'If you want a living wage, perhaps you should go to a trade school or have an actually marketable career.'
And it always comes from the older generation. Has it never occurred to them that, perhaps, anyone who trades 40 hours (or less) of their time a week should be entitled to living a comfortable life? And also, anyone who is disabled or cannot otherwise work, as well. It's beyond selfish to think that someone who can't work, for ANY reason, should languish in poverty.
I always try, and fail, to understand that sentiment. In their mind, the people who serve you: fast food workers, concierge, janitors, teachers…they should continue to do their job while living in despair??? And how the fuck can you expect someone to learn a trade or a skill that takes many hours to learn while they're impoverished?! How can anyone be so far removed from common fucking sense?
Sorry for the rant. But as a 29 year old man who works a service job, it frustrates me to no end when people, especially my own boomer coworker, tells me that my job isn't a career and that if I want better money, I should move up. I understand skilled jobs pay better, but I should not have to live paycheck-to-paycheck just to survive. I SHOULD be afforded a basic living accommodation and basic nutrition.
I'm not asking for a lot. WE are not asking for a lot. We're asking for the bare fucking minimum, and in over fifty years, have never had it. And if this mindset continues to perpetuate itself, I fear we never will.