January 21, 2026 • 26 mins
Patty and the Millennials — Why Don’t People Want to Work?
Is Work Still Important? On this episode of Patty and the Millennials, Patty Jackson and the Millennials tackle a question thatkeeps coming up at dinner tables, in workplaces, and all over social media: Why does it feel like people don’t want to work anymore?
Is it laziness or burnout? Are people rejecting work altogether, or just outdated work culture? And in a world of rising costs, flexible schedules, and redefining success, what does work even mean in 2026?
From generational expectations and hustle culture to work-life balance, mental health, and purpose, this conversation explores whether work is still a central part of identity or simply a means to survive.
As always, expect honest opinions, generational contrasts, and a few moments that might make you uncomfortable in the best way.
Is Work Still Important? On this episode of Patty and the Millennials, Patty Jackson and the Millennials tackle a question thatkeeps coming up at dinner tables, in workplaces, and all over social media: Why does it feel like people don’t want to work anymore?
Is it laziness or burnout? Are people rejecting work altogether, or just outdated work culture? And in a world of rising costs, flexible schedules, and redefining success, what does work even mean in 2026?
From generational expectations and hustle culture to work-life balance, mental health, and purpose, this conversation explores whether work is still a central part of identity or simply a means to survive.
As always, expect honest opinions, generational contrasts, and a few moments that might make you uncomfortable in the best way.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Whether it's life, relationships, politics, or current events, nothing is
off limits. This is the Patty and the Millennials podcast,
powered by Independence Blue Cross, helping to bridge the gap
between baby Boomers, jen X and millennials.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
You have found us. This is the podcast conversation Patty
and the Millennials and Patty Jackson. I am assumed to
be forty four year radio vet. I'm really days away
from and I've been doing this for forty four years,
but just in the past ten years or so, I've
been braced podcasting and I'm having a lot of fun
as a baby boomer, gen Z, jen X millennials. We
(00:42):
talk about everything, and this week we're talking about why
people don't want to work. Jill Scott was doing an
interview when you talked about, you know, your twenties, your thirties,
your forties, your fifties, how your work life life should be.
Reach Green is joining us. A recent grad of Saint
(01:04):
Joe's University. I was appalled by what I read because Reese,
this is where people were saying.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
What were they saying?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I don't want to work. I don't want to work
smart or work hard at all? I want to work
as a hobby. I don't want to work like a
dog for a lifetime. I was really surprised because I'm
from the school you know, like I'm forty four years
I put in to broadcasting. If you love what you do,
(01:37):
it never feels like work. But a lot of people
reads they hate their job.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
No, they do. And I'll say social media does not help.
We're seeing all of our favorite content creators make millions
and it seems like, oh, they live a stress free lifestyle. Whatever.
Nobody's thinking about how many businesses they're running, how many
things that they got going on behind the scenes. They're
making their money work for them. People, y'all got to
go outside and get to that level. You can't just
(02:03):
think money's just going to magically appear like that's not
how that works. It's you know, and I blame the
remote work. I blame so many things of like you know,
these get money fast schemes four x, all these old
schemes that people just want now instead of go out
work do what you gotta do. But yes, like you said,
if you work a job you love, it won't even
(02:23):
feel like a work.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
So would you say that is the world bigger than work?
Because a lot of people. I think you're unrealistic if
you think, because nowadays, waighte breeze, you gotta have a hustle.
You got to have a regular job in a side
hustle to make ends meet.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, it's a shame. Look, I got three I know
exactly what it's like.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It's a new year and people don't want to work.
The podcast conversation Patty and the Millennialstasia is here, Daja,
what do you are you surprised when you hear people say, well,
I don't want to work. I don't want to you know,
work for a lifetime, work like a dog for a lifetime.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
It's not even I won't say it's surprising, only because
when you have social media, everything looks like a popcorn
kind of thing, like where it's just easy. I can
get money quick, I can find a way to make
money fast, so people feel like they don't have to
work because people are only but people only post the
great things on social media their life and their career.
So it has everyone thinking that everything's gonna come easy,
(03:27):
and if I do this real quick, then I won't
have to worry about working for the rest of my life.
It's insane it's insane a little bit.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I heard somebody say, I just want to work as
a hobby. It's a hobby, that's funny, it's life because
you have to pay your bills. Yeah, of course we
wish that we could just go on fabulous vacations and
things like this and drink mimosas. But the reality is
(03:55):
you got to make money, so you got to go
to work to make money.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
I think people are confusing and saying it's wrong. I
think people just want financial stability or to have an
overload of amount where working feels like more of an
option and not an obligation, which is crazy because it
has to be. But I think people are just financially scared.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Desie Neil is joining us the song stress. How come
people don't want to work?
Speaker 5 (04:20):
Oh? I am so I have a dichotomy going on.
Speaker 6 (04:26):
I'm a split this morning. So I will say this,
for my creative work, I never want to stop the
thing that I love, my purpose work. I never want
to stop.
Speaker 7 (04:35):
But if I'm honest, you guys know I work at nine.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
To five too, right, and so when I don't feel
that passion in my work, I really have been feeling
like I don't want to go. As a matter of fact,
my physical body will respond to the work that's not
either you know, creative work or purpose work. For the
people who just don't want to do anything, now, I
can't speak for them because I'm allergic to brokeness.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I'm allergic to all that and I need my coin flowing.
Speaker 8 (05:00):
But I don't know.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I'm feeling this.
Speaker 6 (05:03):
I feel like I just want to operate in purpose.
