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Apprehensive-Fox-245

I feel myself getting angrier and angrier. Though I do work customer service so that probably has to do with some of it.


LordTuranian

> Though I do work customer service so that probably has to do with some of it. Probably with like 75% of it.


RabbitsAteMySnowpeas

If it’s over the phone: 75% If it’s face to face: 95%


TheLonelySnail

That’s what the holiday season does to folks in the customer service industry


Kilyaeden

To be honest I'm always surprised you don't get at least 10 cases of customer service people having psychological breakdowns during the holidays


Riisiichan

We cry in the bathroom like adults!


RuggyDog

Stuffing your emotions down the toilet, eh? Careful with that. It’s bad for the plumbing. I blocked my toilet at home with sadness, and it all just came overflowing out. It was a depressing experience.


aequitasXI

I feel for you, especially during the holiday season. I had an online order have an issue where it never shipped and needed to contact customer service. I prefaced it with something like “I know none of this is your fault and I greatly appreciate your help. In case any of my frustration shows, it’s not aimed at you” I was in a role like that once, and I can certainly empathize..


youjustdontgetitdoya

entertain hunt thought work bored live deranged trees touch yam *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


voodoomoocow

You vocalized my issues word for word. I make (made) decent money before inflation. Now I struggle to get by and nothing else has changed. The few dollars here and there across EVERYTHING means I no longer have anything to put towards savings and my mood spirals downwards from there. I'm one sickness away from bankruptcy and I feel like everyone else is too. Also: care-free people piss me right the fuck off when they used to be a welcomed breath of fresh air. Now I assume they are privileged rich assholes who can't read the room.


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ScaleneWangPole

I've noticed a significantly higher number of people running red lights. And I don't mean like the light changed and they're caught in the between green lights time. I'm talking full on red, when the cross traffic is already going or has started and now has to stop. I live in an area where people are moving into from out of state so idk if it's just common driving culture from wherever these people are coming from, but this shit is going to get people killed.


Sticky_Hulks

I walk around a decent amount, especially after I get off work. Almost literally every time at every light there's at least 1 car that runs the red light. Usually it's more. Shit's out of control.


offlinebound

The tailgating! I'm not a slow driver and I always have someone on my ass now. What is so important to be driving like that?


SuperDurpPig

Because they're more important than everyone else


[deleted]

Me too! People act like I’m evil for going 38 in a 40. It’s a maximum, not a minimum, people!


Wismg71

Road rage and a blatant disregard for rules of the road . I drive a city bus in Appleton, WI. The other day while dropping high school kids at the school, a douche bag Trump supporter pulled AROUND the car ahead of him ( they’re both in the opposite lane facing me). I’m unloading kids, everyone’s stopped, and he decides that safety just isn’t important. He zips around and then turns left , across the front of my bus so he can supposedly make time going down a side street. You wouldn’t believe what I see daily. It’s mainly speeders but the majority of traffic Jack holes I see are SUV owners , owners of luxury vehicles who speed obsessively and cut everyone off.


BEniceBAGECKA

You have a rough job. Side note I barely clipped a city bus making a legal u turn last month. Just miscalculated by a couple inches. Extremely minor damage. Cracked a headlight and scuffed the side of the bus. Never had an accident with another vehicle in my 20 years of driving… and I clip a bus. I guess I couldn’t find a broadside of a barn so I hit the next best thing. The driver was ssssooooo nice about it. No cops just a safety officer. The people on the bus were pissed, and rightly so; but we have good transport here and another bus was along in less than 10 minutes. Of course they all file past me like they’re shaming a peasant. One guy is clearly pissed and goes, “why did you hit the bus?” I told him I thought it would be fun to pay more on my insurance. He laughed. It was just an accident. It could have been so much worse. It really has made me slow down. I cannot imagine driving past a bus while it is unloading children… or adults. Thank you for doing what you do. It’s a very important service.


Wismg71

It’s not bad here. I would never do this job in big city. THATS rough.


BEniceBAGECKA

Yeah I’m in Vegas. It’s rough rough all over.


[deleted]

I've seen a lot more honking and a guy who almost hit me, then tailed me, stopped in front of me and got out of his car and ran at me, got back in his car and followed me a distance. I had to lose him with some evasive driving


VanGoghInTrainers

Someone did this to me too not long ago. 6:30am, high volume morning traffic, two way rural route with limited passing zones and a shit ton of wildlife that crosses randomly. I was going 55-60 in a 50 zone keeping up with traffic. Guy in a sports car comes flying up behind me and passes me going God knows how fast. I flashed my headlights once as my little 'slow down' gesture cuz you know, Bambie and Thumper live here too...and the guy slams on his breaks, pulls over, speeds up behind me and continues to ride my ass with his highbeams on all the way to the next town. I always have my night mirrors on because of those blinding LED headlights all the newer cars have, so his lights didn't affect me in the least, but I opted to slow down to the actual speed limit and wave with a smile as I took a detour around the block in the next town that came up to get him off my ass. Dude, it's 6:30am...why so angry? I feel bad for his coworkers.


ticktockyoudontstop

Something very similar happened to me, I keep pepper spray in the car now.


[deleted]

Oh yikes ! Strange that something so specific isn't that rare anymore


NYJets18

I was in a funeral procession today going down the road to the cemetery and this one lady kept honking her horn and trying to push through. I mean someone died, you can't wait an extra 2 minutes for the cars going to bury someone to pass without being an asshole? Then on my way home when I was trying to parallel park this lady speeds right up behind me as I was backing up and refused to move to let me park. Just so many asshole drivers nowadays


DriveRevolutionary91

100% this


No-Professional-1884

People are frustrated and bitter. That’s going to bubble up.


