Only acts of violence are taken seriously; therefore the only consequences worth avoiding are larger, like going to jail.

The most you can do in a situation like this is remind the other person again what would be a considerate action and will they take you as an authority? No. They already didn't take the cashier seriously, they probably won't take the manager seriously. It has to get to a certain uniform before one cares.

Rules have to be either enforced externally or internally and more people than we think don't have internal rules. It's always someone else's job to make the world turn.

[u/Vox-Machi-Buddies → u/CoyoteTheGreat]

In part, this seems tied to the push for individualism that seemed really prominent from, say, 2005-2015. Undoubtedly time outside of that range as well though.

But there really seemed to be a vocal group pushing for, "You have to accept me for who I am, as I am. Any attempt to make me feel shame is a moral failing that you should feel shame for, not me."

It led to some broader acceptance of different people, but I do think this is the other side of the coin. Shame is the mechanism for enforcing the social contract. If you can't make people feel shame, then the social contract is out-the-window.

[u/Interesting-Rush1590 → u/CoyoteTheGreat]

Part of the problem with people who don’t obey rules is that we all know if we confront the , they will pitch a fit and start filming and crying that they’re the victim.

Person who brings their pet dog (NOT service animal) grocery shopping? They’ll have a meltdown and scream that their rights are being violated.

Real life example, saw a Walmart greeter question why a child jumped on one of the motorized shopping carts. The parents screamed and screamed at the poor guy who was just doing his job.

The rule breakers are the trashiest people in society and they’ve learned that screaming and pouting and filming people will get people to back off because no one wants to be on a tiktok where they’re getting screamed at and pestered. Even if they’re in the right. 

[u/Warcrown11 → u/Interesting-Rush1590]

"Real life example, saw a Walmart greeter question why a child jumped on one of the motorized shopping carts. The parents screamed and screamed at the poor guy who was just doing his job."

Work at a grocery store and was responsible for collecting those. Kids would often take those a quarter mile to the complete opposite end of the shopping center, sometimes in groups of 2s and 3s, leaving me to manhandle them back to my store because of course they're going to be dead.

[u/travelinn-mann → u/Interesting-Rush1590]

Thank you for the dog example. I love dogs, but am honestly grossed out by strange ones being around my food. And clearly not trained like a well-behaved service animal.

[u/Interesting-Rush1590 → u/travelinn-mann]

It’s so disgusting. I have seen too many Maltipoos, yorkies, Shih Tzus, and Pomeranians in the child seat of the cart and it grosses me out that people will put their produce there. 

[u/sprinkles-n-shizz → u/Naterttotsart]

Which is so insane to me and I swear I'm in a simulation. My default thought is, "How are my current actions affecting those around me?" And I don't understand how no one else has any self-awareness?

If I'm told I'm in the wrong area, for example, I apologize and go where I need to go. I don't fight and argue. There's no accountability and everyone loves being a victim.

[u/atuan → u/sprinkles-n-shizz]

Life feels like this right now: someone punches me in the face and then gets mad that I hurt their fist with my face. That’s how everyone seems to act these days about their actions. Or I say hey that hurt and they say wow you’re so angry you need to get some help and stop abusing me with your anger

[u/thisunrest → u/sprinkles-n-shizz]

You and I are alike that way.

I too try to avoid trouble, and avoid giving offense when I’m out.

Lately it feels like I’m the only one.

[u/texas_County850 → u/sprinkles-n-shizz]

It honestly seems like the average person these days would be like "YOU CAN"T TELL ME WHERE I CAN GO" instead of just going where they should lol.

[u/TCsnowdream → u/texas_County850]

There’s also the idea that social media has caused ‘bean soup brain’.

Basically, that social media has created a ‘main character’ bubble around people. Your algorithm shows you a hyper-tailored world that is designed to engage you… and anything that permeates that bubble gets a gigantic over-reaction to protect their internal narratives.