And I'm reading this book called rest is Resistance.
Speaker 8 (05:08):
By Tricia Hirsty, and it's helping me.
Speaker 7 (05:10):
To really identify the systematic portion of the slavery of work. Right,
So like I'm a split this morning, Izzie.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I really don't know.
Speaker 6 (05:19):
But I do know I'm going to continue to do
the work of my purpose.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I do know that chacolate Divinity LaToya Charleston is in
the building. And I read an article and a lot
of people they talk about how they don't want to work,
they're not working, And I'm wondering, is it because if
you're saddled with a lot of debt and you have
(05:45):
to take a job that you don't like. Because I
am from the school if you love what you do.
You will show up. You will show up. But if
you hate your job and you hate your boss, you
gonna be like deuces.
Speaker 9 (06:01):
Yes, it's very easy to have burnout much more quickly
today too, because I feel as though people just don't
have that space to breathe. But at the end of
the day, I'm all for it, Like I subscribe to
more balance than anything. Because the people who don't want
to work, Okay, that's all well and good, but maybe
how the bill's gonna get paid? What have you figured
(06:23):
out that I have not yet, That there's no reason
that for me to actually go out and have a
job on the daily basis. So I say that those people,
I get it. Most people don't want to work most
of the time.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
They'll tell you.
Speaker 9 (06:36):
I'm only when they when you go into the job
interview and they be like, oh, why do you want this?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Joper Like, baby, I want it. I need to pay
the bills.
Speaker 9 (06:43):
I can't go tell the renter, you know, the landlord,
that hey, I don't feel like working today. So I'm
with you on that, Patty, Like I feel like so
many people we kind of got away from You know,
you live in a society. You just gotta pay the bills,
get out there and do something. They did a good
paying job. But like you said, if you don't somewhat
at least enjoy what you do. And that doesn't mean
(07:04):
that every single day is going to be a great,
amazing day when you do have your dream job, but
when you genuinely enjoy what you do, it gives you
more of a wherewithal to show up like, Okay, I
might not be my best today, but I'm showing up.
But a lot of these people, I get it. You
get into these jobs. A lot of times you go
and excite it, can't wait to make change, and then
(07:25):
you get in there and.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You'd be like, oh this some bs like.
Speaker 9 (07:29):
And I'm not even valued here. So do do you
become a slave to the check because it pays pretty good?
Or do you go out there and follow what your
heart's desire.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
And that might be a little harder depending on your situation.
Speaker 9 (07:42):
No offense, but if the baby's gotta eat, your heart's
desire ain't gonna put food on the table right here
and there. So balance, That's the only advice that I
have for people out there. Try to find the balance
that fits you.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
This is the podcast conversation Patty and the millennials. We've
got sex doctor Heather. She's here and we're talking about
people not wanting to work. And here's my question for you.
There seems to be such a problem where people don't
want to work, They don't want to show up, they
don't want to do If a person is working in
(08:17):
an office, right, do you think that could have a
lot because they don't really get along with other people.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
Patty, Oh my gosh, this is a great topic.
Speaker 7 (08:29):
I was just talking about this the other day one
of my girlfriends, because she's on a dating app and
it says self employed like a lot of the guys
on the dating app. She was saying, it's just self employed,
and she's like, why is everybody self employed?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
You know? I feel like people.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
Just I'm gonna blame it on social media is showing
people that there are people who.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Are not working.
Speaker 7 (08:53):
I think they are working, but you don't see that
they're working because they're always on social media.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
So I think it.
Speaker 7 (08:59):
Has built this dream world around being an entrepreneur, which,
don't get me wrong, Patty, being an entrepreneur can be
a wonderful, amazing life, but you can't just be an entrepreneur.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
You have to work.
Speaker 7 (09:13):
Like being an entrepreneur means being your own boss. It
means being the boss of others. It means being the plumber,
the therapist, the electrician, all the things right, and people
aren't ready to put that work in. I don't know
if it's going into the office and not getting along
with people. I think it's bigger. Actually, I just think
people see other people not working and they don't want
(09:33):
to work. Everybody want to be self employed.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
She's a writer, she is a content creator, and she
is amazing. Whitney Roberts is joining us the podcast Conversation
Patty and the Millennials. We're talking about the workforce and
the lack there. Whitney. Most jobs, many jobs are having
problems with employers of their employees. They don't want to work,
(10:02):
the attitudes. They will come out and say, I don't
want to work. I have a girlfriend, she's on a
dating app and she was alarmed by what do you
do for a living? And they were like self employed?
That Whitney. Everybody can't be self employed, you know, everybody can't.
Speaker 10 (10:21):
Be yes, But I can imagine, I can imagine that's
a especially you know, coming from people who have been
built to work really really hard and to find our
drives and to find hustle and to find something to do.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Yeah, that's really hard to hear. Why do you think
that is? I know, I'm a baby boomer, so I'm like, well,
I kind of think differently. I definitely have my dad's
work ethic. You know, you show up and you do
the work. But I see people with this, you know,
just lack of daisy old you know, like is the
(10:59):
world big than work? This is the question I went
to answer.
Speaker 10 (11:02):
Oh, that is a that is a phenomenal question, and
that is a testament to the people that you came from, Patty.
But also like people like you and me, we have
the benefit. We have the privilege of doing the work
that we love, Like we are passionate about the things
we are in you you are the radio vet.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
You're not a radio vet.
Speaker 7 (11:21):
You are the radio vet.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
And so a lot of people don't have that privilege.