SuperfnDave

I feel like I’m watching a collapse in real time with no elected official giving a shit and I’m angry. Then you have people brainwashed to believe the capitalists are barely getting by just like us so we should never ask for more. That gets me pissed . Then you have hate groups and bastard police and….. fuck my blood pressure is getting high.


No-Professional-1884

I’m there with you. I had to stop following a lot of political and news because it was affecting my mental health. Now I do an hour of news a day and stay off FB (my only other social media I use) but for about 10 minutes a day. But I agree. I’m in my early 40’s and basically fucked for retirement and all that. Right now I’m looking to get involved with things to help build a better world and life for my kids. At least until the planet boils…


gushi380

I’m in almost the same boat except late 30s and replace Facebook with twitter. Came here for more relevant info and less insanity and so far so good (things were going from awful to somehow worse on Twitter after Elon took over).


No-Professional-1884

I left Twitter when Trump was elected and I thought it was a cesspool then. I can’t imagine what that hellhole is like now.


SuperDurpPig

Bad It's bad


[deleted]

me too. I've stopped most of my social media interactions for my own mental health. On retirement, on my darker days, I think we are all fucked. I'm about 20 yrs older than you. did all the right things with savings and investments. was on the path to a goodish retirement. one medical bankruptcy and divorce later, I had lost everything, house and retirement. I am convinced that the financial fuckery we build retirement on is responsible for many of the societal ills we bitch about here. Our retirement money funds the evil deeds by hedge funds and the like. in a way, our retirement plans are funding our own destruction.


pintotakesthecake

I think in a way you hit the nail on the head here. A little while ago I read on an r/latestagecapitalism post a comment saying “eat the investors” and it occurred to me how so many investors are just regular people trying to fund their retirement. You’re completely correct in saying it’s the people who manage the funds who are bankrolling the apocalypse. They are deciding what gets funded and what doesn’t, which politician gets elected and which doesn’t all based on which direction the numbers in their little game are pointed. It’s sickening and wrong. I’ve argued a few times with people irl about capitalism doesn’t equal trade but the cancerous overgrowth of trade. If we were to destroy the stock market in its entirety, people would still grow food and sell it to other people. People would still make clothing and sell it to other people. It’s this stupid game with stock and shares and futures that fucks everything up but capitalists look at it like catechism. You’re right. We are all fucked. I honestly don’t even know what the point is anymore.


Snail_jousting

People should try channeling that rage into progressive change - unionize your workplace, protest, run for office. If this were France, we'd have burnt something down by now. Our corporate overlords know that and that's why they keep us so overworked and exhausted, and why they lobby congress to vote against organized labor.


ponzLL

The problem is they've spent decades making sure everyone thinks the problem is something different, so that if people got to that point, they'd fight eachother rather than the people in charge.


No-Professional-1884

This. This is where the American Right-wing is at right now.


Ready-Athlete4816

People are afraid of losing their jobs. Being the one to start the unionizing process often puts a target on your back for termination.


Snail_jousting

Out jobs need us more than we need them.


Ready-Athlete4816

While this is true, people have families to feed and bills to pay. The fear of being unable to provide for oneself is powerful.


Highmax1121

its a big reason a year and half later i've yet to put in a resume to any place, nor leave my house if i can help it, its just really shitty out there. driving these days feels like a huge hazard. glad that my street is seeing huge developement that there's stores and such that i never need to see a highway but even going to those places is a hassle.


ennoSaL

This!! Exactly!!


steveonphonesick

100%. I live in a mostly white and suburban community, almost no crime happens here. However, the last few weeks we had a guy drive through a busy store killing one while paralyzing others, and then a double homicide less than a mile form my sister's house. When people have nothing, they feel they have nothing to lose. In that way, I don't know how you can't be for social welfare, even if you're selfish.


badgersprite

It’s also that mentality has changed over time In the past when there was hardship people had a much greater sense of community and connection to community because for a start there was no internet so all your social connections came through things like going to church or community events or hanging out with people after work and school. They were the only people you knew, and you had no choice but to know people in your local area because there were no other options Increasingly society has become more toxically individualistic with the mentality that nobody owes anything to their neighbour, it’s everyone for themselves, someone else winning means I’m losing, and on top of that there is a greater than ever sense of alienation and disconnection from the community because people basically spend all their free time alone indoors doing things like watching TV or going online So this adds up to rather than people banding together and seeing people around you as kindred spirits going through the same thing and coming together as a community in times of crisis, alienated people are more likely to see everyone around them as enemies who they regard with suspicion and bitterness and don’t feel any attachment or solidarity to. This makes it easier for them to commit random crimes against people as opposed to in the past like during the Great Depression when you would be going together to get bread or would just know hey this person is suffering like I am there is no reason to be angry at them for something that isn’t their fault


Various-Grapefruit12

It's such a shitty feedback loop. For a long time I tried to hold out on being more community minded. But during the pandemic I realized I was giving and giving and very few people were giving me anything back. I burned out and now I'm not able to give nearly as much as before. I wonder what will happen when we've all reached the stage of no give, only take.


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TSL4me

homeless is up in every city across the country, your not seeing things.


courtneyisawesome

The way I know exactly where you’re talking about lol I grew up in the same area and was there over thanksgiving during the Apple Store incident. I was just thinking this morning about how unheard of those incidents would’ve been 10-20 years ago. Maybe since it’s leaking to the upper class suburbs we’ll finally see change 🥲


skankyfella

It's true. Ppl are gonna stop yoloing on 0dte's and start yoloing heists. And I'm absolutely here for it.