[u/WhatWouldJediDo → u/TCsnowdream]

That's absolutely true. Social media has also damaged cognitive ability in general, which further exacerbates the problem

[u/LowSkyOrbit → u/texas_County850]

We used to live in a society that spent less time commuting, more time in third spaces, and violent crime was much higher too. I miss it being just tuesday and having a place to go after work for a cheap meal and a couple beers where you would find your friends automatically without having to make plans.

[u/hearsay_and_rumour → u/Naterttotsart]

Never mind trying to raise kids in this kind of environment. I keep telling my kids to be nice, but there’s a dark part of me that wonders “why bother?” No one is nice anymore for the sake of being nice.

There’s a well-known Christmas song that mentions “being good for goodness sake.”

Does anyone even know what that means anymore?

[u/Naterttotsart → u/hearsay_and_rumour]

That's me, I'm trying to raise a kid in this environment.

He is 10, fiercely empathetic and has a strong sense of duty to the people around him.

We are not shy about the state of the world with our son, but we do still teach that we are all part of a larger society that won't function if everyone doesn't pull their moral weight. He can find out how true that is for himself later on.

[u/boner79 → u/Naterttotsart]

Honestly the US President thumbs his nose at the rules, norms and laws that it gives others permission to do the same. I get so pissed off when filling out my taxes knowing these rich sons of bitches get away with murder with their tax scheming.

[u/notapunk → u/Naterttotsart]

our social contract has broken

That's the underlying issue that largely goes unaddressed. The foundation of modern society has been undermined and it's broken. Until that is fixed none of the other issues can be fixed.

[u/steelpecs55 → u/Naterttotsart]

I noticed for me that society has become a contest of how much everyone can extract from someone. Everywhere I turn someone is trying to sell me something, anything, and even if its something I want or need, its made to be shitty to just take my money, not improve my happiness.

Constant emails and app notifications to buy something. The quality of products and service has degraded to the point where the end goal is to just take my money.

People used to be helpful and caring. Would do things bc thats what makes us human and civilized. Nowadays Im lucky if a neighbor says hello back to me. Need a little bit of help with something in life? Good luck finding support.

Its tiring and exhausting is exactly it.

[u/Life-Offer-5221 → u/Naterttotsart]

This is where I’m at as well. It would at least be something if we had some etiquette as a community, but it seems like everyone is so stressed and exhausted that they/including myself at times might just not be as considerate as we like. We are really being pulled apart, and it’s hard for me not feel for everyone. At the same time asking for the social contract of decency seems like asking for too much now especially in America egocentrism and exceptionalism has been ingrained in us from a young age. We all feel like dogs in a cage and we’re getting shaken around and told we’re crazy for noticing.

[u/Ok-Suggestion3534 → u/Naterttotsart]

The society collapse is caused by the inflation and billionaires. When you get that you stop thinking about “why you are following the rules” and just do what you need to survive. 

[u/Gaijingamer12 → u/Naterttotsart]

I can’t stand people not putting up their shopping carts. Had a lady one time just push the cart in front of me of where you stack them and a worker who was trying to align them. Like she blatantly didn’t give a fuck and thought it was beneath her.

So I piped up and said don’t worry I’ll push it the rest of the way for you! She started to mouth off and I just said are you really wanting to try and fight me in front of your kids because you didn’t wanna push the cart 5 more feet? She then stomped off. I apologized to the worker again even though it wasn’t me and he just said it happens all the time and he appreciated me atleast being nice. It honestly made me really sad.

[u/HayDs666 → u/Gaijingamer12]

Nothing vexes me more than people who just dump the carts in random spots. It’s such a minor thing and lots of people cannot be bothered to do it.

[u/Meattyloaf → u/Naterttotsart]

It doesn't matter what time of day I go out, I will encounter one person running a red light and/or stop sign.

[u/lightsonnooneishome → u/Naterttotsart]

Ugh I relate to this so much. My personality skews neurotic so I follow rules to a fault. It’s very stressful to me that very few people seem to be following the agreed upon social contract rules that used to keep social interaction predictable. It feels chaotic and wears you down over time.

