Old People and Young People Disagree on When It Means To Work Hard

United States
July 6, 2025 8:12am CST
The young generation is tired of the older generation bragging about overwork like it's a badge of honor. My husband and I talk about our years working (we're now both retired) and how very often we would work 70-80 hours a week. He was a police officer who would work extra security for extra money and I always had 2-3 jobs at a time. It's just what you did to survive and get ahead. It's how I bought my first house by myself in my 20's. It's why I have money now to travel in my old age. I don't collect a pension. My "retirement" money is the money I saved and invested. My generation felt like the harder you worked, the greater your worth. We value hard work. But this younger generation thinks we were nuts. They said skipping vacations and not being home with your kids and working 80-hour weeks was poor time management and misplaced priorities. Ouch! The younger generation says to celebrate results, not sleeplessness. They believe rest fuels productivity. They focus on the completion of a project not the hours put in doing it. As you can tell, I've been reading a lot of articles lately about what the current generation thinks about the older generations.
5 people like this
3 responses
@LindaOHio (193755)
• United States
6 Jul
The younger generation is going to be in trouble when retirement rolls around. Hubby and I retired comfortably. I don't know that the younger generations are going to be able to do that.
3 people like this
@porwest (102602)
• United States
14h
ESPECIALLY with this gig trend which stunts their social security contributions and this attitude among younger people that all you have to do is make enough to survive and get to the next week. It's going to sting real bad when they are too old to work and realize they didn't contribute enough to get much back.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (193755)
• United States
14h
@porwest They are going to have to work past retirement which sucks.
2 people like this
@porwest (102602)
• United States
12h
@LindaOHio And unfortunately, you can't tell them otherwise.
2 people like this
@porwest (102602)
• United States
14h
You did it the right way, as did your husband. That is, work hard and as much as you can, and make as much as you can, but don't spend it all. Save and invest whatever you can. A poaycheck, as I always say, can be a blessing or a curse. It's a blessing if you handle it right, but a curse if you consider it an expectation of "income." Which sounds weird to say, but having a steady income can breed complacency causing one to not save and then they not only have to work harder, they have to work longer. As for "hard work," I honestly don't think the younger generation knows anything about what that actually is or means.
1 person likes this
6 Jul
Get out of the way!? Yes indeed Great, isn't it?
1 person likes this