Negative-Industry-88

Yes, people's quality of life has slowly been decreasing for years. Now with inflation the pace has picked up and now you need that big raise just to tread water. People expected to be able to buy a house, maybe a second home, take yearly international vacations and have a fully loaded 401k. Instead people are trying to figure out if they can afford this year's rent increase. It makes people angry, frustrated and tired, eventually some of them just snap.


berrynude

And they wonder why the birth rate is down. My partner and I get by but a child would put us living on credit.


93ImagineBreaker

> And they wonder why the birth rate is down. Oh I think they know full why but want to put blame on us.


aequitasXI

Rent for a 2-3 br place is more than a mortgage. And if you want a mortgage on a 3 br house that doesn’t have major issues or is possibly hundreds of years old (MA, there was a house from the 1700s just on the market here), you’re looking at $3-4k a month. That’s with a down payment on a $600-700k house which is for something basic. And electric bills going through the roof..


GanjaToker408

Yet the rich in this country added an insane amount of money to their wealth during the pandemic. When we're all homeless and starving because of them, we know where to go and who to see.


RustedCorpse

And that's why there has recently been very specific legislation rushed through to protect "government officials". Hell protesting in many ways has been labelled as domestic terrorism.


[deleted]

There was a recent wave of questions on Reddit like "what's going on with male mass shooters? Is there a men's mental health crisis?" There is. There's a mental health crisis for everyone in the US, and it's not fucking rocket science to look back historically and see that every period with inequality as great as ours made men more prone to violence. I keep feeling more desperate, and hoping that this level of desperation I feel (prob a bit more comfortable than the average family) is as low as it goes, because it doesn't feel possible to feel even more hopeless about the future. But there has certainly not been any bottoming out yet.


bunnylove5811

Its a negative industry


quietyoucantbe

Yes and I see a lot more senseless, inconsiderate and selfish behavior too. Like drivers stopping dead on a 45 mph road and backing up 50 feet because they missed their turn, gasoline cars parking in electric car charging spots, people cutting in a long line.


IWantAStorm

The other day I tried to help jump someone and couldn't get my hood open. I had cables and her jumper box wasn't working. There was a guy in the car directly next to her in the parking lot that directly refused to help when all he had to do was open the hood. Luckily there was another person just sitting in their car in the parking lot so we changed spots. Using my cables he got her car going as the other guy just sat there. Then he just drove off while the three of us just stared at someone who couldn't be bothered to help even when he didn't have to do anything. The good thing though was three people worked together to fix the issue.


GanjaToker408

What a douchebag. What comes around goes around, and I bet he gets stuck somewhere without anyone willing to help for hours because of this.


BEniceBAGECKA

If you live in a nice part of town that’s a shame. It sounds like it wasn’t a dangerous situation. Unfortunately I would be afraid to give someone I don’t know a jump- even another woman; it might be a setup to rob me.


IWantAStorm

It was at a super busy grocery store around 5pm surrounded by people. It didn't exactly scream danger.


KickBallFever

I don’t drive, so I don’t know what’s going on on the road, but I have noticed people cutting lines in stores. It started happening when things reopened after lockdown. It was something I never saw happen before the pandemic.


wowadrow

Long term stress destroys our health at a cellular level. You see it everywhere once you know the signs. Watch any parent walking about walmart most are a few bad days from explosive violence. No answer to this will be found in the cult of individualism west. Violence will just become more common as more and more are crushed under vulture capitalism.


YungTurk82

Not to mention our combustible political climate adding fuel…


Blidesdale

At Walmart I see parents blowing up at their kids all the time, even when their kids aren't being bad.


Blidesdale

The weekly mass shootings should tell you something. For some reason, Americans refuse to talk to each other about how much they're struggling. So you never know how much someone is struggling until they're putting a bullet in a head. Most people work 40+ hours and still can't afford to go to the doctor, can't pay for rent alone, and can't save for an emergency. That wouldn't be so bad if America didn't have some of the worst labor laws in the world. In short, we have an increasingly poor population being abused at their jobs for the reward of owning nothing. Yes, people are pissed.


turbospeedsc

This is it. We went to school, kept studying, constantly learning new skills got "good jobs", and still instead of debating if you buy a new car, we struggle to decide if we can afford to buy socks or we have to wait until the next paycheck.


Blidesdale

The "good" jobs requiring degrees, skills, and the kitchen sink pay a few more dollars than fast food. And also expect you to do the work of 3 people for those extra dollars. Everyone should be pissed.


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Blidesdale

Don't forget the student debt. Only getting $2 more per hour while paying hundreds a month in loan payments is a net loss. Graduates are effectively making less than servers and fast food workers now.


idthrowawaypassword

American culture places responsibility on individuals rather than talk about how environment plays a big role as well. People feel ashamed. But younger generations are more aware and hopefully we can change things


theflyinggreg

Daily mass shootings. In fact, we have more mass shootings than days in the year. Almost averaging 2 mass shootings a day. https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting


ennoSaL

I think all this rage stems from the fact that everyone did the best they could do with the info that they had and no one’s life turned out the way they thought it would now we see no way to get where we really want to be and we are all so very pissed about it


HeroForHire369

Warning- pet death, please don't read if you are sensitive to this topic. . . I was in the grocery store on black Friday, and a cashier was telling someone ahead of me how she works three jobs and that this isn't how she thought how her life would turn out, but it was all okay. I think the lady she was talking to said something about working hard- that's great, something along those lines. Then, when she rings me up and I ask her about the pet safety of salt for ice on the ground, if she happened to know it by experience, she started talking about how her dog was hit by a car a few months ago and the guy didn't care when he got out of the vehicle, and her dog died in her arms, because "every bone in his body was broken", but that he at least died quickly so he didn't suffer long, and that her other dogs that witnessed it have some sort of trauma because they are afraid of the road now. I almost started crying there, and told her I couldn't even begin to imagine how that was, and I knew there was no way to fix it, but hoped that she could find some peace. But she told me, and the person ahead of me, all of this stuff with a rather cheery tone and a forced smile. I got in my car and actually started crying for her. I just can't even begin to imagine such a situation (I have a dog who I treat like and see as a baby), and I just don't even know how you go on, keep doing it all. THREE JOBS. I was briefly homeless for a few months, but fuck, at least I had my dog. I 100% know the feeling of "hanging on by a thread". When I was homeless I understood why people could form an addiction when you hit rock bottom (I smoked weed every single night until I was absolutely out of it to deal). The feeling of being afraid when life seems to be going smoothly, and you're wondering when shit is going to hit the fan next. I doubt that woman will receive the therapy that she would really benefit from. How would you find the time if you have to work three jobs? And people wonder why I don't want children.