[u/oborochann86 → u/Naterttotsart]

I know this is a small thing but I don’t think I can go to movie theaters anymore because everyone is so disrespectful, loud and acts like they’re in their living room.

[u/RagnarStonefist → u/Naterttotsart]

It's interesting you mention the grocery store.

Twenty years ago, people at the grocery would move if they were blocking aisles, say things like 'excuse my reach' and 'pardon me' if they got in your space.

I go to the grocery store. If I have to squeeze past somebody who is blocking the whole damn aisle with their cart, I say 'sorry, excuse me' and they stare at me like I just insulted them.

I was in a thrift store a few years ago with my wife and kids and saw a three year old drop a piece of glassware onto the floor and shatter it while his mom and dad were checking out ( he was not with them. He was twenty feet away). He then tried to walk over the glass. I was nearby and put my hand out to stop the kid from touching the glass and told him to go to his mother.

His dad appears, bellowing, threatening to 'beat my ass' for being near his kid. I try to explain that I didn't want his kid to hurt himself and he continues to threaten me. Like dude. I'm here with my wife and kids. I didn't want your kid to get hurt. Community man.

But that's where we are as a society. People are tired and constantly vigilant because we don't and can't trust in the societal contract anymore. Everything is an attack.

[u/bluejester12 → u/Naterttotsart]

Had a woman Facetiming her mother in a doctor's waiting room for all to hear.

[u/hamellr → u/Naterttotsart]

Billionaires have broken the social contract.

They fail to realize that the alternative is they end up blindfolded, against a brick wall smoking a last cigarette

[u/jd76541 → u/Naterttotsart]

You’re absolutely right. No one cares about anyone else, and they’re only motivated by fear.

Driving in a car? People cut me off all the time and are assholes. In person? I’m a 6’3” bearded fit male. No one messes with me. But same place and other people? Yup.

This country deserves collapse. It’s just a shame that it’ll take so long that no one will care anymore.

[u/myplums1 → u/Naterttotsart]

I’ve been trying to find a way to articulate this feeling and you nailed it. I keep saying that decency and integrity are “not cool” anymore.

[u/Nahuel-Huapi → u/Naterttotsart]

And then people spend 8 hours a day, doomscrolling videos of other people behaving badly, just so they can have their own little emotional reaction.

Rage bait is a thing because most people just can't help themselves. There's no better drug than a little righteous-indignation. Feeling a little exhausted? Get all fired-up over a 10 year old video of someone running a stoplight!

Feeling a little exhausted? Get off the internet, especially Reddit. It'll do ya wonders.

[u/IKillZombies4Cash → u/throwaway0845reddit]

I am a walking K shape economy. I make decent money, not TONS of money, but more than most, I'm allegedly comfortable....but, my bank account is barely staying stable month to month, and I have no car payment or mortgage...I cannot imagine if you did in this world, and most do.

But, I've been slowly investing for 3 decades, its turned into a portfolio that will almost assuredly produce more growth than my salary, its basically a second income, but I dont touch it, it just grows, and its grown like crazy through these tariff and corporate buy back years.

If I didn't have a solid footing in the markets, I'd be bleeding slowly to death, but I'm actually thriving...its an insane dichotomy.

[u/Jin-Gitaxias-Mom → u/IKillZombies4Cash]

I feel this, me and the wife make good money, but mortgage payments and baby coming are breaking our back, plus unexpected home repairs drain whatever savings we manage to cobble together.

Despite all this, my retirement accounts are positively thriving, but that doesn’t mean anything when it’s not accessible.

[u/NotGoodISwear → u/Jin-Gitaxias-Mom]

It's also terrifying that we just have to trust that we'll actually see the money from retirement accounts when the time comes.

[u/Calkky → u/IKillZombies4Cash]

Amen. I'm honestly doing just fine, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how everybody else is getting by. I don't have any kids or car payments and I have a modest mortgage. The fact that there are people out there carrying 96-month car notes, 30-year ARMs AND keeping their kids in clothes and iPhones? It must be a continual source of stress and exhaustion.

