Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows • Hacker News Board

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#31

Post by ProAm » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

VonGuard wrote: post #5

The United States is weird in that you are defined, here, by your job or profession. TV shows put your job title under your name when you appear on them. People's first question is always "What do you do?" at parties and at events. In other countries, this isn't always the case. When I'm in Europe, people ask where you're from, what's for dinner, and what's happening? The question of your job is rarely asked up front…

> generally comes down to how the US doesn't value human life

That's a pretty big leap from making small talk with a stranger to how one views existence.

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#32

Post by foenix » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

scruple wrote: post #13

intopieces wrote: post #2

My fear never went away. As someone who graduated at the very beginning of the Great Recession, I have a constant feeling that this cannot be forever.

Even prior to that, many of us watched our parents _very unceremoniously_ lose their "job for life" jobs in the 80s and 90s. The illusion of loyalty to an employer and job security went up in smoke with those layoffs, for me personally.

And statistics don't apply to the individual. I'm a 3rd generation programmer and watched my own father get the boot by his company just because they wanted to "restructure to Chicago". 27 years at that job -- it defined where we put our roots down.

I really enjoy the people I work with, but I never take stability for granted. Ensuring I'm always updating my resume and taking a couple interviews a year is part of my professional ritual. If it were feasible, we'd move elsewhere, but we both have good social networks and roots here -- which is arguably more "expensive" to a working couple in their early thirties than gold.

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#33

Post by mywittyname » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

commandlinefan wrote: post #12

intopieces wrote: post #2

My fear never went away. As someone who graduated at the very beginning of the Great Recession, I have a constant feeling that this cannot be forever.

I graduated in 1995, at the peak of the dot-com boom. I'm still pretty much always in fear of losing my job: there's always somebody willing to do it for less.

Especially now with the record enrollment in CS/CE programs over the past 5-10 years. The industry has been awash with fresh talent for the past few years and I don't see it slowing down.

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#34

Post by jefurii » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

brightball wrote: post #18

VonGuard wrote: post #5

The United States is weird in that you are defined, here, by your job or profession. TV shows put your job title under your name when you appear on them. People's first question is always "What do you do?" at parties and at events. In other countries, this isn't always the case. When I'm in Europe, people ask where you're from, what's for dinner, and what's happening? The question of your job is rarely asked up front…

I think it’s a bit of a leap to go from people identifying themselves by their profession to not valuing human life as a country.

Ask someone who doesn't have a job how they feel about that statement. [Clarification: I have a job but like a lot of people have had times when I was without one].

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#35

Post by glitchc » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

I think this reflects a general erosion of trust between employers and employees, which I blame Corporate America for. It used to be a tacit agreement in the workforce that if you worked hard, the boss and the company would take care of you. This illusion has been shattered first by the employers (outsourcing, at-will employment, gig economy), and now the employees (ghosting, switching firms without notice).

The lack of trust on both sides engenders the feeling that any promotion is unlikely and every position uncertain, so folks always have one foot out the door. Once the trust is gone, it takes a long time to rebuild, so even if corporations changed tack now, it's likely that employees will continue to distrust them for the foreseeable future.

Edit: Clarity.

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#36

Post by asdkhadsj » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:37 PM UTC

brightball wrote: post #18

VonGuard wrote: post #5

The United States is weird in that you are defined, here, by your job or profession. TV shows put your job title under your name when you appear on them. People's first question is always "What do you do?" at parties and at events. In other countries, this isn't always the case. When I'm in Europe, people ask where you're from, what's for dinner, and what's happening? The question of your job is rarely asked up front…

I think it’s a bit of a leap to go from people identifying themselves by their profession to not valuing human life as a country.

Agreed. Though, I don't think it's incorrect. For that, merely see our poor, our community programs, etc.

I'm shocked we have Medicare to be honest. Though, it's been highly debated for quite some time, so we only barely have it, and many would prefer we didn't have it. (at least, until they themselves get old...)

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#37

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:37 PM UTC

Miner49er wrote: post #21

Ididntdothis wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

" It's how Americans define themselves, which, in the end, generally comes down to how the US doesn't value human life, only the potential earnings thereof." I agree with your observations but this conclusion goes way too far.

Maybe from that one data point. But in general, it's very clear that the U.S. favors GDP over human life. There's plenty of data and examples to prove it. The price of medication, the cost of healthcare, homelessness, the people we kill in the Middle East, etc.

[deleted]

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#38

Post by Miner49er » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:37 PM UTC

dexen wrote: post #24

Miner49er wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A recession will eventually happen, it happens about every 10 years. The mainstream media isn't talking about it to get rid of Trump. EDIT: not sure why I'm being downvoted, but I'm guessing it's because I messed up the average length of the cycle. I guess it's probably closer to 5 years: https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/071315/what-average...

>The mainstream media isn't talking about it to get rid of Trump. That has became a bit of a meme ever since Bill Maher pointed out recession would both prevent Trump's reelection and also judged it as preferable over Trump. "Well, you should wish for a recession,” Maher said, interrupting Nichols. “'Cause that will definitely get him [Trump] unelected." [1] He followed it up with more of the same in a later episode…

You can find other political pundits that'll say that a recession would help Trump get elected, and I personally view that as the case.

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#39

Post by munificent » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

VonGuard wrote: post #5

The United States is weird in that you are defined, here, by your job or profession. TV shows put your job title under your name when you appear on them. People's first question is always "What do you do?" at parties and at events. In other countries, this isn't always the case. When I'm in Europe, people ask where you're from, what's for dinner, and what's happening? The question of your job is rarely asked up front…

> People's first question is always "What do you do?" at parties and at events. ... When I'm in Europe, people ask where you're from

A charitable interpretation is that it's better to ask someone about an aspect of themselves they control over one that was a product of purely random chance. Both tell you many things about the person, but the former gives the person more influence over how they are perceived.

I grew up in the South. If you ask where I'm from and I tell you that, it brings a whole pile of baggage to mind some of which I may not want to be associated with. But there's nothing I can do about that. It is where I'm from. Ask me what I do, though, and at least the answer is to some degree a thing that I chose.

Re: Americans' fear of losing their jobs grows

#40

Post by cal5k » Tue, Sep 10, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

Miner49er wrote: post #21

Ididntdothis wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

" It's how Americans define themselves, which, in the end, generally comes down to how the US doesn't value human life, only the potential earnings thereof." I agree with your observations but this conclusion goes way too far.

Maybe from that one data point. But in general, it's very clear that the U.S. favors GDP over human life. There's plenty of data and examples to prove it. The price of medication, the cost of healthcare, homelessness, the people we kill in the Middle East, etc.

And yet, America is directly responsible for the lifting of a billion people out of poverty through trade - far more than any social assistance program in history.