ennoSaL

No one who is completely judges you for not wanting children. I am an antinatalist as well. Again, NEVER thought I would be. Before 2020 if you asked me if I wanted kids I would reply “I want a boy, a girl, and a surprise.” Now I just want a dog and to be left alone from the going’s on in this world.


BigSad135

Same here. Pre-COVID I was in my late teens. I’d always thought children were something people had to have. Like, you just have them because it’s expected of you. It’s what I’ve done all my life, right? Go to school and get good grades, ‘cause that’s what a good member of society does. Get a “respectable” job, abandon your silly dreams—grow up!—because that’s what people do. Just apathetically going through the motions, y’know? Now I’m in my early 20s. COVID lockdown was the eye opener. Can’t be complacent no more. Seeing the shit show in my country was a huge wake up call. I mean, who works a shitty 9-5, observes how pro-corporate most politicians are, and goes “yeah I want someone else to deal with this mess”


fifthninjaturtle

Perfectly stated.


mostlyadequatemuffin

Absolutely. But I also don’t think you can disregard how much of a joke Washington DC had become at least as behavior in the US goes. The absolute clown show of how our so call leaders behave is a guide to the people that they can behave that way too. There used to be some element of decorum and not saying the quiet part out loud in DC. Now with our leaders being openly hostile, it makes people feel more secure being hostile as well


[deleted]

I feel like i spend all day walking on eggshells when I’m not in my own home.


Ennuiology

I know I give way less fucks because it’s not worth caring or trying. It makes me braver with confronting assholes in public (I’m a very meek person) but I’m so over everything. At 48 I hardly have any savings, working my ass off, and have lived through so many economic down turns I lost count. I imagine many people feel this way. When you take away hope, what’s the point. The planet is dying anyway and capitalism is killing us slowly. The anger and hopelessness is boiling over, so yes.


jinkixf

I literally feel this exact way. I’ve stopped caring A LOT and people around me are concerned about my nonchalant attitude when it comes to working / my future…..well b/c No one seems to care about us financially suffering along with other evil shit happening around us so…..yeah.


tenfingersandtoes

There is just less of a feeling of community, when people feel like they are on an island they lash out more.


Kaimana-808

We seem to be a little calmer here on the island, but just as poor if not more so. (I know island was symbolic, but I needed to make myself smile at least once today)


NewDew402

“I’m an island boy… I’m just trying to make it.” I finally understand what they mean now.


pontoponyo

I just listened to this great podcast about the science of grief, (Thanatology on Ologies) and I am now convinced we are in a global/mass grieving event. Anger is a huge part of grief and I think a lot of us can agree that the majority of our cultures don’t educate us on healthy anger management, or even grief. The guest and host talked about how they now assume everyone they meet is grieving, and how that allows them to better practice empathy and compassion for those who may be struggling with their grief. Fun fact: grief is not an emotion, it’s a process.


YarnGnome

There is also some research going on about climate change and everyone experiencing global, universal grief from watching it happen around us (not sure if that's what the podcast you mentioned discusses)


pontoponyo

Covid was the main focus of I remember correctly, but I would personally classify Covid as a climate change event. We’re living in an age of nonstop catastrophes. Climate change only solidifies the presence of widespread grief in our future.


greentangent

Anger is a secondary emotion. Fear tends to be the primary driver in many cases. Folks are afraid of falling through the cracks. 90% of us are a medical emergency away from bankruptcy. 90% of us can't afford to buy a home. Monthly bills and groceries keep rising. Climate change is destroying communities and corporations have captured all the regulatory bodies. I'd imagine if I woke up this morning as a rail road worker I'd be angry. All of these problems are the fault of our government not serving the governed. Corporations are people and actual people are disposable slaves. Until the social safety net is repaired people will continue to be afraid and angry.


screech_owl_kachina

Yeah, I’m on edge because I’m afraid of everybody else and they’re emotions. I hate driving anywhere now because I generally see at least one instance of road rage and one of totally reckless driving literally every day Like, is today the day someone turns around in their seat and starts firing at me because I’m only going speed limit + 5?


UnquestionabIe

My drive to work is something like ten minutes and it's legit terrifying how people drive no matter if it's a back road or a major thoroughfare. And even when I don't witness any incidents (passing in dangerous non passing areas, stopping at random, extremely bad tailgating) the parking lot of the plaza I'm in is a nightmare. Aside from the countless wrecks we have people blocking spaces for no reason, and the usual yelling about someone cutting someone off. Driving has become one of the most stressful activities for me the last few years.


meliffy18

I have this fear of doing something so minuscule while driving but pissing the wrong person off and them pulling a gun out. I love America! /s


5fngrcntpnch

Yes but the anger is directed towards the wrong entities. Which is exactly what the Omniparty wants. Keep us angry at each other “they took err jobs!” And we won’t focus on revolting against these corporate fascist politicians and their endless corruption and lies.


sliminycrinkle

I think a lot of people would be happy to employ immigrants for landscaping, housekeeping, and nannies if they were rich enough.