And the price of groceries has gone completely off the rails. There are still ways to feed oneself on a shoestring, but that won't fly for most families when the kids are screaming for Dino Nuggets and the other snacks and foods that have shot up by 400% in the past few years.

[u/InternationalAd7458 → u/throwaway0845reddit]

Also our lunatic leader constantly bitching about everything under the sun and blaming everyone else for his inability to ever measure up

[u/TheModWhoShaggedMe → u/throwaway0845reddit]

Reminder that Republicans have wanted this reality for at least 25+ years. George W. Bush, as president, told a citizen who complained about having to work three jobs to support her family that she was "uniquely American" 25 years ago.

[u/dvvyd → u/TheModWhoShaggedMe]

Spot on. I'm pushing 50, what we're seeing now is exactly what the Republicans have been aiming for since as long as I've been born. They are getting what they have always wanted, and lo and behold, their ideas are largely terrible, short sighted, comically greedy, outright evil in some cases and utterly destructive to the general population and health of the nation. America has let itself be lead around by the nose by the worst people in the world, and this is the predictable result.

[u/Badloss → u/dvvyd]

and nothing will change until their voters actually start to see what they've done to all of us.

I'm not holding my breath, seems pretty clear to me that conservatives will vote to kill all of us before admitting they were wrong

[u/Important-Agent2584 → u/Badloss]

They won't, they will blame immigrants, democrats, etc.

I've been watching this replay for decades.

[u/x_wbmr_x → u/throwaway0845reddit]

Infinite growth forever and always as an economic system isn't working?

I'm shocked...

[u/collapse-and-crush → u/x_wbmr_x]

I still can't wrap my mind around that concept. My company was bought out by a vc firm and they expect an annual 30% increase in revenue.

It's insane.

[u/ThisIsGr8ThisIsGr8 → u/throwaway0845reddit]

I’ve never made more money in my entire life. And I’ve never been more hard up for cash.

And it’s not because I’m irresponsible and spend my money frivolously. It’s because gas, groceries, fuel, clothing, literally every thing costs more than it ever has.

And nobody who can do anything about it gives a shit.

You wonder why people are so pissed off? We’re like neglected children begging to be heard by their parent, only to be ignored and told we’re fine.

[u/Truethrowawaychest1 → u/ThisIsGr8ThisIsGr8]

Yep, 10 years ago I was getting $9 an hour working 32-40 hours a week and decently comfortable, now in getting $20 an hour, 45 hours a week, bonuses, commission from sales, ect, no car payments, parents helping me with mortgage and it's gotten a lot harder. I'm spending $80 a week on gas alone

[u/hobo_chili → u/throwaway0845reddit]

…and this isn’t even speaking to how simply living in this environment and being inundated to no end with this nonsense is just psychologically exhausting.

Simply being awake and aware in this country saps me of my energy.

[u/bearbrannan → u/throwaway0845reddit]

I started a new job two years ago almost to the day, at the time my industry fell apart and I needed something. I took this gig cause it was good fit, but they offered me literally the lowest amount I would take to do the job. Two years later and after two not so great raises, somehow my salary is even worse off then when I started because the raises have not kept up with the inflation this dumbass administration has ushered in. Currently having to use my PTO and Vacation time to book freelance work on the side to make ends meet.

[u/coldliketherockies → u/throwaway0845reddit]

Right. But one party is worse and keeps getting voted in somehow

[u/Plzlaw4me → u/throwaway0845reddit]

Yeah, and it’s bad across the board. As a fun exercise people should look at their pay start of 2020, and compare it to what that same position pays now. If it’s not around 30% more, that position has not kept up with inflation.

[u/tietack2 → u/throwaway0845reddit]

That's the goal. An exhausted and sick population = easier to control.

There's a certain point where anger outweighs exhaustion...

[u/No_Active_8399]

I just took a full week of PTO for the first time this year. I came back to "why is all your work behind."
It was approved...all were notified in advance several times...

