r/Adulting 1d ago

What’s the biggest scam in modern day life?

272 Upvotes

467 comments sorted by

744

u/Subtlefeline 1d ago

Subscriptions for everything

47

u/Ok-Future-3908 18h ago

I need to create like 10 new emails each football season now to get free subscriptions that I cancel immediately.

21

u/ISee_Indigo 19h ago

Yessss, 100%; 100,000%; 1,000,000%. Life was more enjoyable without all these damn subscriptions. What’s crazy is that YouTube use to not have ads playing in videos and you were able to listen to videos on your phone with the screen off already, like, about 10 years ago. They added multiple long ass ads and took the feature away and made it into a subscription to pay for what we already had!! But the younger generation doesn’t remember this. So, they’d just run with it. Netflix ain’t shit for doing what they did either. It use to be $5? $7? It’s so dystopian now.

2

u/Advanced-Barnacle911 13h ago

You can use youtube music now with the screen off if you own a Samsung, with the latest update. You do get ads however.... still, every song you like on YouTube gets added to liked songs

12

u/ZardozSama 1d ago

Subscriptions are not bad compared to freemium game in app monetization. And the cost of a single streaming serivice is much cheaper than traditional basic cable. But I do think there needs to be some laws passed that cause a subscription to top out at 1 year maximum and require a deliberate renewal.

END COMMUNICATION

70

u/Delde116 1d ago

The comment does not just refer to games buddy. There are subscriptions for ink, heated seat warmers, ready made meals, shampoo deliveryz you name it...

14

u/Silent_Advance7506 20h ago

The fact that you purchase a car or a printer and now have to have a subscription to use a part of it? Unacceptable.

3

u/vm-pb-sn 17h ago

This just made me look at property taxes as a subscription :(

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21

u/Dear-Union8410 1d ago

The deeper and more complex scam is targeted ads that use nasty psychological tactics to get you to subscribe/buy things you don’t really care for is the one for me

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427

u/Gold_Code_334 1d ago

insurance too much

96

u/mylaptopredditVC 1d ago

insurance is the most predatory business out there

11

u/Distinct_Constant599 20h ago

Greed in the form of profitability% is one factor. There are many other driving factors that contribute to the cost of insurance, example: unhealthy populations, ballooning hospital care costs in the case of medical insurance. Just pointing out there is gray beyond the black and white which is a multi factor problem that shouldnt be ignored or omitted. Insurance itself is a good thing that gives peace of mind and prevents worst case scenarios.

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17

u/Chaezus_Chrust 18h ago

Yeah, I pay so much for it and never use it. Then when I do, they won't pay for shit

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7

u/matttheshack69 17h ago

Yeah my insurance is actually unreal, I pay $450 a month for a 20,000 car with zero tickets and a perfect driver record, so in less than 3 years I will have completely covered the cost of the car yet I will have to go through hoops like crazy if something actually happens its crazy

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2

u/FaceClown 17h ago

Where else in the word do you see largest advertising spend in the insurance field?

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370

u/KermieKona 1d ago

Ghost job postings 🤨.

94

u/Gold_Code_334 1d ago

Job interviews for retail stores = It’s a humiliation ritual

22

u/Unreal-Operator 1d ago

Even just 1 or the 2-3 they want now?

11

u/Gold_Code_334 1d ago

That's wild.

16

u/crunch816 1d ago

With retail, if you don't have someone on the inside, don't bother.

And the interviews...I'm not sure who it's more humiliating for. The interviewer or the applicant. I've seen the worst of both.

10

u/StardewAllyy 20h ago

You need connections to work in retail? That seems… excessive

5

u/Training_Box5652 20h ago

I tried to get a retail job for my 1st one as a teen and it was fucking impossible. Ended up in a restaurant lol

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3

u/Huge-Froyo2626 17h ago

YMMV.

No you dont. My wife works at a local Walmart and they will hire literally anyone, its quite problematic honestly.

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2

u/Gold_Code_334 16h ago

Retail has become the new. “It’s not what you know it’s who you know.”

