I'll try to keep this brief and concise. After reading a lot of posts here it dawned on me how shafted my generation has been. I was 21 when 9/11 happened. At the time the “dot com boom” was roaring and I was able to get some opportunities with my limited education and experience.
Following 9/11 the economy went in the shitter. I went to college and “pulled myself up by my bootstraps ” only to re-enter the workforce in the housing crash/great recession mash-up. Again, shit prospects inspired me to return to school and pursue a graduate degree.
I was lucky and managed to position myself well prior to completing grad school. Economic insecurity spurred me to latch on to stability instead of maximizing any potential.
The current economy is the first time in 20 years I've seen workers have any power. While it's unlikely to change my prospects, it does me give me hope for people at earlier stages in their adult lives. Employers had become lazy due to lack of competition in the form of workplace accommodations, incentives, retirement, and anything else that could be attractive to a worker.
I hope that those of you who are able to do so, will leverage your opportunities and exercise any power you have in this moment. The past 20 years have shown that your employers won't proactively seek ways to better your lives.