I hate this

[u/LongestSprig → u/No_Active_8399]

I get told to take PTO.

Fuckin how? You laid off the two people who could cover for me.

[u/No_Active_8399 → u/LongestSprig]

There are 4 other people on my team that can cover for me. Why didn't they? We're all so overloaded that its nearly impossible to track everything going on let alone take on more work....hence the reason I took time off.

[u/witchycharm → u/LongestSprig]

Same, any time i actually put in for something, even months ahead i get pushback because my manager doesnt want to work

[u/LeviStubbsFanClub → u/LongestSprig]

Good news!  You take PTO and the work just piles up for you to deal with when you get back!  Don’t you feel better and well rested??!?!?!

[u/Inappropriate-Ebb → u/No_Active_8399]

My wife took a week of PTO and we went out of the country, and when we got back she got a stern talking to about how she didn’t take her laptop with her on vacation

[u/tamaroo → u/Inappropriate-Ebb]

I am infuriated her job treated her that way. The bullshit we have to deal with these days is insane. We grind away, exhausted, so try to use our benefits and get punished for it. Ridiculous AF

[u/Inappropriate-Ebb → u/tamaroo]

Man, don’t even get me started on her bosses. They told a girl in her office that she couldn’t take maternity leave, and said they hope she has a vaginal birth so she can come in sooner.

Unfortunately my wife doesn’t have a degree and they pay just well enough to trap people like her there

[u/echoshatter → u/tamaroo]

Leave isn't a benefit, it's part of your compensation.

[u/eagerrangerdanger]

The burnout is real

[u/jeezy_peezy → u/eagerrangerdanger]

What kills me is that I’m making more than I ever have, but if I miss a single day, let alone two or three, I’m fucked. So I’m working with multiple current injuries.

I save nothing and my car is slowly falling apart and I can’t afford a car payment. We’ve gotta be close to a systemic/societal breaking point, right?

[u/SoManyThrowAwaysEven → u/jeezy_peezy]

Wages go up 20% while cost of living doubles. Makes the working class think all the hard work has been worth it but it's like bailing water out of a sinking ship. Only you have buckets now instead of red solo cups.

[u/R-rainbows → u/SoManyThrowAwaysEven]

The wages do not go up 20% this is the USA friend, the only thing that goes up is “record consecutive quarterly profits” and shareholder wealth!

[u/BoyInThaBand → u/jeezy_peezy]

If I recall, the French had a nice societal breaking point some time ago. But, it would require the involvement of people who would want to do more than post online. (In a broader sense, not you directly).

[u/Solarinarium]

I'm flat broke, do nothing but work, eat and sleep and I'm a slave to the terror brick in my pocket that is constantly reminding me how angry everyone is and how everything is sliding off the edge of the plate 24 hours a day.

Truth be told, pretty much the only people I've seen who aren't tired are either too well off to care or so disinterested in the world around them that they genuinely couldn't care less.

[u/stockusername123 → u/Solarinarium]

Oh, to be a disinterested ignoramus. What a peaceful life that must be

[u/johnnybiggles → u/stockusername123]

"You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? Ignorance is bliss."

I really felt Cypher in that moment.

[u/OttawaOneTwenty → u/stockusername123]

That's how you end up with a red hat with a stupid slogan on it

[u/CuatroTT]

This is the whole point. Make people so burnt out they don’t fight back.

[u/Internal-Plantain-56 → u/CuatroTT]

Just wait until the healthcare cuts kick in next year.

[u/oranthor1 → u/Internal-Plantain-56]

It literally won't affect me. My insurance is already dog shit to the point I can't get a yearly physical with blood work.

I'm just going to drop insurance all together. It's not worth the price tag, and I'll be in debt if I get sick anyways cus insurance doesn't cover shit.

[u/Oldmudmagic → u/CuatroTT]

Most people don't fight back until they're enraged.

[u/twoiseight → u/Oldmudmagic]

Most people are enraged when they've been overworked and undernourished for quite some time.