Speaker 10 (11:26):
A lot of people are doing this work that they
don't like, that they don't appreciate, that doesn't appreciate them.
Some people feel like they're underpaid for the hard work
that they've done, like they've gone to school, or they're
going to technical school, or they've built the skills and
they feel like they're underpaid or underappreciated. I think that
this is a really nuanced conversation that we can have.
But there are people out there who straight up don't
(11:46):
want to work, and we need to address that as well.
But I think that the whole conversation is very nuanced
and we need to have a deeper conversation about it.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
On this edition to Patty and the Millennials, we're talking
about people's reluctant to work, to be a good worker.
Some people just want to be self employed, but they're
still not working. Where is this attitude coming from? Did
it get worse after COVID? We've got author Kim read
(12:16):
Off the miss always wins. What is it about people's
attitude that they they're want work?
Speaker 5 (12:26):
Well, you know, it's funny, You're absolutely right, and it's
it's also too specific. The strength of that statement is
specific to generation right, because we're not going to even
talk about gen y and below right. That's a whole
another podcast. Patty on their brand in the workplace. But
(12:48):
what I will say overall, and I'm putting on my
human resource astat now is that what we do know
is that people don't want to work in systems that
exhaust them, undervalue them, or ignore their humanity. Now what
am I what the what's the plain piece of this
(13:11):
is that people want to be treated fairly in the workplace.
They want to feel like they belong. They they can't
deal with the politics that are happening now and to
discuss those, they they just want to come to work.
You know, now, when you go to work, it's so
(13:31):
much that you have to do in addition to your
job right, and it becomes this survival of sorts. So
you know, in defense to all the workers in the world,
in defense of all the workers in the world, is
that it's not about laziness. It's about burnout, misalignment, lack
(13:55):
of trust. Let's talk about stagnant pay right because the
government shut down taught us that, you know, that can
happen to any one of us. So I think, you know,
people still want to contribute. They just don't want to
breed for their environments or for their companies or for
(14:16):
their workplace that won't invest in them.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
People in the workplace, how come they don't want to work?
And it's not just a young thing because some of
the older people, a lot of people feel like the
world is bigger than work. We've got comedian Derek Lee,
how you doing. I've been reading up on it, reading
(14:44):
comments they gave me. They want to see work as
a hobby.
Speaker 11 (14:50):
Let me go biblical on you. A man that don't
work shouldn't eat. And I'm just dealing with the men
because that's why I really like to talk about. If
you know any man, if he's not blind, death, crippled, crazy,
you know, on some type of medication, he's supposed to
have a job and you got a nerve to have children,
that isn't a man. A man that don't work shouldn't need.
(15:10):
A man that doesn't work doesn't take care of his family,
isn't a man? Now, women that don't do it? It
really depends are they taking care of children? Do they
have a lot of children? Are they slightly disabled? It's
never equal when it comes to men and women. But
I'm telling you, a man that doesn't work isn't a
worthless is a worthless man. And a woman brings a
man into her home and dates them, she's an idiot
(15:35):
because I call him a homeless bum.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
You never meant your words.
Speaker 11 (15:42):
Because it's sad that society today we are so short
men and because we have been so brainwashed with non
men and feminized men. I'm coming to you, what like
that old uncle or your grandfather. Let's just get to
the point that's called being a man.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Lexi is here. She is a dueler, and she's all
about maternal health when women are carrying children and pregnancy
and the safety. She does a great job, Lexi, I
want to ask you about it was reading something alarming.
Jill Scott was talking about the breakdown of your life
from your twenties and thirties or forties, your fifties, and
(16:23):
the people in the comments were were it was surprising,
like some people said, I don't wanna work hard, I
want to work as a hobby. Is the world bigger
than work?
Speaker 4 (16:39):
That?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
It made me think that because a lot of people
have an attitude about working like they think they get
to they fifties and day's supposed to be working. And
I'm like, what your thoughts on what we see in
the workplace right now?
Speaker 12 (16:54):
I did see that response and comments, and I actually
resonated with what she was saying. And I say that too,
because I've heard it presented before, even by Pastor Waller,
and so one of the things I think he attributes
that to, like, you know, the older saints and things
like that in his life. And I forget this specific phrase,
(17:16):
but it says something like he who learns nothing in
their twenties, does nothing in their thirties, has nothing in
their forties, and becomes nothing, you know, and it goes
on and on. So what it made me think about
is that somehow in our lives we have in our society,
I'll say, we have decided that life is linear and
that it has to has this start and finish, just
(17:38):
like life and death does, but there's this dash in between.
And so I'll use myself an example.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
For twenty years, eighteen or.
Speaker 12 (17:45):
Twenty years, I was a for profit executive working for
different health insurance companies. Had no thoughts about becoming a doula. Well,
i'll say fifteen years prior to this, had no thoughts
about becoming a doula. I knew people got pregnant, people
have babies. But what I started to learn as I
started shifting my career is that God will get his
(18:09):
glory however he can, and your purpose can be fulfilled
in many different ways, and so I think that's what
we should focus more on. It's not about what the
decade is necessarily that it's happening in, but are we
doing God's will his way or are we doing our
will our way?
Speaker 2 (18:29):
And a lot of times that don't work.
Speaker 12 (18:33):
And I love how she talked about there's like so
the things that came to mind, like and she was
talking is like this age based work philosophy, right that
it has to look this certain way. But I'm in
my forties and I've pivoted into a new space less
than ten years ago. So if I took the thought
process of that, well, nope, I gotta do what I've
(18:54):
always done, then I would have missed out on so
many opportunities to grow myself.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
We've got veteran broadcaster uncle O. And this is a
question I could not wait to hear your responds. People
don't want to work nowadays, Oh they don't. And it
could be across all industries. They don't want to work.
