Reply to Gen Z crying about having to work 9-5

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]When I read about her, I thought 'big deal, everyone has to do that'.  But then i gave it more thought and realized she's right.  It does suck.  We all just accepted that working meant commute, long hours, essentially 'donating' work to the company when we worked extra and didn't get paid extra, getting home at 6 or 7 and then jamming the rest of our lives into 4 to 6 hours at the end of the day.  That allows mostly for maintenance (washing clothes, cooking, shopping, paying bills, bathing, hair cuts, doctor/dentist appointments, car maintenance, cleaning house, etc.).  Oh, you want kids?  Well, double up on the chores plus attending to your child.

Why did I -- or anyone -- think that was an OK way to live?

And I agree with her and thought, "this is how change happens."  We shouldn't live this way.[/quote]

The really funny and ironic part of this is that women in particular did NOT “have to live like this” until very recently. Society had kind of worked out a division of labor system such that young people partnered up in marriage at a fairly young age upon entering adulthood (typically 20-23) and the men did the 9-5 grind and the women took care of household matters so that money was earned and household chores were done during that same daytime stretch. And then evenings and weekends were for relaxing and enjoying the home/family you built together.
And then about 50 years ago, the feminist movement argued that women should “have the right” to live in these conditions that are being complained about here…just like the men! And then slowly the option for women to do so turned into a mandate that every person should work outside the home.
And homes got bigger and prices for those homes required dual income.
And now that some women are figuring out that this was a ridiculous “deal” to buy into, it’s too late bc the dual income is essential to maintaining the desired standard of living.
Sad really. [/quote]
That divide only worked because we suppressed  minorities into lower paying roles which essentially subsidized all white peoples life style.

And women who never married or had abusife husbands, just F them right?[/quote]

I come from a culture where this is still accepted and admired (Pakistani) and what happens in case of widowhood or divorce- poverty and struggle. Also so much pressure these days on one wage earner causes so many early heart attacks and stress related illnesses. I'm not going to lie- I live this life-style as do many of the women I know but I do think that women need to be able to have some money of their own- from a business or from working to support the family in case of a change of circumstances. The vast majority of people I know who are in this lifestyle seem very content but they are also married to very high earning men most of the time and God forbid if anything happens to that provider, its really hard for the kids since their moms are mostly unable to  know how to take care of the family or really struggle.  Having paid parental leave and good childcare and flexible schedules, wfh and other supports in place to help plus addressing a housing crisis which has created these horrible commutes is a step toward less exploitation of the workforce, the arc of justice should move forward and it seems that it has moved back a LOT since the middle of the last century and forcing women out of the workforce is not it. [/quote]

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