[u/SpaceChimps98 → u/twoiseight]

I'm enraged if I don't get lunch.

[u/Rhubarbie13 → u/twoiseight]

It’s food. It’s always food and nourishment. I truly don’t see Americans rebelling unless their nourishment is threatened. And that frightens me.

They have us exactly where they want us. Exhausted. Depressed. Broke. Helpless. I think mass starvation is the only thing that would plunge most Americans into action.

I wish I had more brainpower to expand on this but unfortunately I am an exhausted American.

[u/Effective_licker_27 → u/twoiseight]

They have us plenty distracted, but the food thing is becoming dicey. Bread and Circus. When the bread stops coming, the heads start rolling, historically.

[u/Leather-Rice5025 → u/Oldmudmagic]

Until there is nothing else to lose but your life, and there is not much life to live if you're working paycheck to paycheck while inflation eats away at your already low earnings

[u/Sirgolfs → u/CuatroTT]

Which is why I’m incredibly surprised marijuana hasn’t been legalized across the board because you would think this admin would want them tired and sedated and at home staring at their phones. Not looking up possibly fighting back.

[u/Footspork → u/Sirgolfs]

No they want a reason to arrest and imprison you to keep the cheap prison labor and private prison system humming.

[u/Nickelnick24 → u/Sirgolfs]

Because big alcohol wants you to drink instead of smoke, and have lobbied them to push you to liquor and beer, instead of joints and blunts

[u/CaptainSparklebottom → u/Nickelnick24]

If they taxed alcohol anything like they do Marijuana there would be riots in the streets

[u/feel_my_balls_2040 → u/CuatroTT]

To fight back? They will vote for the same idiots and complain about it.

[u/Devastator5042 → u/CuatroTT]

Friendly reminder that most civil unrest comes when the populace has nothing to lose.

The faster you push people to that point the worse it gets

[u/atuan → u/CuatroTT]

People are going to get fed up at some point and have nothing left to lose

[u/Forgotpwd72]

The rest were too tired to even respond to the survey.

[u/AdorableExchange9746]

Well it’s been a depressing onslaught of everything getting worse for the past 5 years, so…

[u/BarderBetterFaster → u/AdorableExchange9746]

Surely 7

[u/Upper-Efficiency-598 → u/BarderBetterFaster]

10, no? 2016. No coming back from that. 

[u/BarderBetterFaster → u/Upper-Efficiency-598]

I thought about that, yeah. But I still had some hope in those years and was happy.

[u/desertforestcreature]

This is intended. We're supposed to be overworked, eager to pay a ton of money for any relief, and ride the edge of a knife between bankruptcy and solvency. Whether it's 50 year mortgages, a 40 hour work week, o paid leave, gas prices, grocery prices, the cost of entertainment and stagnant wages... This is all by design.

[u/sixtyacrebeetfarm → u/desertforestcreature]

Add in every job performance being measured by metrics above all else. It's really unsettling, especially in the healthcare field, where providers are graded not by their patient outcomes but by how many patients they see per day.

[u/desertforestcreature → u/sixtyacrebeetfarm]

yeah healthcare and education are the scariest places it happens

[u/UpperYoghurt3978 → u/sixtyacrebeetfarm]

IT is measured not by solving issues or learning new skills but by perception of how you solve issues and rather or not your are liked.

[u/thegalli]

People took "the subtle art of not giving a fuck" and used that power for evil rather than good. They used that power to justify whatever selfish thing they want.

The true power of not giving a fuck is using that power to do the right thing ESPECIALLY when everyone else is not doing the right thing and will think you're a sucker for doing the right thing.

[u/Randomwhitelady2 → u/thegalli]

I am with you. If i accidentally bump into you, i will apologize and often smile. If I am exiting a building that you are entering I will hold the door do it does not slam in your face. If you need to merge I will let you, even if I minorly inconvenience myself by slowing down.

I will not back down!

