It’s not just the job situation. The world in general sucks now and the broad reasons are smartphones and social media, but if you drill down the real problem is everyone feels surveilled all the time. Anything slightly out of the ordinary is brutally made fun of, any slight misstep during any part of the day can be recorded and immortalized on social media. There is so much cultural meme sharing that everyone has a brutal, acerbic take on every imaginable situation ready to go. The stuff we used to do in college in the 00s that made college such a fun experience would be kind of career ending today. Imagine getting blackout drunk and then naked and dancing on a table during a house party nowadays. You’d be done, a laughing stock forever.

There’s just a general feeling of dread and malaise in society. You see it in public too. Everyone is stonefaced and going about their day. There is no hum/hustle and bustle like I used to see in public places in the past. Money is very tight and everything is way too expensive. I mean lunches cost between 15 and $20 even in places that are not big cities. Basic grocery shopping runs cost $500 at this point. I think one of the biggest things is, you can essentially live a whole life without really having to interact with a whole lot of people now. Corporations provide all your services. The Internet provides community knowledge.

That being said I feel like I existed at the perfect time. I was able to get a social media and smart phone free youth and a great career in my middle age which means I can retire early and provide for my wife and kids with the money I’ve made so far. The next generation is screwed. I worry for my kids.

I've had the exact same thoughts. Nothing is anonymous anymore. In the back of the mind, one has to wonder if someone is going to record you doing or saying anything silly. Can't even do karaoke without wondering if someone is going to post you without your consent. And to millions of people, the idea of getting consent to post your behavior to the internet is silly! I also feel like graduating in the 00s was a great moment.

This moment in technology and society is really weird.

I agree, it sucks, but not because of social media and smartphones. It sucks because: - almost nobody is talking about climate change. It is coming, and instead of being a big gigantic project for humanity where we have a collective and cool purpose (save lives! Species!), you are called a doomer. The collective purpose of humanity is to bow to billionaires. - fascism rising everywhere. Laws don’t matter - the US president is a gigantic liar, racist, narcissist, incredible corrupt, and has lots of people around him that are fine with that too. Other governments are following his ways too. Being verbally and physically violent pays. - billionaires openly control governments and influence the world - said billionaires openly say that AI will destroy millions of jobs or humanity itself, and offer no alternative. BUT if you, a normal person, wants to put some kind of control to all of this madness, you are again a doomer and anti progress