Do you think it could be the work environment? People
(19:22):
are crazy out here? What do you think it is?
Speaker 13 (19:25):
I think it's people are fed up with ignorant management.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
People are as a combination.
Speaker 13 (19:34):
Right, So some people are lazy, they don't want to work,
and then the gig economy has helped people say to
forget that job, I can make that money in the
gig economy, and so they are taking less from their employers.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I have a girlfriend and she's on this dating side.
A lot of the men were like, we're self and employed.
Like there were more people saying that they were self employed.
What do you what do you think that is the
gig economy?
Speaker 13 (20:09):
Yeah, if you're if you're you pay taxes on the work.
If you're supposed to, you're supposed to pay taxes on
the money you make. Ubering, lifting, door dashing, you pay
taxes on it. You're an independent contractor. So yes, they
they are self employed. If you work for yourself, if
you're paying your own taxes and paying for your own
(20:31):
health insurance, then you're self employed. Now are you making
the money that that woman want you to make in order.
Speaker 14 (20:38):
To be with her is a different question.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Do you think that the world is much bigger than work?
I heard someone use that reference the reason why they
don't like working. They said, because the world is bigger
than work.
Speaker 14 (20:53):
The world is never bigger than work.
Speaker 13 (20:54):
That's the that's the most foolish thing I've ever heard
in my life. Now it's a different it's different. So
even if you work for yourself, you have to work. So,
how is the world bigger than work? You have to work,
even if it's for yourself. You have to keep the
business afloat in the first few years, first two or
three years building the business where you're not really making
(21:17):
any money, it's going to take a whole lot of work. So, no,
the world's never bigger than work.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
The workplace today is so different, and I think depending
on how own you are, you think differently. People don't
want to work. Is it the environment? Is it because
they don't have a good boss. Is it because they're
not doing something that they love and they have a
passion for. Is the world bigger than work? I've heard
(21:44):
people say this, We've got dexter your thoughts. Some jobs
are they can't keep people? They can't.
Speaker 14 (21:55):
I think a lot of it is the pandemic, which
ironically was almost six years to go. Now. I think
the pandemic showed us something like people always preach work
life balance, but I think the pandemic showed us that
that that's a real thing. It's not just something that
somebody says, Like you really can work and live your
life separately. Like it does not have to be this
(22:16):
work yourself into a grave and then you go home
and spend three minutes to yourself. Like the pandemic showed
us how like we could do our work from home,
how like we could do our work later on in
the day. Like it just does not have to be
that normal structure nine to five. And I think now
that we've come out of the pandemic and a lot
of people going back into the offices, it's difficult to
(22:36):
shake that. Like sure, it's been a couple of years now,
but like we enjoyed what we were able to do,
and we know we can get our work done in
different ways. And I think that companies have to get
with the times in order to maintain employees and employee morale.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Well, how about when people think of work as a hobby,
they think it's a damn hobby.
Speaker 14 (22:58):
I think that's that's kind of where it comes. And
also I think that with social media specifically like LinkedIn,
like you see like your friends and your family, they're
doing all this stuff and they're getting all these things
from their job and then you realize you're like, well,
I'm not getting that I don't have these opportunities. And
I do think it makes people work a little bit
less and not as hard as maybe their counterparts. Who
(23:19):
are you know, being recognized for the work.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
That they're doing, SAYEDA Duncan works in our iHeartMedia promotion.
She's the director. Siye, the workplace today, people don't want
to work. Is it the environment? Do you blame it
on COVID? Do you think a lot of people are
(23:45):
just not into it.
Speaker 15 (23:47):
It's a mixture of things, and just speaking on myself,
I know it really stems from actually doing what you
want to do. If you're not doing what you want
to do, everything is going to feel like a drag.
Building this succel sheet, this email, whatever it is, it's
going to feel like a drag. So long you're not
doing what it is that you want, it just takes everything,
(24:11):
everything out of you. If it becomes more of a
chore than a hobby.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Okay, what about kids getting out of school. They got
to pay back that student loan, they're trying to live,
they're trying to make it so they get a job.
Just to pay the bills and they're not doing their passion.
Speaker 15 (24:29):
They're not doing their passion, and it's really hard because
times like that, especially coming straight out of school, you
still have the book mindset and all that stuff, but
in some way you still have freedom to come in
and bring your new idea, your fresh idea to that
workplace to then kind of transform and tweak it a
little bit. And I say this because me stepping into
(24:51):
a new role, coming from a place that I struggled
with because it wasn't my passion and coming to somewhere
that you can, you know, get a little creative idea
that boosts that morale. So I would say, if you're
having a really hard time with your job, find something
it is that you like doing in your day to
day and try to implement it into your workday and
(25:13):
you'll see how much change with just one simple, one
simple mind shift.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Radio VET Austin for now is joining us and we're
in a society Austin. People don't want to work, and
it's not just young people but older people. They feel
that the world is bigger than work and I want
to do work as a hobby. Where do you think
(25:42):
this trend is coming.
Speaker 8 (25:43):
From Okay, Patty, Here's the way I look at it.
Our society and the work culture is changing drastically right now,
right before our eyes. And I think we're waking up
to the fact that there is more to life than
the nine to five hustle culture or where you spend
your whole life driving to work and sitting at a desk,
going home and doing that for forty years until you die,
(26:06):
right And I think we're waking up to this idea
that there is more to life THN climbing a corporate ladder. A.