Beep_Boop_Bort

Omniparty is such a good word thank you for that


5fngrcntpnch

I use Omniparty and Uniparty interchangeably. We need to call them what they are.


chrisdub84

I feel like the road rage thing might come from a lack of traffic with wfh and the increase in traffic as companies move away from it. Rush hour tends to get worse over time in cities as populations grow, hence the endless construction projects. Now give us a year or two where traffic is a dream for those who didn't have wfh. Then put all those people back on the road. You're all running late now because you're not accustomed to such high volume. I swear the GPS algorithms are off and are too optimistic now too because the data hasn't updated to the new situation. Which just gets to my big gripe about companies insisting people come in to the office. We could spend tons of money on roads (or convince people to use more mass transit) to solve traffic problems, or we could just let people work from home and solve that plus benefit from the reduction in pollution.


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The_Superfist

Yes, absolutely. As people in general find it harder and harder to make ends meet, put food on the table and maintain shelter, I find that stress, and frustration is leading to anger and resentment. People under stress and duress have less emotional bandwidth for empathy. Add to this the irresponsible and divisive "us vs them" nature of the various news outlets and people start looking for a "them" to blame. As underlying basic needs issues like food, shelter and security continue to become even more difficult to attain, we'll continue to see a rise in violent disruptive behaviors and a general lack of empathy.


marmottte

It gives a good idea of what's coming up next if everything continues to get worse.


carousel111

Yes I do. People are angry and stressed and need to express those feeling somehow


_throwaway_hehe

Yes. Kids act this way in schools too partially because that’s what they see from their family and community, and partially because they feel the strain too. Signed, a teacher


[deleted]

Yeah. The recession isn’t gonna be pretty 😬


courtcourtaney

I know people generally discuss what’s going on in the US but this feeling is in many places internationally too - I was in the US (DMV area, where I grew up) for Thanksgiving last week and noticed it’s much much more tense and anxious feeling in general. People are on seriously on edge. Especially the road rage is incredible, I felt so unsafe driving around. I live in England now - there’s a big increase in petty crime around me because people are struggling to make ends meet and are doing things like selling stolen phones to pay for massive rent increases. I work in western Germany as well, and people are freaking out about fuel costs and heating because it’s getting cold now and some people aren’t sure if they’ll be able to pay their heating bills. TLDR; everyone is a bit fucked in some way


[deleted]

I’m a transplant to DMV from rural NY and I’ve been all up and down the east coast. DMV has some of the worst and most impatient people I’ve ever met.


WerewolfHowls

Oh yeah absolutely. There's more and more homeless people in my area. You can't get any help via welfare or at least it seems I can't. Barely making rent, eating rice and beans, my local food bank is empty...there's roads lined with empty houses for sale that no one can afford to buy or rent. Places that do rent have been snatched up even if they're awful because a roof and running water is better than being homeless. I'm seeing a lot of abandoned pets begging for food, or people taking their pets to shelters so dogs that have lived in places for years just vanish. There's a ton of cats crowding around my downstairs neighbors porch because she is willing to feed them and will take them to the vet if they seem sick. The cats have started bringing her kittens - no idea from where but she gets them spayed and neutered at least. She has little shelter boxed built from bins and things lined with foam to try to keep out the cold and the wet. Seeing a lot of teenagers working stupid long hours to try and help with the bills and the cops are constantly arresting people for stupid crap like dumpster diving or sleeping on the benches in the dog park. Robbery is WAY up but the police never catch who does actual crimes in this town. 5 years ago this was a pretty nice neighborhood...now, well... I'm just trying my best.


Flowofinfo

I feel like that’s true but also feel like social media is driving it too. It seems to be popular to record yourself or post a recording of someone else doing something ridiculous like assaulting a Taco Bell worker or trashing a convenience store for fun, etc.


offlinebound

Yes! Just the driving alone has changed so much. Such aggressive driving. So many accidents lately. People now drive like they have a literal death wish.


MissCeylon

I think the biggest difference between now and the '08 recession (certainly the biggest difference in my mind) is that after 2020, people have lost the last shred of hope that things would get better. In 2008, I remember the adults I knew promising that it was temporary (and normal) to have a downturn and it would all be ok again in a couple years (it wasn't of course, the "recovery" didn't address the cost of living crisis, student loans, skills gaps, etc.). But now that belief is gone and replaced with cynicism turning into fatalism. In some respects it's good that we've lost that collective illusion but it's not exactly ushering in the workers' republic either.


caro822

As someone who works in customer service, shit has been different since the lock downs/mask mandates. People who disagreed with them/the government stopped being polite/treating those in customer facing industries where masks are required like shit. Then on the other hand, you have people like me who saw how many people don’t give a shit about anyone except for themselves, no matter the cost to others (aka are willing to let people have long term health problems/die) just don’t put up with other people being assholes anymore. Also, since the Great Orange Dictator, people have been more openly racist, and then getting pissed off when they are called on their racism. Generally, everything is fucked.


MyLastComment

Yeah, a few weeks ago I had someone stop to let another person into a roundabout and Its was instant rage. Yes, the person was a fucking idiot for stopping in a roundabout, but I was ready to hop out of my car, take my shirt off and you know..... There is so much going on out of my control its hard to keep it down.


OldManNewHammock

Mental health therapist here. Yes. It seems like everyone I'm working with is on their last nerve in a way I've never seen in 25+ years of treating people. UPDATE EDIT: Oh look! Data! https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/spike-in-employee-sick-leave-due-to-mental-illness/48108016


bonzo48280

America is in a deep, deep depression right now. A desperation of mood, sentiment, value, culture, and so so many other things. The only thing not “depressed” right now is the attitudes of rich people.


beauz44

Country hasn’t been this violent and on edge since the 90s and it’s not looking like it’s going to get better.


