Politics – Apt. 11d

As a volunteer for the Saturday morning Beginners’ Running Group, my job is to latch onto one of the beginners and distract them from the pain of running. It’s good for me, because I was a sucky runner this winter and need the slow pace of the beginners to get back in shape. And I talk with one new random person every week.

Last week, I talked with a lovely woman in her late 20s. The law firm, where she works doing corporate events, had recently transferred her to their New York City offices from Philadelphia. She explained that she only found this job after a long hunt. She had to spam the Internet job engines with hundreds of resumes per day until a company finally called her for an interview. 1000 resumes might equal one interview.

Yes, there are many young people who living their best lives with high paying jobs and standing online for an hour to get an Influencer-approved donut. A handful are already married. But mostly, I talk with young people who are struggling.

Some young adults struggle because they don’t have the right pedigree to provide them with a swift ramp to work, like my running friend. Others struggle because they don’t like the jobs that are available. Some never got over the Covid crisis. Addicted to their vapes and TikTok, their lives are deeply unhealthy. I have to wonder if college protests and encampments with their incoherent demands are more a reflection of their low level of misery than any real political statements.