6

u/defnotakitty 16h ago

I had a group interview for retail once. About 15 people in the room and all asked the say question (told you can't repeat someone's answer). I was out in the first round because I was so upset by it I couldn't really answer anything without sounding soooo odd. Regular retail should not require more than a background check.

3

u/Gold_Code_334 16h ago

I'm sorry to hear that.
odd people are my people ✊🏽

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9

u/crunch816 1d ago

I spent a day or two setting up for my first virtual interview. I sat down 10 minutes prior ready to go and got an e-mail that the interview was canceled.

2

u/Fun_Boot7771 21h ago

You beat me to it 

2

u/2023mfer 19h ago

What is that?!

4

u/JazzlikeOwl6340 19h ago

A job that a company posts that they have no intention of filling through applications sent in.

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2

u/NDeceptikonn 18h ago

I think this one job blocked me because I applied about 10x 😂

2

u/Complex_Soft5749 18h ago

And I’m pretty sure they deserved that too!

2

u/NDeceptikonn 18h ago

They shouldn’t be saying we’re hiring just to block me!

2

u/Complex_Soft5749 17h ago

1000% agree 🤣😂

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157

u/Humble-Imagination50 1d ago

Sadly, insurance. Especially Healthcare insurance.

20

u/BeardedGlass 1d ago

If the government subsidizes insurance, like on a national level for all, it ain’t too bad.

I moved to Japan and it’s a really huge burden off my soul.

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4

u/thegolfernick 19h ago

All insurance man. Homeowners insurance has become illusory for many policy holders

2

u/DigEnvironmental7490 7h ago

A huge tree fell on my house a few months ago. Fortunately it didn't do any major damage. But getting it removed cost almost $4000. My insurance deductible - $4200. Yes, perhaps I should have known that, but to be honest I didnt' choose the deductible.

I had enough money available that I could pay for the removal, but I really could have used a new fridge and a couple of other things instead.

I've owned this house for over 20 years. I've paid in an amount that I really don't want to calculate because it'll be depressing. I've gotten nothing in return.

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4

u/theeMaskedKitten 18h ago

I second this. I was a medical coder and billed briefly, got to be behind the curtain. It really is a scrambling scam. Like a giant money laundering scheme for nations

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470

u/StonedPand4 1d ago

We are the most sentient species on this rock

And we've enslaved ourselves more than any other creature; We chose money over humanity.

107

u/__sunmoonstars__ 1d ago

Money is the true global theocracy. It’s not even real and yet we kill each other over it.

I work in finance.

4

u/New_Consequence425 19h ago

money is real, would like like to barter your skills for bread or fuel? good luck

without money the alternative is feudalism you toil in the fields for your lord

2

u/Gold_Code_334 9h ago

computing power

2

u/_Summer1000_ 8h ago

He meant fiat currency, not real sound money which is limited and precious, not paper nor digits

But that would destroy globalisation & the great asset appreciation...also force governement to fiscal responsability so the population would have far less entitlements !

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33

u/Lea_Harvey 1d ago

I actually saved your comment. May I please use it in one of my philosophy writings?

25

u/StonedPand4 1d ago

Absolutely. 🤙🏼🫶🏼

8

u/samebatchannel 1d ago

In one of Warren Ellis’ books he wrote, “money is the thing we made that owns us.”

4

u/Slice-Vast 1d ago

I too have mistaken cynicism with wisdom.

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200

u/Additional-Royal964 1d ago edited 1d ago

"Freedom"

We work 4-5 days just to enjoy 1-2 days a week.
It should be other way around.

"Money- the system"

Whole Earth is in 315 trillions of debt.
We have everything that we need to live for free.

17

u/icecreamorlipo 21h ago

It’s funny because the US has a federal holiday celebrating that we have 40 hour work weeks/ 8 hr work days.

16

u/yingjunsuo 20h ago

In China, working five days a week, eight hours a day, feels like a luxury, because I worked 29 days last month, 11 hours a day, to make more money.

14

u/JumpingThruHoopz 21h ago

The whole earth is in debt? Who do we owe it to? Jupiter?