It's exhausting, and B we're getting replaced by AI anyway.
So it's like, you know, like people are more like
I want to do me, and I want to travel,
and I want to follow my dreams and not be
(26:26):
burnt out. So I think we're placing more value on
self expression and life experience and living in alignment more
than performing for work until you die.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
This I like how you put that. This is the
podcast conversation, Patty, the millennials. We talk about life and
everything in it. Austin. Thank you so much. You will
find us where podcasts Live. I'm Patty Jackson. Thanks for
joining us.
Whether it's life, relationships, politics, or current events, nothing is
off limits. This is the Patty and the Millennials podcast,
powered by Independence Blue Cross, helping to bridge the gap
between baby Boomers, jen X and millennials.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
You have found us. This is the podcast conversation Patty
and the Millennials and Patty Jackson. I am assumed to
be forty four year radio vet. I'm really days away
from and I've been doing this for forty four years,
but just in the past ten years or so, I've
been braced podcasting and I'm having a lot of fun
as a baby boomer, gen Z, jen X millennials. We
(00:42):
talk about everything, and this week we're talking about why
people don't want to work. Jill Scott was doing an
interview when you talked about, you know, your twenties, your thirties,
your forties, your fifties, how your work life life should be.
Reach Green is joining us. A recent grad of Saint
(01:04):
Joe's University. I was appalled by what I read because Reese,
this is where people were saying.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
What were they saying?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I don't want to work. I don't want to work
smart or work hard at all? I want to work
as a hobby. I don't want to work like a
dog for a lifetime. I was really surprised because I'm
from the school you know, like I'm forty four years
I put in to broadcasting. If you love what you do,
(01:37):
it never feels like work. But a lot of people
reads they hate their job.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
No, they do. And I'll say social media does not help.
We're seeing all of our favorite content creators make millions
and it seems like, oh, they live a stress free lifestyle. Whatever.
Nobody's thinking about how many businesses they're running, how many
things that they got going on behind the scenes. They're
making their money work for them. People, y'all got to
go outside and get to that level. You can't just
(02:03):
think money's just going to magically appear like that's not
how that works. It's you know, and I blame the
remote work. I blame so many things of like you know,
these get money fast schemes four x, all these old
schemes that people just want now instead of go out
work do what you gotta do. But yes, like you said,
if you work a job you love, it won't even
(02:23):
feel like a work.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
So would you say that is the world bigger than work?
Because a lot of people. I think you're unrealistic if
you think, because nowadays, waighte breeze, you gotta have a hustle.
You got to have a regular job in a side
hustle to make ends meet.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, it's a shame. Look, I got three I know
exactly what it's like.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It's a new year and people don't want to work.
The podcast conversation Patty and the Millennialstasia is here, Daja,
what do you are you surprised when you hear people say, well,
I don't want to work. I don't want to you know,
work for a lifetime, work like a dog for a lifetime.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
It's not even I won't say it's surprising, only because
when you have social media, everything looks like a popcorn
kind of thing, like where it's just easy. I can
get money quick, I can find a way to make
money fast, so people feel like they don't have to
work because people are only but people only post the
great things on social media their life and their career.
So it has everyone thinking that everything's gonna come easy,
(03:27):
and if I do this real quick, then I won't
have to worry about working for the rest of my life.
It's insane it's insane a little bit.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I heard somebody say, I just want to work as
a hobby. It's a hobby, that's funny, it's life because
you have to pay your bills. Yeah, of course we
wish that we could just go on fabulous vacations and
things like this and drink mimosas. But the reality is
(03:55):
you got to make money, so you got to go
to work to make money.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
I think people are confusing and saying it's wrong. I
think people just want financial stability or to have an
overload of amount where working feels like more of an
option and not an obligation, which is crazy because it
has to be. But I think people are just financially scared.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Desie Neil is joining us the song stress. How come
people don't want to work?
Speaker 5 (04:20):
Oh? I am so I have a dichotomy going on.
Speaker 6 (04:26):
I'm a split this morning. So I will say this,
for my creative work, I never want to stop the
thing that I love, my purpose work. I never want
to stop.
Speaker 7 (04:35):
But if I'm honest, you guys know I work at nine.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
To five too, right, and so when I don't feel
that passion in my work, I really have been feeling
like I don't want to go. As a matter of fact,
my physical body will respond to the work that's not
either you know, creative work or purpose work. For the
people who just don't want to do anything, now, I
can't speak for them because I'm allergic to brokeness.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I'm allergic to all that and I need my coin flowing.
Speaker 8 (05:00):
But I don't know.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
I'm feeling this.
Speaker 6 (05:03):
I feel like I just want to operate in purpose.
And I'm reading this book called rest is Resistance.
Speaker 8 (05:08):
By Tricia Hirsty, and it's helping me.
Speaker 7 (05:10):
To really identify the systematic portion of the slavery of work. Right,
So like I'm a split this morning, Izzie.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I really don't know.
Speaker 6 (05:19):
But I do know I'm going to continue to do
the work of my purpose.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I do know that chacolate Divinity LaToya Charleston is in
the building. And I read an article and a lot
of people they talk about how they don't want to work,
they're not working, And I'm wondering, is it because if
you're saddled with a lot of debt and you have
(05:45):
to take a job that you don't like. Because I
am from the school if you love what you do.
