On Monday, March 4, 2024, an X account threw a question that opened a can of worms. The account (@InternetHOF) posted the headline of a survey and wrote, “Thoughts?” As of the time of writing, the post has garnered over 68 million views, 146k likes, and 12k reposts, with several X users expressing their opinions.
The survey in question is a 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer survey, which showed “People no longer believe working hard will lead to a better life.” The survey, conducted about four years ago, found that many people no longer believe in working hard. However, the survey results still ring true today.
The long-running survey shows a growing sense of inequality undermines trust in society’s institutions. Despite strong economic performance, most respondents do not believe they will be better off in five years.
This means that economic growth no longer drives trust, at least in developed markets. Hence, this survey upends the conventional hard work and reward system. Unlike millennials who grew up with a work and reward system, Gen Zs have no belief in the system.
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With a looming recession, immigration crisis, and the gig economy, Gen Zs are having it tougher than generations before them. So, it’s no surprise that many flooded the X post with their opinions, venting about the harsh economic realities.
An X user (@ja_rime) wrote in the comments section, “The hardest-working people I know are poor.” Similarly, another user (@joshgyang) wrote, “The hardest workers are usually not the most successful 🤷🏾.” Although these two users didn’t share their experience, they agreed with the survey result.
Furthermore, an X user (@kommanderkarl) wrote, “I completely agree.” “Hard work is no longer a guarantor of success,” he continued, noting that it used to be. “Financial success is more luck & exploitation than anything else nowadays.” This tweet gives credence to the views of users who argued the economic challenges.
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They claimed the playing fields are not what they used to be and that Gen Zs are bearing the brunt. “If you have a normal job, you can work as hard as you like,” another X user (@Angelica_Reed1) wrote. “But you still have less money than the generation before us that could buy a house in their twenties.”
“With only one person in the household working, they could make rent,” she added. “Now you have 2 with full-time jobs and still barely make rent.” While some agreed with the change in economic conditions, others said it’s because working hard makes you “irreplaceable.”
The latter rings true for @TheManlet_King, an X user who shared his experience on the issue. “I was an opener at a gym,” he started. “And the only employee in the building from 5:30 am-9 am, five days a week.” The X user continued, “The manager position directly above me opened up. I applied and got it.”
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However, the user noted that the company introduced him to a new manager after two weeks of working in the role. According to the user, the company hired a new manager for the same role. “Then they said I was too valuable as the opener,” he stated. “And it’s easier to fill the manager role than the former.”
While that seemed like the worst thing, it wasn’t. The X user said he worked for 80 hours in the managerial role. However, the company paid him $8.75 per hour instead of the promised $12 for the 80 hours. In addition, they scheduled him back to open the gym doors.
“So needless to say, I quit,” he wrote. “I never missed a day, did my job so well I was invaluable, and they STILL rug pulled me.” In conclusion, he wrote, “Hard work is punished in the US.”
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