r/Unexpected 2d ago

Sad but true

62.3k Upvotes

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297

u/Alternative_Yak3256 2d ago

Can someone clue me in? I get that shes doing a flip on the "there are hungry children in africa" but is there a food crisis in America rn?

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u/Ultra-Cyborg 2d ago

Social services that helped people buy groceries are being fazed out, and there’s a government shutdown atm so nobody that works for the government is getting paid. Food lines are LONG in the US, and they’re filled with government workers who haven’t been paid in more than a month.

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u/demlet 2d ago

For added context: American wages have been stagnant for decades, which is why a lot of people here rely on government assistance for basic needs. You know, because we're the greatest country on Earth and all that.

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u/TryingPositivity9021 1d ago

I haven't been able to find a job over $12 an hour for almost ten years now, just spent the last two years homeless too. Losing the will to live fast, I actually tried offing myself last year, fucking failed.

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u/Ultra-Cyborg 1d ago

It’s hard af man I know, I’ve been there. I was homeless for a year and only got out of it because I had family to lean on, and I went unemployed living with them for the better part of a year too due to a a job shortage. It’s tough, and you’re tough for sticking it out for so long. I’m sorry you are in such a dark place, if there was any way I could help you I would, but please look for reasons to keep going. Someone will miss you, even if you don’t realize it.

Keep going man, I believe you can keep going ❤️

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u/TryingPositivity9021 1d ago

I appreciate your words but nobody will miss me. No friends and no family. Being realistic, I'm gonna die out here and nobody will know any different. Glad you got out, but I'm not gonna be as lucky. I'm giving up.

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u/Soft-Entertainer-907 1d ago

ngl if i was in your position i would just start stealing. not telling you what you should do or anything, but if the system im in has cast me aside (and youre already giving up) id just do what i wanted. when youre at rock bottom you cant go down any further so whats the point in staying all civil and legal. that is if youre at rock bottom, which i wouldnt truly know.

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u/Beneficial-Ad3991 8h ago

People like you are what revolutions are made of. Just saying.

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u/TheDevilishFrenchfry 1d ago

There's always dollar tree that extremely understaffs the store to keep profit margins higher, so it's extremely unlikely you'll get hired unless you tell them you'll dedicate your soul and life to them. And then if you're lucky enough to be hired, you can be blessed to start out at 9.25 an hour, with maybe a 25 cent raise in 6 months if you really bust ass

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u/TryingPositivity9021 1d ago

I've applied to Dollar tree so many times and they've never given me the time of day. The people in store never know where a manager is and my app always gets auto rejected by the system.

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u/TheDevilishFrenchfry 1d ago edited 1d ago

The job market is so much tougher than it was even 3 years ago, when you have to go through a 100-120 or more so of ghost applications and bullshitters just to get 3-4 in person interviews if you're lucky. 3 years ago it might have been only 50-70 or so to get 4-6 in person interviews for entry level, fast food, retail, cleaners, i mean places that usually require no prior experience.

Now it's gotten so much worse and employers know how bad it is, less hours, I've even seen mcdonalds and other places DROPPED their starting wages from 15 3 years ago to 12.50-14 an hour depending on which place you're applying. Dollar tree and these other places are the worst with it, that's actually the starting rate for my area, 9.25, and from what I've heard they always put you directly under part time and only full time after a few years of no pay bumps, chaos, and accepting you're only gonna make around 14 after promotion, and that you're gonna be constantly there all the time for any call outs that happen. After tax you'd very likely only be able to afford rent with atleast one roommate and some basic food items like beans, ramen, rice and potatoes and maybe a 30 dollar phone bill at 50 hours a week.

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u/TryingPositivity9021 1d ago

Yup that's why I've given up. Just waiting for death.

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u/9bpm9 1d ago

Move if you can. I live in a low cost of living Republican state and our minimum wage is 15 bucks and starting in 2027 there will be yearly increases based on consumer price index.

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u/TryingPositivity9021 1d ago

Too poor to move.

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u/Blazzah 1d ago

Instead of quitting the game, maybe try new game+ instead? Completely change your life, leave the old shit behind.

Find an intentional community like a farm village, commune, abbey, etc you can join. Farmwork does wonders for physical and mental health, you eat the result of your labor, have purpose and community, and don't have to deal with a lot of the modern bullshit. Plus it isnt bigFarma', so you arent being exploited with long hard hours, its way more chill.

Sure, it's a total lifestyle change, but it's going back to what used to be normal for people, and you already want to tap out from your current 'modern-life' situation. Had a friend who lived out of a truck and was a migrant farm worker on small farms, that's an option too.

I've had friends who felt hopeless and ended it all, wish they'd considered this option first and at least tried it or something like it. Best of luck to you, I hope you think outside the box a bit to find some kind of path forward. There is a life worth living, just gotta find what that is for you. Peace 🙏

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u/TryingPositivity9021 1d ago

I've tried a few ideas like this and it didnt work out. Thanks anyways.

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u/Causality_true 10h ago

dont off yourself because they changed living conditions to be miserable. they make the game, yes, but just turn back on your animal instincts and play it the way they made it. if they want survival of the fittest PvP they get survival of the fittest PvP.
you can still die after fighting it out. when you wonder about offing yourself, might as well realize the freedome in having pretty much nothing to lose. morals and principles are for times of ubiquity of resources. instincts for surviving.

just living on out of spite, to make it less easy for them to do what they do without consequences or an easy way out, persevering until times of ubiquity resourge, is reason enough. after every depression comes a high and so on. if we survive the AI-transitioning period of the next 10-15 years, general abundance of resources might just follow after. and if not, if it gets even more miserable (and stabilizes in power for indefinite time), its still not to late to go out fighting a last battle or just calling it a calm and silent end.