You will show up. You will show up. But if
you hate your job and you hate your boss, you
gonna be like deuces.
Speaker 9 (06:01):
Yes, it's very easy to have burnout much more quickly
today too, because I feel as though people just don't
have that space to breathe. But at the end of
the day, I'm all for it, Like I subscribe to
more balance than anything. Because the people who don't want
to work, Okay, that's all well and good, but maybe
how the bill's gonna get paid? What have you figured
(06:23):
out that I have not yet, That there's no reason
that for me to actually go out and have a
job on the daily basis. So I say that those people,
I get it. Most people don't want to work most
of the time.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
They'll tell you.
Speaker 9 (06:36):
I'm only when they when you go into the job
interview and they be like, oh, why do you want this?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Joper Like, baby, I want it. I need to pay
the bills.
Speaker 9 (06:43):
I can't go tell the renter, you know, the landlord,
that hey, I don't feel like working today. So I'm
with you on that, Patty, Like I feel like so
many people we kind of got away from You know,
you live in a society. You just gotta pay the bills,
get out there and do something. They did a good
paying job. But like you said, if you don't somewhat
at least enjoy what you do. And that doesn't mean
(07:04):
that every single day is going to be a great,
amazing day when you do have your dream job, but
when you genuinely enjoy what you do, it gives you
more of a wherewithal to show up like, Okay, I
might not be my best today, but I'm showing up.
But a lot of these people, I get it. You
get into these jobs. A lot of times you go
and excite it, can't wait to make change, and then
(07:25):
you get in there and.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You'd be like, oh this some bs like.
Speaker 9 (07:29):
And I'm not even valued here. So do do you
become a slave to the check because it pays pretty good?
Or do you go out there and follow what your
heart's desire.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
And that might be a little harder depending on your situation.
Speaker 9 (07:42):
No offense, but if the baby's gotta eat, your heart's
desire ain't gonna put food on the table right here
and there. So balance, That's the only advice that I
have for people out there. Try to find the balance
that fits you.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
This is the podcast conversation Patty and the millennials. We've
got sex doctor Heather. She's here and we're talking about
people not wanting to work. And here's my question for you.
There seems to be such a problem where people don't
want to work, They don't want to show up, they
don't want to do If a person is working in
(08:17):
an office, right, do you think that could have a
lot because they don't really get along with other people.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
Patty, Oh my gosh, this is a great topic.
Speaker 7 (08:29):
I was just talking about this the other day one
of my girlfriends, because she's on a dating app and
it says self employed like a lot of the guys
on the dating app. She was saying, it's just self employed,
and she's like, why is everybody self employed?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
You know? I feel like people.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
Just I'm gonna blame it on social media is showing
people that there are people who.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Are not working.
Speaker 7 (08:53):
I think they are working, but you don't see that
they're working because they're always on social media.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
So I think it.
Speaker 7 (08:59):
Has built this dream world around being an entrepreneur, which,
don't get me wrong, Patty, being an entrepreneur can be
a wonderful, amazing life, but you can't just be an entrepreneur.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
You have to work.
Speaker 7 (09:13):
Like being an entrepreneur means being your own boss. It
means being the boss of others. It means being the plumber,
the therapist, the electrician, all the things right, and people
aren't ready to put that work in. I don't know
if it's going into the office and not getting along
with people. I think it's bigger. Actually, I just think
people see other people not working and they don't want
(09:33):
to work. Everybody want to be self employed.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
She's a writer, she is a content creator, and she
is amazing. Whitney Roberts is joining us the podcast Conversation
Patty and the Millennials. We're talking about the workforce and
the lack there. Whitney. Most jobs, many jobs are having
problems with employers of their employees. They don't want to work,
(10:02):
the attitudes. They will come out and say, I don't
want to work. I have a girlfriend, she's on a
dating app and she was alarmed by what do you
do for a living? And they were like self employed?
That Whitney. Everybody can't be self employed, you know, everybody can't.
Speaker 10 (10:21):
Be yes, But I can imagine, I can imagine that's
a especially you know, coming from people who have been
built to work really really hard and to find our
drives and to find hustle and to find something to do.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Yeah, that's really hard to hear. Why do you think
that is? I know, I'm a baby boomer, so I'm like, well,
I kind of think differently. I definitely have my dad's
work ethic. You know, you show up and you do
the work. But I see people with this, you know,
just lack of daisy old you know, like is the
(10:59):
world big than work? This is the question I went
to answer.
Speaker 10 (11:02):
Oh, that is a that is a phenomenal question, and
that is a testament to the people that you came from, Patty.
But also like people like you and me, we have
the benefit. We have the privilege of doing the work
that we love, Like we are passionate about the things
we are in you you are the radio vet.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
You're not a radio vet.
Speaker 7 (11:21):
You are the radio vet.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
And so a lot of people don't have that privilege.
Speaker 10 (11:26):
A lot of people are doing this work that they
don't like, that they don't appreciate, that doesn't appreciate them.
Some people feel like they're underpaid for the hard work
that they've done, like they've gone to school, or they're
going to technical school, or they've built the skills and
they feel like they're underpaid or underappreciated. I think that
this is a really nuanced conversation that we can have.
But there are people out there who straight up don't
(11:46):
want to work, and we need to address that as well.
But I think that the whole conversation is very nuanced
and we need to have a deeper conversation about it.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
On this edition to Patty and the Millennials, we're talking
about people's reluctant to work, to be a good worker.