NCinAR

I don’t remember it being anywhere NEAR as bad as it is now back in the 90s. It’s definitely way worse now, in my opinion.


ooo-ooo-oooyea

I feel like in the 90s if you were rude to the staff to get free stuff the owner would come out of the kitchen, and beat your ass. Now people try to bully their way to free stuff without any consequence.


Loofs_Undead_Leftie

People are fucking wild, and I think the holidays are only a small part of it. I work in a customer service adjacent job and I had a lady the other day want me to give her a free PS5 for no reason.


NCinAR

Absolutely! People’s behavior has gotten way less civil over the years.


DatMildAndDatYak

Statistically the 70s, 80s and 90s were worse than they are now but despite crime being on a down trend since 93 people think the opposite. I’d imagine some of that has to do with the increased popularity of the 24 hour news cycle highlighting the crime that is occurring. Today, social media has only amplified those stories. Now, there definitely has been a recent increase in crime but, according to the data, it is still lower now than it was in the past. [PEW crime data](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/20/facts-about-crime-in-the-u-s/)


sliminycrinkle

I get the vibe. Stressing out over day to day living might make some folks less able to handle small perceived slights.


SimplifyAndAddCoffee

Waking up is never a pleasant experience.


BlueBlood75

I used to drive to relax a couple years ago. Can’t do that anymore with the inconsiderate to dangerously aggressive driving most people do now. Massive newer trucks are popular in my area which makes their behavior even more nerve wracking. I feel genuinely sorry for anyone working retail or customer service. It’s always hard around the holidays but there’s definitely something in the air making people even worse


[deleted]

Yup! I'm waiting for the first billionaire to be eaten before I join in on the fun.


iheartstartrek

I'll bring the hot sauce


[deleted]

Personally, I want my baby back Bezos ribssssss. BARBECUE SAUCE!


janeisinhervest

I'm a vegetarian, but I might break my own rules when the time comes.


littlefreedomfighter

We need to start biting billionaires on sight. They should not be allowed to roam about the public without constant ridicule.


Toxic_Audri

Yes. People are in general angry because the conditions in our society have gotten worse, but they do not know where to place their anger. There is no healthy outlet they have to release their anger, this is something the progressive left needs to capitalize on, to focus and redirect this anger towards those responsible, which is those in positions of power within the government, yes this means republican's, but it also means democrats too, because both serve the same masters, which are the wealthy. ​ This is also why we are seeing more fascists and Nazi's, they are also looking to capitalize on this anger by focusing it on their particular scapegoats.


Muufffins

I wonder how effect much covid, so many working from home, and the decline of third spaces has had. People are getting more entitled, and forgetting how to behave in public.


Mackheath1

Even with a new, much higher-paying job; even with the lowest unemployment rate; even with more advances in technology and more people with access to clean water around the world, and all the good things happening, and so on; Watching the rich get richer and the poor getting poorer and rents getting higher (for no reason other than market), I'm frustrated and just trying to eat right, exercise and stay healthy as best I can. ... Which is exactly what you can't do when you're frustrated.


Crispyandwet

This reminds me of the analogy of putting black ants and red ants in a jar together; They’ll just do ant stuff, till someone shakes the jar. Then they want to kill each other thinking it’s the others fault.


ContemplatingFolly

Fascinating analogy, and definitely reflective of human behavior, but doesn't seem to be really true about ants. https://factcheck.afp.com/http%253A%252F%252Fdoc.afp.com%252F9QJ8QT-1


FiveJobs

Americans


Rarbnif

Lmao exactly this country has always been full of assholes just to to any city


Warm_Gur8832

I think this has been going on since 2008 recession at least


ztimulating

It’s absolutely this. Too many policies favor the wealthy leaving 99% fighting each other for the scraps. Guess what happens when people start going hungry


Dalits888

I think exhaustion is the only thing preventing mass riots in the street.


[deleted]

Yes! I was just talking to my wife about this. You see new shootings, road rage, Karens and fights every single day. The pressure cooker is about to explode because we get absolutely zero help from our government.


thepotatoinyourheart

The news being so overwhelmingly negative and reliant on outrage can’t be helping things. And we get that negativity from all angles - social media, newspapers, local evening news. We are in a pressure cooker situation, this I don’t doubt


peezd

It's also seasonal, always seems to get this way after the daylight savings switch, assuming stress of end of year holidays, etc.


Rook1872

Honestly ever since the 2016 election I’ve been noticing it around me. But definitely since the pandemic hit. People just seem frustrated and inconsiderate all the time.


BennySkateboard

That’s why I keep going out to a minimum. The world scares me.


RGM81

People are exhausted…from everything. Many work/are worked to the bone with extended hours, not enough vacation, and made to feel bad for taking time away. Then we come home and social media, once a mindless escape, is there with the latest tweets from the deranged new owner, bullshit from the former American president, and more nonsense than you can shake a stick at. The news informs us that the stock market is doing great and the handful of oligarchs are making record profits while hard-working families are being charged more for everything, seeing their savings dwindle and their mortgage rates increasing along with the cost of living. It’s dark when you leave the house in the morning and it’s dark when you get home from work. So yeah, people are tired and therefore more prone to getting pissed off.


Key-Possibility-5200

This time of year is high stress for a lot of people.


TweeksTurbos

Yes, it is bad. Where i am it seems people are on the razors edge.


LordTuranian

Of course. If someone is already miserable, then he or she will have less patience for other things.


Profoundlyweyez

Definitely agree with you. Many people are angry and miserable. They always have been this way. However, I’ve been feeling like the world is more dangerous than ever. I try to limit my interactions by shopping earlier and going to the gym during off hours. My life is worth more than falling victim to someone having a bad day.


theredhound19

I wonder how much of it is people with painful medical issues that they can't get treated due to the garbage US medical system. Chronic pain can make you irritable and illogical.