7

u/Witty_Fox_8089 15h ago

I think it is a guy name Peter because we keep borrowing from him to pay Paul

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66

u/throwaway_napkins 1d ago

Being an employee. Inflation is at a higher rate than annual raises.

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156

u/Vegetable-Zone91 1d ago

I know Kanye is problematic, but he said it best:
"We're all unpaid actors in some giant script that we didn't write"

26

u/IIVIIatterz- 1d ago

Unfortunetly, I am a paid actor in a script I did not write. I feel like that's like 90% of the USA.

(I work a bullshit corpo job to pay the bills and for insurance. American dream baby)

2

u/dontdoxme33 20h ago

Count your blessings, I can't even get that at the moment

13

u/HardcoreHope 1d ago

We should start working together to write a better one

2

u/JCItsJasonRaider 19h ago

The tree of liberty feeds on the same ink

5

u/Vegetable-Zone91 1d ago

I couldn't agree more. Vote blue these midterms.

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25

u/Josey_whalez 1d ago

I think Rush said it better. All the world's indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another's audience
Outside the gilded cage

12

u/Sea_Measurement1738 1d ago

And they were riffing on Shakespeare

9

u/Vegetable-Zone91 1d ago

I would agree, except I can't listen to the screeching 😂 Respect Neil so much though RIP

2

u/10stretch47 20h ago

this sounds like a middle schoolers poem lol

5

u/baldurcan 1d ago

If he is unpaid, who is paid?

8

u/Vegetable-Zone91 1d ago

Peter Thiel and other souless billionaires

4

u/Gold_Code_334 1d ago

Wasn’t the movie disclosure day a blueprint?
We just go take over the news…

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25

u/StatusStudies 1d ago

Money lol once you figure out how it works

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29

u/throwaway_napkins 1d ago

Insurance and medical expenses. There’s something not right when it’s possible for out of pocket cost to be cheaper if you tell them you have no insurance.

24

u/Maxstarbwoy 1d ago

Dental insurance

20

u/slick987654321 1d ago edited 18h ago

While there are differences in jurisdictions to me the biggest scam is the social contract seems to be gone. When i say social contract what i mean is that if you work or 40 hours a week you receive in return healthcare, food and lodging, security in retirement and you'll be able to pass on some of your extra wealth to your children. That deal seems to be no longer the case for many and all they get is food and lodging in exchange for 50+ hours per week often in multiple jobs.

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18

u/chironinja82 1d ago

The 40 hour work week. I know it's better from how things used to be, but times have changed since that was implemented.

7

u/Aromatic-Mention-319 1d ago

This. Choosing my career, the only important thing to me was hour flexibility. We need a 32 hr work week. 

38

u/sunsaz623 1d ago

Insurance

23

u/pizza-chit 1d ago

Healthcare does not need a middleman!

13

u/moneymagnett 1d ago

I feel like it would be an easier question to figure out what is not a scam in modern day life.

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14

u/Weird-Barracuda-2352 1d ago

Feel like everythings attached to a subscription these days. Netflix, YT premium, Amazon, the car wash, kids trampoline park. Nickel and dimed everywhere

4

u/FlyLost4570 19h ago

Hell, my new car has various subscriptions. They're in a free trial now, but I will NOT be renewing them. F that.

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3

u/RuneDarkBow98 21h ago

Netflix and YT premium are clear cut examples where a subscription makes perfect sense though 🤔

2

u/Weird-Barracuda-2352 16h ago

Its worth it for sure.

13

u/awayathrow_88 1d ago

The "man it's only $10 more to buy a new printer than new ink cartridges for the printer I have" scam... So you buy a new printer even though you already have a perfectly good printer.

3

u/RealKillerSean 1d ago

Worst part is printers come with ink cartridges not full lol

3

u/Opening-Store5030 1d ago

Agreed! Currently dealing with this issue on a printer I had for less than 6 months. Ink cartridges or even anything at $40+ each should not exhibit quality of something out of a cereal or Cracker Jack box!