Some people just want to be self employed, but they're
still not working. Where is this attitude coming from? Did
it get worse after COVID? We've got author Kim read
(12:16):
Off the miss always wins. What is it about people's
attitude that they they're want work?
Speaker 5 (12:26):
Well, you know, it's funny, You're absolutely right, and it's
it's also too specific. The strength of that statement is
specific to generation right, because we're not going to even
talk about gen y and below right. That's a whole
another podcast. Patty on their brand in the workplace. But
(12:48):
what I will say overall, and I'm putting on my
human resource astat now is that what we do know
is that people don't want to work in systems that
exhaust them, undervalue them, or ignore their humanity. Now what
am I what the what's the plain piece of this
(13:11):
is that people want to be treated fairly in the workplace.
They want to feel like they belong. They they can't
deal with the politics that are happening now and to
discuss those, they they just want to come to work.
You know, now, when you go to work, it's so
(13:31):
much that you have to do in addition to your
job right, and it becomes this survival of sorts. So
you know, in defense to all the workers in the world,
in defense of all the workers in the world, is
that it's not about laziness. It's about burnout, misalignment, lack
(13:55):
of trust. Let's talk about stagnant pay right because the
government shut down taught us that, you know, that can
happen to any one of us. So I think, you know,
people still want to contribute. They just don't want to
breed for their environments or for their companies or for
(14:16):
their workplace that won't invest in them.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
People in the workplace, how come they don't want to work?
And it's not just a young thing because some of
the older people, a lot of people feel like the
world is bigger than work. We've got comedian Derek Lee,
how you doing. I've been reading up on it, reading
(14:44):
comments they gave me. They want to see work as
a hobby.
Speaker 11 (14:50):
Let me go biblical on you. A man that don't
work shouldn't eat. And I'm just dealing with the men
because that's why I really like to talk about. If
you know any man, if he's not blind, death, crippled, crazy,
you know, on some type of medication, he's supposed to
have a job and you got a nerve to have children,
that isn't a man. A man that don't work shouldn't need.
(15:10):
A man that doesn't work doesn't take care of his family,
isn't a man? Now, women that don't do it? It
really depends are they taking care of children? Do they
have a lot of children? Are they slightly disabled? It's
never equal when it comes to men and women. But
I'm telling you, a man that doesn't work isn't a
worthless is a worthless man. And a woman brings a
man into her home and dates them, she's an idiot
(15:35):
because I call him a homeless bum.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
You never meant your words.
Speaker 11 (15:42):
Because it's sad that society today we are so short
men and because we have been so brainwashed with non
men and feminized men. I'm coming to you, what like
that old uncle or your grandfather. Let's just get to
the point that's called being a man.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Lexi is here. She is a dueler, and she's all
about maternal health when women are carrying children and pregnancy
and the safety. She does a great job, Lexi, I
want to ask you about it was reading something alarming.
Jill Scott was talking about the breakdown of your life
from your twenties and thirties or forties, your fifties, and
(16:23):
the people in the comments were were it was surprising,
like some people said, I don't wanna work hard, I
want to work as a hobby. Is the world bigger
than work?
Speaker 4 (16:39):
That?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
It made me think that because a lot of people
have an attitude about working like they think they get
to they fifties and day's supposed to be working. And
I'm like, what your thoughts on what we see in
the workplace right now?
Speaker 12 (16:54):
I did see that response and comments, and I actually
resonated with what she was saying. And I say that too,
because I've heard it presented before, even by Pastor Waller,
and so one of the things I think he attributes
that to, like, you know, the older saints and things
like that in his life. And I forget this specific phrase,
(17:16):
but it says something like he who learns nothing in
their twenties, does nothing in their thirties, has nothing in
their forties, and becomes nothing, you know, and it goes
on and on. So what it made me think about
is that somehow in our lives we have in our society,
I'll say, we have decided that life is linear and
that it has to has this start and finish, just
(17:38):
like life and death does, but there's this dash in between.
And so I'll use myself an example.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
For twenty years, eighteen or.
Speaker 12 (17:45):
Twenty years, I was a for profit executive working for
different health insurance companies. Had no thoughts about becoming a doula. Well,
i'll say fifteen years prior to this, had no thoughts
about becoming a doula. I knew people got pregnant, people
have babies. But what I started to learn as I
started shifting my career is that God will get his
(18:09):
glory however he can, and your purpose can be fulfilled
in many different ways, and so I think that's what
we should focus more on. It's not about what the
decade is necessarily that it's happening in, but are we
doing God's will his way or are we doing our
will our way?
Speaker 2 (18:29):
And a lot of times that don't work.
Speaker 12 (18:33):
And I love how she talked about there's like so
the things that came to mind, like and she was
talking is like this age based work philosophy, right that
it has to look this certain way. But I'm in
my forties and I've pivoted into a new space less
than ten years ago. So if I took the thought
process of that, well, nope, I gotta do what I've
(18:54):
always done, then I would have missed out on so
many opportunities to grow myself.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
We've got veteran broadcaster uncle O. And this is a
question I could not wait to hear your responds. People
don't want to work nowadays, Oh they don't. And it
could be across all industries. They don't want to work.
Do you think it could be the work environment? People
(19:22):
are crazy out here? What do you think it is?
Speaker 13 (19:25):
I think it's people are fed up with ignorant management.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
People are as a combination.
Speaker 13 (19:34):
Right, So some people are lazy, they don't want to work,
and then the gig economy has helped people say to
forget that job, I can make that money in the
gig economy, and so they are taking less from their employers.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
I have a girlfriend and she's on this dating side.