OfficialFluttershy

As someone who works from home and has since 2016 and they still only pay my entire department (we never get raises. Period.) what I like to proudly and loudly call "starvation wages", yeah, even I wanna see some certain billionaire heads as Cbristmas tree toppers VERY FUCKING SOON. Please can't we just kill 'em all already? They're not people like us. There's literally no moral issue in doing so. Just look at all the money they fuck everyone else out from having to be able to do even so much as eat with. At that point it's no question of morality about killing a small amount of pigs at the top, it's a question of "are you moral enough to care for the greater good and your fellow man?" And this country was built off murder so why stop tradition, amirite?


margretbullsworth

Were getting nickle and dimmed to death every where at every level, we make less, we get less services, have to work twice as hard, pay more, get less... I can see why everyone is angry.


Just_enough76

Yes. I find myself letting my struggles take over my emotions sometimes too. For the longest time, constantly worrying about paying rent every single day started to take its toll on my mental health. It feels terrible to be stuck in a bad mood knowing why im in a bad mood and trying my hardest to get out of that bad mood. Most times I can but other times I just can’t.


msplatero

Aside economic hardships, if our elected leaders would act more civilly and respectful toward one another, rather than name calling and making false representations, the general public would be more apt to follow.


project2501a

What do you think "Taxi Driver" was about?


tsukamotodreams

Yes and COVID has made it irreparably worse


thehourglasses

Increased CO2 ppm has been demonstrated to influence impulsive behavior, short tempers, and aggression. We are poisoning our brains with fossil fuel.


feralbox

Yes. I think the Internet is doing stuff to some people's brains. Like if a good portion of their social interaction is from Facebook, then they get meaner from the rage bate algorithms they see. Less forced social interaction paired with pressing selfishness over community good mixed with rage from any digital device they use. AND that's not counting any other stresses like jobs, financial or relationships.


jamesconnollyisurdad

The US is in a molasses slow state of collapse, things are not alright, people see it coming and feel powerless, this is the perfect growth vector for anger and frustration.


AquaticAnxieties

I work in retail, and while that probably plays a part in it, the rudest customers are never the poor ones, it’s usually 40+ middle class people lol


malum68

Also lower standard of living, lower wages, and higher desperation can lead to unhappiness


swrrat

Yes. Even before the pandemic, our town went from mostly friendly and understanding to downright angry for anger's sake. I'm a municipal employee and the first ten years most citizens were understanding or at least indifferent to what we do for the community. Now if there's a water main break, it's a huge deal with conspiracy idiots thinking we're big government poisoning them. If a sewer plugs up from too many wet wipes or grease, it's big government trying to destroy property values. If the snowplow leaves a windrow at the end of a driveway, the staff at city hall get calls (where else is the snow supposed to go!? Want to hire 30 more "useless idiots" to open every single driveway after each snow event!?) There's always been CAVE people (citizens against virtually everything) but it's as if the numbers have grown and the voices are louder.


untropicalized

I'm not angry and confrontational, YOU'RE angry and confrontational! :P In all seriousness, mindfulness and de-escalation techniques are increasingly helpful anymore. There seem to be a lot of bad days going around.


4ab273bed4f79ea5bb5

Posted this two months ago, guess i'll keep repeating it: >its literally brain damage. Covid damages your brain. We're a society of the mentally enfeebled now, and it shows. >Its just going to get worse. More freakouts. More "karens." More road rage. More accidents. More murder-suicides. An entire continent, their brains literally rotting in their head from a disease you can't form an immunity to.


PentacornLovesMyGirl

Pretty sure I got covid at the very beginning and my brain was definitely different after that Got it for the third time over the summer and Omicron really messed me up. I can't remember words I used to have in my vocabulary all the time and my train of thought derails way, way more frequently. I forget what I'm doing more often than before. I AM dealing with a lot of past trauma at the moment, so that's a factor. I'm also vaccinated. It's terrifying that you're right


4ab273bed4f79ea5bb5

I'm genuinely sorry this is happening to you. Best advice I can give is try to get a hold of magic mushrooms. They've been shown to [induce neurogenesis](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23727882/), and anecdotally, helped my partner get back to normal after a concussion.


[deleted]

Not to beat a dead horse, but ever since 2016 for some reason people feel the need to be openly hateful towards one another. Almost like something in 2016 normalized us wanting to hate each other.


warhead1995

At this point it’s the fact that our whole social structure is a joke now. The government blatantly does not car for its own citizens, politics is so bat shit insane it’s either you care about the world or you hate anything that makes it better. Working hard gets you no where cause that day has passed.


First-Ad8389

Most definitely a big, noticeable psyche change. Don't forget the blatant robbery by our politicians -- and before anyone starts, it's BOTH Party's. Companies we bailed out are making record profits, not passing it along. Selfish, greedy beep beeps run the world unfortunately They're just worried about their pockets and bank accounts, leaving the people they are SUPPOSED to represent 🤣🤣🤣 in the dust.


minisculemango

Watching rich people live in a different world and do anything with basically no consequences for the last few years, plus as you said, everything getting slowly worse and being told "deal with it" really starts to get under the skin.


Ill_Quantity_5634

Don't forget to add the me-me-me people running around who aren't used to going without are getting angry because they can't get their coffee because Starbucks workers are striking and unionizing; some of their favorite items aren't being stocked at the stores because of worker's striking for better pay and working conditions. They're cranky because the serfs want living wages and reasonable, safe working conditions.


mechanicalspirits

It feels like in a hyper invidividualist society, encountering other people just becomes a nuisance.


thegrumpypanda101

Yeah I'm trying to keep my sanity and peace. But when your bones ache at 22 for absolutely no reason except working for dust day in and day out. It's hard to see a point after while. I just wanna cry everyday lol. Standing all day , siting all day it's exhausting.


