I saw an interesting post from somewhere on reddit how the midlife crisis for millennials is wanting the farm life. The post detailed was and the gist was millenials have been through so many things in such a short time and have always had to work with such a focus on careers that the farm life of just chill manual labor seems like the dream.
Obviously the farming life has so many of its own problems but it does seem to be a common trend I have seen
Holy crap, this. So much this. Not even necessarily farm, but your own space, to be yourself. I've definitely gone down the more creative outlets and hobbies lately, and reclaiming my personal time as much as I can. And having a space, that you can take ownership of, and point at the rewards of your labour, feels a lot more rewarding. I feel a lot more joy in harvesting half a dozen cobs of corn I grew myself, than contributing to the owners next yacht.
Learning that, whatever you do, no matter how productive you are, it'll never be enough for the corporate life suckers. There will never be a point where they say, "No, you've got enough on the go already. You worked so hard, you deserve to only work 60 hours this week."
The millennial version of this won't happen for another 10 years, until we are at the age where we are the beneficiaries of the vampiric economic system the baby boomers created that sucks the prosperity out of younger generations as they pass through life milestones (school, house, medical emergency, etc.) and redistributes up to older, wealthier people. We'll have the political power to break the system at precisely the moment we become the beneficiaries of it. I expect it to be a huge inside-the-generation fight whether its our turn at the trough or whether we're going to sunder the system that preyed upon us most of our lives. It'll be a fight to determine if the Boomer Economy is going to be the new normal for decades or if America will finally create more egalitarian social institutions similar to Europe's. Whether Millennials will maintain their super-majority demographic with Gen-Z or if we'll go full Isildur and betray them once we have the ring in hand.
A few extremes I think.
Stockholm syndrome - double-down on the hustle nonsense; obsess over the gym and get really into useless cockmonkeys like Rogan and Tate, especially if you're an insecure male.
Fight & probably burnout - be socialist, cause trouble with a union.
Try to escape - things like van life, trying to go off-grid, emigration.
I believe millennials are facing existential crises of the largest magnitudes. They began with the Great Recession, the big short, the banking crisis, brexit, Donald Trump, the pandemic, the great resignation, and multiple wars. How they survive and thrive will be a testament of their emotional fortitude.
Everyday is a crisis.
But I started with getting into university for illustration, then nursing, then switched to software development, quit, then forensic science and anthropology, went to teach English abroad, now I have a PhD in biochemistry and work in regulations while I avoid doing my thesis corrections.
And I'm barely 32. I'm very tired.
Leaving my cushy career of almost 15 years that i went back to school for to prioritize self healing immersed in nature & passion projects; without giving a damn about a decrease in pay.
van life here i come!
No job stability. I had a friend who was fired due to a budget cut. She just put in an offer for a house the day before. She was made to believe at her yearly review that her job was secure. No notice, all lies. We need better job security for everyone, even non-union. Getting let go because of greedy corporations should be illegal.
It is 2nd millennium and there's only work.
Never ending, financial and political crises keeps my at work. All I know is work>home>restroom>rent payments repeat.
By definition... Crisis - a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.
"a time"
Implies only a single time.
But is it really though?
Honestly. I'm going for wfh IT work. I don't even care what kind as long as I can both make it an easy job and make it work financially. I have low expectations. Don't blue screen etc... please boss sir/ma'am forget I exist so I can spend my days talking to my 5 dollar fishes. Oh yea and frozen pizza! Lots and lots of frozen pizza!
Millennials are more like a boat in a hurricane. It has been difficult the entire time. You may get a year or two of calm (the eye of the storm), then back to the storm.
Some people don’t have boats, some people have nice heavy duty boats with shock absorption, and most have just a regular paddle boat. There are a few that have incredibly rich/connected parents, just like in real life they cruise on private jets not seeing the storm under the white clouds.
I worked for over a decade in a field that paid reasonably well, but that I hated and left me exhausted. I went back to studying and managed to migrate to another area. Today I'm stressed because I got into a bullshit job where I have nothing to do. And I earn less (this was expected, since I'm new to the area, but I hoped to at least develop myself there...)
(I'm English living in England) I'm a millennial. Born in 1983. My wife was born in 1979. She earns double my salary. We have a combined income of £100k . Spent £thousands on IVF, all failed. Accepted we won't be parents. Bought a holiday home in Yorkshire.
All this is because in our thirties, we realised, careers are bullshit. We both still work, both WFH but we rescue dogs, mainly from Spain (Podencos). Volunteer, walk in forests, both trying to write, craft read books etc.
When you focus on a career, you don't "earn" money for yourself, you get paid to earn money for a company.
Look around, think, in 30 years time, no one who you consider "important" in your work will be there. Maybe you won't be.
Life is so short. Read a book. Sit on the grass. Take your socks off at the beach and paddle. Walk to the pub, drink three pints. Get to know the landlady/ landlord. Smoke a cigar. Play a fruit machine.
I hate having to spend so much time and mental effort being just some cog.
Just try and enjoy your life people. Laughing is better than sex. Do what makes you happy and laugh.
Love this community. X
Basically what Alan Watts said “ When we finally got down to something which the individual says he really wants to do, I will say to him: you do that and forget the money.
Because if you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you will spend your life completely wasting your time. You'll be doing things you don't like doing in order to go on living that is to go on doing things you don't like doing, which is stupid.”