A lot of the men were like, we're self and employed.
Like there were more people saying that they were self employed.
What do you what do you think that is the
gig economy?
Speaker 13 (20:09):
Yeah, if you're if you're you pay taxes on the work.
If you're supposed to, you're supposed to pay taxes on
the money you make. Ubering, lifting, door dashing, you pay
taxes on it. You're an independent contractor. So yes, they
they are self employed. If you work for yourself, if
you're paying your own taxes and paying for your own
(20:31):
health insurance, then you're self employed. Now are you making
the money that that woman want you to make in order.
Speaker 14 (20:38):
To be with her is a different question.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Do you think that the world is much bigger than work?
I heard someone use that reference the reason why they
don't like working. They said, because the world is bigger
than work.
Speaker 14 (20:53):
The world is never bigger than work.
Speaker 13 (20:54):
That's the that's the most foolish thing I've ever heard
in my life. Now it's a different it's different. So
even if you work for yourself, you have to work. So,
how is the world bigger than work? You have to work,
even if it's for yourself. You have to keep the
business afloat in the first few years, first two or
three years building the business where you're not really making
(21:17):
any money, it's going to take a whole lot of work. So, no,
the world's never bigger than work.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
The workplace today is so different, and I think depending
on how own you are, you think differently. People don't
want to work. Is it the environment? Is it because
they don't have a good boss. Is it because they're
not doing something that they love and they have a
passion for. Is the world bigger than work? I've heard
(21:44):
people say this, We've got dexter your thoughts. Some jobs
are they can't keep people? They can't.
Speaker 14 (21:55):
I think a lot of it is the pandemic, which
ironically was almost six years to go. Now. I think
the pandemic showed us something like people always preach work
life balance, but I think the pandemic showed us that
that that's a real thing. It's not just something that
somebody says, Like you really can work and live your
life separately. Like it does not have to be this
(22:16):
work yourself into a grave and then you go home
and spend three minutes to yourself. Like the pandemic showed
us how like we could do our work from home,
how like we could do our work later on in
the day. Like it just does not have to be
that normal structure nine to five. And I think now
that we've come out of the pandemic and a lot
of people going back into the offices, it's difficult to
(22:36):
shake that. Like sure, it's been a couple of years now,
but like we enjoyed what we were able to do,
and we know we can get our work done in
different ways. And I think that companies have to get
with the times in order to maintain employees and employee morale.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Well, how about when people think of work as a hobby,
they think it's a damn hobby.
Speaker 14 (22:58):
I think that's that's kind of where it comes. And
also I think that with social media specifically like LinkedIn,
like you see like your friends and your family, they're
doing all this stuff and they're getting all these things
from their job and then you realize you're like, well,
I'm not getting that I don't have these opportunities. And
I do think it makes people work a little bit
less and not as hard as maybe their counterparts. Who
(23:19):
are you know, being recognized for the work.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
That they're doing, SAYEDA Duncan works in our iHeartMedia promotion.
She's the director. Siye, the workplace today, people don't want
to work. Is it the environment? Do you blame it
on COVID? Do you think a lot of people are
(23:45):
just not into it.
Speaker 15 (23:47):
It's a mixture of things, and just speaking on myself,
I know it really stems from actually doing what you
want to do. If you're not doing what you want
to do, everything is going to feel like a drag.
Building this succel sheet, this email, whatever it is, it's
going to feel like a drag. So long you're not
doing what it is that you want, it just takes everything,
(24:11):
everything out of you. If it becomes more of a
chore than a hobby.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Okay, what about kids getting out of school. They got
to pay back that student loan, they're trying to live,
they're trying to make it so they get a job.
Just to pay the bills and they're not doing their passion.
Speaker 15 (24:29):
They're not doing their passion, and it's really hard because
times like that, especially coming straight out of school, you
still have the book mindset and all that stuff, but
in some way you still have freedom to come in
and bring your new idea, your fresh idea to that
workplace to then kind of transform and tweak it a
little bit. And I say this because me stepping into
(24:51):
a new role, coming from a place that I struggled
with because it wasn't my passion and coming to somewhere
that you can, you know, get a little creative idea
that boosts that morale. So I would say, if you're
having a really hard time with your job, find something
it is that you like doing in your day to
day and try to implement it into your workday and
(25:13):
you'll see how much change with just one simple, one
simple mind shift.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Radio VET Austin for now is joining us and we're
in a society Austin. People don't want to work, and
it's not just young people but older people. They feel
that the world is bigger than work and I want
to do work as a hobby. Where do you think
(25:42):
this trend is coming.
Speaker 8 (25:43):
From Okay, Patty, Here's the way I look at it.
Our society and the work culture is changing drastically right now,
right before our eyes. And I think we're waking up
to the fact that there is more to life than
the nine to five hustle culture or where you spend
your whole life driving to work and sitting at a desk,
going home and doing that for forty years until you die,
(26:06):
right And I think we're waking up to this idea
that there is more to life THN climbing a corporate ladder. A.
It's exhausting, and B we're getting replaced by AI anyway.
So it's like, you know, like people are more like
I want to do me, and I want to travel,
and I want to follow my dreams and not be
(26:26):
burnt out. So I think we're placing more value on
self expression and life experience and living in alignment more
than performing for work until you die.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
This I like how you put that. This is the
podcast conversation, Patty, the millennials. We talk about life and
everything in it. Austin. Thank you so much. You will
find us where podcasts Live. I'm Patty Jackson. Thanks for
joining us.
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Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.