Top performer stunned after getting laid off, says the 'American dream is dead'

Most people work extremely hard at their jobs to fulfill their big dreams and live a good life. But sometimes, they might not get anything in exchange for their hard work, which leaves them feeling disappointed in the end. A man, u/justjakeing69, found himself in a similar situation when he was laid off from his job even after being the top performer.

He shared his entire ordeal on Reddit, where many people agreed with him.

"Got laid off from my job this week. I was the top performer and definitely gave a lot more than what was required. It hurts; however, I have a second job as a server/bartender and am also in the Army Reserve. I will scrape by," the man revealed. "My wife works for the city, where 50% of her department has been laid off. She was told that the remaining employees are not getting pay raises this year, despite it specifically stating in her contract when she was hired on." Both the man and his wife have graduate degrees and are high performers. "I take a lot of pride in my work ethic; however, it seems like both my wife and I have been taken advantage of with little to show for it." Both of them were very underpaid for their positions.

"It felt like I was working for scraps and that all my effort and hard work is for nothing," the man went on. "We are both still young, in our early twenties. A bright and secure future just doesn't seem attainable." Neither of them has debts, but the nicer things in life feel out of the question. "Children, home ownership, and traveling seem like this far-off goal we will never be able to reach," he said.

"My family doesn't understand what it is like. I have clawed tooth and nail for what I have. I have wasted so much precious time that could've been spent with family or friends for scraps," the man expressed. From working 80- to 120-hour weeks for months on end, to barely getting four hours of sleep, he had given everything to the job.

"The opportunity that existed for my parents and grandparents is not there for me, and I am a fool for expecting that it would be," he pointed out, adding that "the American Dream is dead."

"We are Sisyphus, fated to eternal labor. However, I do not know if I can find it within myself to embrace the present and find peace in the process," he concluded his post.

People took to the comments section of the thread to express their thoughts on the matter. u/grumble_au wrote, "The American Dream has been turned into a pyramid scheme for the working class by not taxing big business and the wealthy. Everyone can have a good middle-class life if the tax system wasn’t corrupted."

u/tacobellbandit commented, "I feel like America is transitioning from wanting 'good work' to just wanting 'cheap work.' They don't want a high performer who's going to go above and beyond. They want someone who's going to barely do the shit for the least amount of pay." u/mailer_mailer remarked, "More accurately, they want high performers/overachievers who are willing to work for a substandard salary for the work they perform, and sadly this happens everywhere."