How do you cope with economic anxiety as a Zoomer?

Modern life=diminishing returns. There's more people, thus a surplus of labor, and the economy still depends on an ever increasing consumption of goods and services on a planet with fewer resources. The media will keep spreading the culture of consumption and individualism until the end even though it's no longer working for most people or the environment, simply because few highly benefit from it, and well, upending the system would result in the deaths of the people at the top. Most of the people who follow the life script promoted by the media exist in a state of perma-stress in which they are barely making ends meet and are a serious medical problem away from financial ruin.

Why do we compare to those who have it good when they don't reflect the reality for most people? It's part of that script promoted by the media to never feel satisfied, insecure, and unfulfilled--it keeps us in the cycle of consumption that took over healthy and broad relationships. You don't have to be exceptional or well-connected to have a decent future, all you have to do is minimize waste by refusing to participate in this hyperconsumeristic culture so that you can save the excess and execute your exit plan. Be an OK programmer and remind yourself often that you can never get enough of what you don't need. Human needs are limited, but our wants unlimited. Avoid the lifestyle creep and the cult of busyness.

You have to choose what you want your future to be like, and that requires that you give something up, especially nowadays: your country, some dream, some value, time, a favorable opinion your parents had about you, reputation, etc. As the global population grows, things in general will get worse, life will become more competitive and hectic. As examples: if you are in the West, you can sacrifice some of youth now by working more in exchange for a more financially secure future somewhere in the high latitudes; if you despise what we are doing to the planet and don't support this system we've created, you could forgo the idea of retiring and live the rest of your life jumping from commune to commune until one day you die an early penniless death.

I think we still have a good 10-20 years of social stability from which we can profit. Develop skills on the side like carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electric, etc, in case of being laid off, or to save money, or to have something practical to get paid for in the future as you'll most likely lose your job to a few Asians or a couple Eastern Europeans.

I am sorry if this isn't a satisfying response. I hope you have emotional support offline, if not, you need to find some. Connect with like-minded people.

/r/CollapseSupport Thread