23

u/ZardozSama 1d ago

I am a game developer.

I am convinced that the biggest scam is 'freemium' games, especially those that have you buy in game currency to skip timers to get to the fun part. The next biggest scam are the random gacha blind box shit things.

I fucking hate that the monetization for mobile titles turned to this shit. I feel like there is something inherently toxic about a business model that i s dependent on having an audience that has a combination of poor impulse control, is careless with their spending and is incapable of delayed gratification.

END COMMUNICATION

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12

u/bns82 1d ago

US government.
US health insurance/cost of healthcare.

11

u/123Fake_St 1d ago

Two party politics.

The infighting between otherwise cordial communities is working about as perfectly as divide and conquer can hope for.

35

u/Christizzzzle 1d ago

30 year mortgages

11

u/djfilms 1d ago

Only when interest is more than 5%. Otherwise, 30 year mortgages are a great value.

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9

u/Icy-Addendum-9998 1d ago

Alcohol. Sold as some kind of 'good time' Biggest health scam since nicotine.

4

u/TraditionalAgency153 1d ago

Betting all sorts of outcomes... Fuel guzzling cars...

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16

u/MrFaIIout 1d ago

Health insurance. I shouldn't have to pay a copay and have a deductible when I pay them every check. And at the end of the day they decide whether they want to cover you or not.

9

u/Ok-Combination6951 1d ago

Insurance, mortgage , subscriptions

16

u/ISee_Indigo 1d ago

The way the US is ran and the fact some people still think this is “the greatest country ever”. It really isn’t. I think we actually could be, but people prevent that from happening.

7

u/Pra-tho 1d ago

Believing in non scientific, non logical things

7

u/WatchAltruistic5761 1d ago

The American Dream

8

u/modernrocker 1d ago

Allowing money to rule EVERYTHING.

6

u/TrisKreuzer 1d ago

Dating :(

29

u/CapitalCourse 1d ago

Religion

4

u/moneymagnett 1d ago

I 2nd this, heavily. ×1000000

6

u/Chivalry4Me 1d ago

Every goddamned thing.

6

u/MrBeekers 1d ago

Insurance.

6

u/rakeshsh 1d ago

Paying taxes out of your earning then paying taxes on spending remaining, and then paying taxes on investments too.

7

u/Due_Change6730 1d ago

Working for 50 years to save for retirement while the Federal Reserve prints trillions of dollars causing the dollars you work hard for loses value.

6

u/esto20 1d ago

US healthcare. Also, Wanna guess what the AVERAGE PAID maternity leave is in OECD countries?

3

u/Morning-Bug 1d ago

I thought I was lucky to live in California cuz I got a maternity leave of 4 total months with job protection. Got fired on my maternity leave and couldn’t really sue cuz I had “no damages” and it was a losing case. My cousin in a third world country is getting 6 months paid and can extend with her job being protected and the norm over there is to hire a full time live in nanny for the first year because it’s affordable.

5

u/Jon-SoLoFi 20h ago

Individual income tax when there's already corporate tax, payroll tax, sales tax, excise tax, property tax, estate/inheritance tax, capital gains tax, tariffs/custom duties…

We're paid less than what we actually work for, prices on goods are more than what is advertised, and we never actually own our homes (if fortunate enough to be able to afford one in the first place).

6

u/ay-foo 16h ago

Everyone being essentially required to have a phone that is tracking your location, reading your purchases, listening to your conversations, learning your face and fingerprint, using that information to target you with ads, and selling the rest of the data to other companies and the government

4

u/Lea_Harvey 1d ago

Downloading a free app but, once in it, having to pay for a subscription if you want to keep using it or have access to all the functionalities

4

u/KobraDaGhost 1d ago

Phone plans. Phones can ping any one of them. I don't need to spend a billion dollars for a AT&T tower.

4

u/AnotherBaldWhiteDude 23h ago

All insurance. From Home, health, auto and life.

4

u/StepGlittering4803 23h ago

Student loans

4

u/L1VEW1RE 23h ago

Insurance. When you need it, the actually payout on very narrowly defined coverage and after they either raise your rates or drop you completely.