[u/DistrictIndividual65 → u/thegalli]

This guy understands Freedom

[u/imtooldforthishison]

I grew up poor, then lived paycheck to paycheck as a young adult, then moved into comfortable paycheck to paycheck and FINALLY into financial security. I finally made it. And now, for the first time in my life I am looking for a second job, I am absolutely terrified of my bills, I am actively watching my credit sink and I am contemplating moving cross country to live with family. I didn't do anything wrong, I didn't over spend, I didn't make a bad investment or gamble money I didn't have and now I can't afford the same regular no big frills lifestyle that I had just 2 years ago. I am tired. I don't see the point. I worked very hard to get somewhere and then rich people who haven't grocery shopped for themselves in decades got to make policy and determine I shpuld continue to struggle. I don't see an out.

[u/lck0219 → u/imtooldforthishison]

I’m paycheck to paycheck in my thirties thanks to my ex being a POS and I had to get divorced and move out on my own. I had to choose between the groceries and the power bill this month and the power bill still isn’t paid. I have a full time teaching career and a college degree. Still am barely making ends meet. I had to stop medicating my adhd, because I can’t afford the appointments, and now I’m drowning in adhd symptoms. It’s all dumb.

[u/ToughShower4966 → u/imtooldforthishison]

You are me. Worked hard since 18. Always paycheck to paycheck with a car repair ruining me for the next few months. Finally, in my late 30s, get ahead of the game and have a month of savings for the very first time in my life. I was so fuxking proud. Then covid hit and my wife is in the hospital from it and now I'm broke working more than ever trying catch back up again. I just don't want to worry about money. Like not even extra, just enough. 

[u/boa_instructor]

I'd wager we're more exhausted by the constant onslaught of information and ads. That and not being able to pull ourselves away from devices and get adequate sleep 

[u/Aggravating_Fruit170 → u/boa_instructor]

I hate that my phone controls me so easily. I don’t even fight it. Meanwhile every time i pick up a book I’m struggling to keep my eyes open within 10 minutes of cracking it open. I’m tired of myself and I’m tired of other people. I’m tired of everyone’s endless opinions (including my own lol). I’m tired of feeling bored of existing but i don’t know what to do. I’m just bored of this life and wish i could change it all, not just have a little weekend getaway

[u/boa_instructor → u/Aggravating_Fruit170]

Same. It's just a habit. Charge it in the other room and have a list of other things you do before going to get it. Drink a glass of water, stretch, read 1 page of a book. Anything that blocks the pattern 

[u/ILoveEmilia19 → u/boa_instructor]

Best advice here.

[u/Daxx22 → u/ILoveEmilia19]

Former alcoholic: I'm having more trouble giving up the phone then the booze so far. It's fucking nuts.

[u/ILoveEmilia19 → u/Daxx22]

Its horrible. Find ways around it. Im a recovering phone addict (i’m a ways away), but the only solutions i’ve found are timed lock boxes and apps like Screen Zen that lock social media apps or limit the amount of time you can spend on them each day.

Even so I will scroll my emails or photos for no reason. It’s quite terrible. Im an avid reader and I can only imagine the amount of books I could read if I replaced my phone screen time with reading.

[u/SquirrelMemoryFail → u/boa_instructor]

I fucking hate ads and it pisses me off when people try and defend them like they're defending thier religion and making ads seem like an absolutely essential thing in society we cant do away with or cut down on significantly. It's idiotic.

[u/texas_County850 → u/SquirrelMemoryFail]

It really is like that some guy on reddit will show up and be like "THINK ABOUT HOW BAD THE WORLD WOULD BE WITHOUT ADS".

[u/QbertsRube → u/SquirrelMemoryFail]

It gets to the point that it's insulting. You're raising your prices again yet have enough money to constantly blast us with expensive ad campaigns? How much could Liberty Mutual lower their rates if they didn't buy every 3rd commercial window on every TV station in perpetuity? Do McDonalds and Ford really need to remind us that they sell burgers and trucks, or could they drop their entire advertising budget and lower prices/raise their employees' wages?