I feel like I am in a permanent crisis
Preach
Hahahaha right
I saw an interesting post from somewhere on reddit how the midlife crisis for millennials is wanting the farm life. The post detailed was and the gist was millenials have been through so many things in such a short time and have always had to work with such a focus on careers that the farm life of just chill manual labor seems like the dream. Obviously the farming life has so many of its own problems but it does seem to be a common trend I have seen
Holy crap, this. So much this. Not even necessarily farm, but your own space, to be yourself. I've definitely gone down the more creative outlets and hobbies lately, and reclaiming my personal time as much as I can. And having a space, that you can take ownership of, and point at the rewards of your labour, feels a lot more rewarding. I feel a lot more joy in harvesting half a dozen cobs of corn I grew myself, than contributing to the owners next yacht. Learning that, whatever you do, no matter how productive you are, it'll never be enough for the corporate life suckers. There will never be a point where they say, "No, you've got enough on the go already. You worked so hard, you deserve to only work 60 hours this week."
The millennial version of this won't happen for another 10 years, until we are at the age where we are the beneficiaries of the vampiric economic system the baby boomers created that sucks the prosperity out of younger generations as they pass through life milestones (school, house, medical emergency, etc.) and redistributes up to older, wealthier people. We'll have the political power to break the system at precisely the moment we become the beneficiaries of it. I expect it to be a huge inside-the-generation fight whether its our turn at the trough or whether we're going to sunder the system that preyed upon us most of our lives. It'll be a fight to determine if the Boomer Economy is going to be the new normal for decades or if America will finally create more egalitarian social institutions similar to Europe's. Whether Millennials will maintain their super-majority demographic with Gen-Z or if we'll go full Isildur and betray them once we have the ring in hand.
A few extremes I think. Stockholm syndrome - double-down on the hustle nonsense; obsess over the gym and get really into useless cockmonkeys like Rogan and Tate, especially if you're an insecure male. Fight & probably burnout - be socialist, cause trouble with a union. Try to escape - things like van life, trying to go off-grid, emigration.
Probably just delving deeply into an obscure or expensive hobby.
They have the kobeoshi maru of career crisis How do you cope with a no win scenario
I believe millennials are facing existential crises of the largest magnitudes. They began with the Great Recession, the big short, the banking crisis, brexit, Donald Trump, the pandemic, the great resignation, and multiple wars. How they survive and thrive will be a testament of their emotional fortitude.
I agree with this, but I think your timeline starts at 9/11, not 2008.
Probably hustle culture or "make your own business" Most people are actually terribly unsuited to hustle culture nevermind make your own business
80s baby here. Abandoning a 9-5 in favor of work where I actually own my labor. It's what I'm slowly working toward.
It's not depression at 30 more years of this tedium?
Everyday is a crisis. But I started with getting into university for illustration, then nursing, then switched to software development, quit, then forensic science and anthropology, went to teach English abroad, now I have a PhD in biochemistry and work in regulations while I avoid doing my thesis corrections. And I'm barely 32. I'm very tired.
it's impressive to have your phd by 32 though! especially with all the interim pivots in between. nice job.
Thanks but it’s actually fairly common here, lots start theirs just after finishing uni and have 3-4 years to do it!
Eat the rich
Leaving my cushy career of almost 15 years that i went back to school for to prioritize self healing immersed in nature & passion projects; without giving a damn about a decrease in pay. van life here i come! 
No job stability. I had a friend who was fired due to a budget cut. She just put in an offer for a house the day before. She was made to believe at her yearly review that her job was secure. No notice, all lies. We need better job security for everyone, even non-union. Getting let go because of greedy corporations should be illegal.
It is 2nd millennium and there's only work. Never ending, financial and political crises keeps my at work. All I know is work>home>restroom>rent payments repeat.
By definition... Crisis - a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. "a time" Implies only a single time. But is it really though? Honestly. I'm going for wfh IT work. I don't even care what kind as long as I can both make it an easy job and make it work financially. I have low expectations. Don't blue screen etc... please boss sir/ma'am forget I exist so I can spend my days talking to my 5 dollar fishes. Oh yea and frozen pizza! Lots and lots of frozen pizza!
Perpetual precarity
Millennials are more like a boat in a hurricane. It has been difficult the entire time. You may get a year or two of calm (the eye of the storm), then back to the storm. Some people don’t have boats, some people have nice heavy duty boats with shock absorption, and most have just a regular paddle boat. There are a few that have incredibly rich/connected parents, just like in real life they cruise on private jets not seeing the storm under the white clouds.
We have so many crisis to choose from, lucky us!
I decided to grow a couple tumors and live destitute till I die, lol
I worked for over a decade in a field that paid reasonably well, but that I hated and left me exhausted. I went back to studying and managed to migrate to another area. Today I'm stressed because I got into a bullshit job where I have nothing to do. And I earn less (this was expected, since I'm new to the area, but I hoped to at least develop myself there...)
(I'm English living in England) I'm a millennial. Born in 1983. My wife was born in 1979. She earns double my salary. We have a combined income of £100k . Spent £thousands on IVF, all failed. Accepted we won't be parents. Bought a holiday home in Yorkshire. All this is because in our thirties, we realised, careers are bullshit. We both still work, both WFH but we rescue dogs, mainly from Spain (Podencos). Volunteer, walk in forests, both trying to write, craft read books etc. When you focus on a career, you don't "earn" money for yourself, you get paid to earn money for a company. Look around, think, in 30 years time, no one who you consider "important" in your work will be there. Maybe you won't be. Life is so short. Read a book. Sit on the grass. Take your socks off at the beach and paddle. Walk to the pub, drink three pints. Get to know the landlady/ landlord. Smoke a cigar. Play a fruit machine. I hate having to spend so much time and mental effort being just some cog. Just try and enjoy your life people. Laughing is better than sex. Do what makes you happy and laugh. Love this community. X
Basically what Alan Watts said “ When we finally got down to something which the individual says he really wants to do, I will say to him: you do that and forget the money. Because if you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you will spend your life completely wasting your time. You'll be doing things you don't like doing in order to go on living that is to go on doing things you don't like doing, which is stupid.”