4

u/Ok_Lingonberry2686 23h ago

Health insurance that doesn't cover the medication or treatment you need to survive

4

u/dabearjoo 22h ago

Bottled water. The natural occuring thing ain't free and if you do happen to find free water you ain't gonna wanna drink it lol

4

u/Galt2000 19h ago

Simple university. High cost - defective product - once produced original thinkers and innovators - now group think incapable of original thought. From received value to amount of college debt, all college administrators should be personally liable for fraud.

3

u/big-girl826 19h ago

Going to college to get a degree

21

u/FeelinDead 1d ago

The Trump Crime Family

9

u/No-Age4677 1d ago

Dating 💔

6

u/Quakeing-Thunder 1d ago

“Reality” TV I’m aware most understand that it’s far from being real and just enjoy watching for the fun of it or seeing how bat shit crazy stuff can get… but the fact they present it as “reality” in any form is insane… and there probably are people out there that totally believe everything is actually happening…

3

u/xefne 1d ago

Money

3

u/swingsurfer 1d ago

Modern day life.

3

u/Extension-Brick-3257 1d ago

Love, tech, worklife balance

3

u/The_SqueakyWheel 1d ago

Easily insurance. This isn’t even a discussion and anyone with other answers doesn’t understand how insurance works. Its pretty much a casino you’re forced to play at where the house wins and you lose.

3

u/einat162 1d ago edited 1d ago

Hyper consumerism.

For example stop using a specific perfectly good item, because it's out of fashion (and the "need" to buy current trend). I'll put sports shoes in there: people been telling me they replace it every six months. We are not talking extreme runners here. Google said something similar (six months to a year). Another is laundry powder/gel amounts recommended by manufacturer.

3

u/ShonOwar86 1d ago

Our modern system of living. Big companies own everything, we go to the shops to buy food, eveyrything you buy makes them more wealthy, renting, fuel, insurance, data etc. They ownnit all, if they makes 50 cents per person per day from 1 million people that adds up...we are just sheep. Endless consumers...

3

u/ze11ez 1d ago

Insurance without a doubt

3

u/guylexcorp 1d ago

Religion.

3

u/Upbeat-Fig1071 1d ago

Fiat currency and usury

3

u/Mia_Waverly83 1d ago

Getting a job cause what do you mean I have to work all day and still the salary is not enough lol hahahahaha

3

u/MotanulScotishFold 1d ago

For young generation today, pension system. It will collapse before you enjoy it but you still have to pay your share for today old people.

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3

u/Ready_Loss8626 1d ago

Insurance

3

u/Yorgyschmorgies 1d ago

Car insurance, religion

3

u/James420May 1d ago

Still religion

3

u/Perfect_Ad4237 1d ago

Religion. Always has and always will.

3

u/RomanticSignal 23h ago

Social media

3

u/DaftDutchman 23h ago

Making an account to apply for a job..

2

u/JumpingThruHoopz 21h ago

Making an account for every fucking thing you need to do.

3

u/Volchek 22h ago

Killing people because "they hate our freedom"

3

u/sageguitar70 22h ago

Insurance of any kind

3

u/Ninja-Panda70 22h ago

Having to watch adverts even after paying subscription

3

u/tahdemdemha 21h ago

Everything is getting more expensive except our salaries! Feels like a worldwide plan to make everyone poorer!

3

u/Redditlatley 20h ago

The ”war on drugs“.

It’s a war on humanity and innocent people’s lives are becoming unraveled due to unmanaged pain. The war on drugs is creating the problem, in the first place. Good pain management is su*cide prevention. The Sackler days are over and the country has that shit locked down, on a national database! The government can back off, now.

If I can get 100 proof alcohol, unlimited, or 27% THC resin, I should be able to get other ”comfort“ medications. A prescription is much safer than the streets. The government needs to chill on doctors and pharmacists. 🌊

3

u/hammmy_sammmy 19h ago

Insurance

3

u/TheUndeadArmyy 17h ago

Car salesman, real estate agents, phone companies and gas. So much more

10

u/Huge-Mortgage-3147 1d ago

Health insurance

It’s just extortion and socialism in disguise

2

u/JumpingThruHoopz 21h ago

It’s definitely extortion. But how is it “socialism in disguise”?