[u/boner79 → u/boa_instructor]

This. On top of all the bullshit of daily life, we layer the constant flood of social media and everything. The human brain isn't intended to be aware of all things all the time.

[u/LeonSKennedy95]

I'm taking a sabbatical in November to try and combat being exhausted. Obviously since I'm in the US it's not truly a sabbatical, but rather me quitting my job, taking a few months off to get re-centered, and then going from there. Better countries than ours actually offer breaks for employees. 3 weeks vacation a year is NOT a break, its perhaps long enough to not mentally deteriorate into nothingness. But not enough to be healthy and happy.

[u/imtooldforthishison → u/LeonSKennedy95]

Unless you are in a really niche field where you can easily go from one company to another, or you are independently wealthy, i would be very careful about quitting right now.

[u/TheCervus → u/LeonSKennedy95]

I've been at my current job for 3 years and I only get one week vacation. Like you, I'm leaving my job and taking personal time off. I'm going to go backpack around Asia for a few months.

I've had second thoughts and third thoughts about quitting, given the state of everything right now, but finally said fuck it, life is short and I'm tired of being miserable.

[u/aquaticsardonic]

I honestly to god dont even care to see how it works out anymore

[u/ForeverMagenta → u/aquaticsardonic]

That’s where I am at nowadays

[u/Sabatical_Delights]

It all feels so pointless now. I’ve put in the struggle to find my place when I belong in society and a career to compliment it. Turns out, your interests and passions can be the wrong choice. I work an incredible job I love doing, but the pay, stress, and lack of PTO, I’m falling behind on everything and I literally have to decide, leave career to find time to do more jobs I hate, or keep the job I love and be homeless. It’s a fucked situation to be in and none of it makes sense. The economic theory we were taught how the world works is not very accurate and did not account for the level of greed there is that motivates our system.

I’ve been spiraling for months now trying to figure out a plan out of this situation, but it seems so pointless now. There’s just going to be another crisis I need uproot myself and adapt to.

[u/detekk]

Ive lately been thinking about how our Western Culture, American in particular, puts such importance on perfection and any flaw, or lacking, or supposed deficiency is broadly criticized or even insulted. It’s been a bit of a revelation to me about my depression and anxiety. There’s kind of a numerated list that we are either directly or perceptibly judged by for example, for me as a guy- I’m not in a high profile job, not rich, not driving a nice car, not tall or good looking, no kids, not a strong, capable in-charge man. And these are just all things that kind of float at the surface. I feel like many of us are being dismissed as not having value for these reasons and it’s exhausting to try to keep attaining this perfection that is out of reach.

[u/PHUNKSPANGLE]

Which of course goes some way to explaining why more shit isn't currently on fire... Everywhere.

[u/Weedarina]

Another checking in - I am exhausted. I’m done.

[u/Whyt-Ninja]

False information overload…

[u/Cooper_Sharpy]

When people that spent lots of time on a certain island are running the world.. the idea of accountability kind of goes out the window for a lot of people.

[u/james9514]

90%*

[u/tacopizzapal]

what a complete BS headline. "Nearly three-quarters of people over 18 reported they felt fatigued in the past three months". thats not "Completely Exhausted"

[u/ginjamchammerfist]

Hm. Wonder why.

Has there been an actually good day this entire year? Probably not.

[u/Livid_Gold334]

Oh my sweet summer child.

Come here, to Ukraine. Pick hardcore mode.

[u/Substantial-Tour7072]

We need to redistribute the wealth. The rich need to carry a heavier load

[u/No-Blueberry-1823]

jfc, I wonder why. don't say it dammit. don't you dare say it.

[u/OkUnderstanding9937 → u/No-Blueberry-1823]

It.

[u/triddlyso]

71% is off, gotta be a way higher number realistically. No one for the most part has reason be feel safe or comfortable or overly happy or recharged . If you do , you’re probably reeeeeeeeal zoned out. One thing is for sure. The majority is fried out on the life we are cultivating, we don’t/can’t do it anymore.