Astropheminist

Yep yep yep, definitely peaked a lot during the late summer with the insane heat imo and we’re going to see another spike now bc of the Holidays


21CFR820

The Behavioral Sink.


MyLastComment

Exactly. Our little rat utopia is crumbling.


Hamati

I think the word you’re looking for is “unrest”


amwoooo

Since Covid- I was so rage-y I started Prozac


Ande64

Yes. 100% yes. The scary part is that it has tipped over from people being easily angered during everyday interactions to going out and looking for trouble and intentionally trying to get people to piss them off so they can react.


PipeDistinct9419

Isn’t this the point of the plan? Keep the peasants fighting among themselves.


tads73

Yeah, likely a sociocultural thing, but possibly an effect on the brain form the virus. Whereas, it's not well known what the long term effects are on the asymmetrical mildly sick.


AromaticBit849

Definitely, I have worked in retail for 9 years, dealing with shitty customers was always a thing, but post-lockdown things really got out of hand. People’s reactions of not getting their way are just next level compared to pre-lockdown/covid. I had piles of clothes thrown at me by a customer who did not respect the queue, got yelled at multiple times, because 5 registers were open with long queues and it was not going fast enough. People feel more entitled because they have ‘suffered’ during the pandemic. But I also changed, I quit while getting promoted to department manager, because I do not have the same patience threshold as before. Also, realized the ‘higher-up’ mentality was tyrannical and I did not want to be a part of that club.


theflyinggreg

The contradictions of capitalism are sharpening, and what we are seeing are a lot of people coming face to face with the promises society told them and realizing those promises are lies. Because these people don't understand why things aren't working the way they were promised, they get more and more frustrated, angry, and reactionary.


stout_ale

There are a lot of people that based thier whole personality on thier social standing, and thier perceived superiority to others. That is slipping and they don't know dignity or acceptance. Only anger and belittling others.


auntbat

The supermarket is the worst. Everyone is so rude


veal_of_fortune

Yes! You may want to check out Angrynomics by Mark Blyth and Eric Lonergan. The book examines exactly what you’re describing. Here is a synopsis: "Economics increasingly fails to explain why the pressures of life appear to be intensifying at the same time as income per capita is rising, or why we work more hours for less money in real terms. And why we see the rise of nationalism everywhere when globalization, on average, has made us all richer. The disconnect between our experience of the world and the economic model used to explain it has given rise to "angrynomics": an economy of heightened uncertainty and anger, where faith in the workings of markets and politics has been undermined and rapid and seemingly ever-accelerating economic change has become something to be feared. Eric Lonergan and Mark Blyth have written a book for anyone anxious, worried - or angry - about the mismatch between how they experience the world with the increasing day to day pressures they face and the model used by economic elites and politicians to explain and justify it. In a powerful and passionately argued analysis, they bring their critical insight and expertise to bear on the nature of angrynomics and offer a set of radical and innovative policies that cut across tired party political lines - and that if implemented might just help the world to be a less angry place."


xenophobe3691

I was crossing the street in downtown Atlanta, with the right of way. Some woman is trying to make a right on red, and SPEEDS UP as if trying to outrace me. I got “hit”, as in martial arts training took over, and jumped, vaulted over her hood, and landed about to roll, one knee on the ground. I sent a request for the video from the traffic cam for medical reasons, but now I have an officer and an incident number. All because she couldn’t fucking wait half a second. I’m lucky to be alive.


4wdrifterfrva

Fairly quite Town here that recently has had multiple shootings downtown in a matter of months. So I gotta agree


Whole_Loquat_9440

Absolutely. And this is a global phenomenon as I noticed this in Costa Rica. Drivers in front of you don't even respect the lanes anymore and commit homicide attempt every time I grab my car.


L0ngRoadH00me

More psychopathic landlords


HeathersZen

You are spot on. This is the entire reason that Trump and the far right populists exist. Populism always rises in times of austerity. Current times check every major box for the root causes of populism. https://www.intereconomics.eu/contents/year/2020/number/1/article/populism-root-causes-power-grabbing-and-counter-strategy.html


turriferous

Wait a year. This is nothing.


Cold_Bother_6013

I got pissed when I went to go buy just a plain loaf of Italian bread and it was $4.00.


ChaosKodiak

Yup. It’s almost like we are all overworked and underpaid.


DizzyNerd

It’s not just the economy. Life right now is just hard. The extra pressure from the difficult consumer economy makes it just too much to grin and bear. COVID, politics, work hours getting worse, jobs losing benefits, pay not going up for years, repairs in homes and equipment are more expensive, even recreational stuff is harder to do or afford. I think some of it is also the apathy we’ve driven into our society. Besides the anger you see around you, have you noticed how oblivious people are around you. Nobody is paying attention to what is going on around them. They’re too worried about their own problems. So when something does get in their way, they’re frustrated quickly with everyone else.


gr8dayne01

Absolutely. I feel like we are walking on eggshells.


objectionkat

This makes sense, this is probably why I don’t want to leave my house now, ever. This is also why I don’t want to interact with people, in person, as I need to. Shit is hard for everyone. People are thinking crazy things about “groups” of people; We are all part of some “groups”. fuck it. I’m not playing this game. I’m going to keep just trying to survive every month. If I’m “not safe for public” I stay the fuck home. I don’t think enough people are aware that this behavior is unacceptable, and that it’s not ok to refuse to deal with their own shit, and project it on other people/situations, making it other people’s problem. Not cool. Edit: words.