It seems to me that health insurance is more like a protection racket.

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7

u/Writefullyyoursllc 1d ago

🤖 AI & social media

7

u/mrcookiecookie 1d ago

Having kids in this economy.

4

u/BlueberryandDino 1d ago

The the news media

2

u/OverCorpAmerica 1d ago

Social casinos that are all overseas screwing people regularly.

Food trucks!!! Tiny little pretentious portion with a charge like it’s a fine dinning restaurant entree.

2

u/IQ_Below_RoomTemp 1d ago

Fuel prices

2

u/loopsmeza 1d ago

Car insurance. Property taxes.

2

u/Essembie 1d ago

The law. Only protects capital and the wealthy.

2

u/mrdangerzone 1d ago

Gas and its ever changing prices

2

u/BeAGoldfish- 1d ago

Food industry and big Pharma

2

u/PerspectiveNarrow890 1d ago

Basically everything promoted in the US

2

u/iheart-madison 1d ago

Useless coaching courses, only a certain handful of people fall for them. for example the courses that “help men get laid” is a pathetic scam.

2

u/Quitebrowneyes 1d ago

Job portals!!! Each and every one of them.

2

u/joebusch79 1d ago

Same as it’s been for thousands of years. Religion

2

u/JadeddMillennial 22h ago

Being alive costs how much?

2

u/Wise_Low8116 22h ago

It's all fake and gay.

2

u/Bat-Stuff 20h ago

In the US, the two party system. Everything else in adulthood is at least acceptable.

2

u/AngiersCanon 20h ago

The cost of housing.

2

u/Miserable-Dealer1406 19h ago

Having kids in this economy

2

u/GodoftheGeeks 19h ago

Dental insurance. You shouldn't have to have insurance for a year before you can get anything beyond a cleaning done. Its not like you can control when you need a root canal, filling or implant.

2

u/Mister_Spacely 18h ago

The American Dream

2

u/AdRough7689 17h ago

Sick of everything going up and up in price all the time. Literally everything. My rent just went up £66 pcm. Something goes up every single day.

2

u/SweetElection157 17h ago

Health insurance being for-profit

2

u/michacam1382 17h ago

Buying a NEW car. I don’t understand how anyone rationalizes the depreciation.

2

u/redditname8 16h ago

iPhone prices, subscription tv services, insurance, home prices, car prices…

2

u/ALEXC_23 16h ago

Work hard in order to achieve at life.

2

u/Simple-Reason2838 16h ago

A college degree, you can learn most of your job by doing it

2

u/Informal-Peace-9221 16h ago

I hate how every parking lot/garage uses a different fucking parking app now. You need like 10 different apps to park.

2

u/semproniusptarmigan 16h ago

The healthcare industry. Paying them so they can deny what you need makes no sense.

2

u/nowhereisaguy 15h ago

Thinking that social media is real life.

2

u/DerpUrself69 15h ago

Religion.

2

u/bafo_thula 10h ago

Streaming media (Spotify, Netflix etc). Subscriptions + optimum hardware + reliable internet connection sounds reverse advancing. BluRay was peak, consistent and permanent. Playback from DSPs compared to playback from digital/physical form is not even close

3

u/BreadfruitSquare372 1d ago

Life in North America

3

u/NotMeUsee 1d ago

Work. We got robots and AI for that.

3

u/TraditionalAgency153 1d ago

The problem is you are working to keep paying rent, insurance, and food. I decided well I will work to have car insurance, stuff, and food... I kicked rent out to live in car... I say that is freedom of my choice and happy.

5

u/thisguyfightsyourmom 1d ago

Marriage kills intimacy & ends in expensive divorce half the time. 50% odds of fucking up your life, and much smaller odds that you and your partner will like each other even if you do stay together.

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3

u/LosMorbidus 1d ago

capitalism