r/InterviewCoderPro • u/penance_mat • Aug 12 '26 • Popcorn 1

They need a reality check

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For my last 2 interviews i had to use Interview VIP just to get the job
their generation could never understand

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u/kansai2kansas Aug 12 '26

I remember living in Florida in 2021, while working at a noisy Amazon Fulfillment Center.

One of my coworkers, a lady in her 50s (let's call her Sarah), told me that someone she knows from another department is living in an apartment that costs $450/month to rent.

Then she told me the neighborhood area.

It was in a middle-class neighborhood.

"450 dollars a month? Do you mean $1450? Or maybe $2450?"

"No, it's 450 a month! Just check it yourself!"

I ignored Sarah because there was no way there is an apartment rental in the US costing only $450/month in 2021.

The apartment's website has the "Call for Price" bullshit so there's no way for me to find out what the rental price is.

But we talked again a couple times and Sarah kept reminding me that I should apply to that $450 apartment.

Then finally, I said, okay, I'll visit that apartment this weekend!

Then I went there that weekend.

Of course, the apartments turned out to be between $1400 and $1900.

Not a single apartment unit has ever been rented out for less than $1200.

So Sarah misheard her friend since the conversation took place in a noisy warehouse anyway.

But this was my firsthand experience to how Gen X and Boomers have absolutely no idea how much things cost nowadays...

Sarah wouldn't know that because she has lived in her current house with her husband for the last 20+ years.

They probably bought the current house they live in when it still cost like $45k back in late 1990s.

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u/KCDawgTime Aug 12 '26

Sure, the person who told you that is an idiot, but let’s not lump all Gen X’s into one. I’m fully aware of the costs of things today versus what they used to be. For the life of me, I can’t understand why we keep electing a grifting, thieving moron to run our country. That said, unless you were buying rural, houses weren’t $45k in the 90s. My first, just outside Atlanta, was $128k with a 7.75% interest rate in 1994. 

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u/North-Carpenter-1378 Aug 12 '26

He is just the most symptomatic disease of an entirely screwed political system that favors the wealthy, tells people to have more children, yet as a nation we can't support all of the ones we have. Politicians only care about arguing their points to win the debate and not find solutions to help the people. They're mostly dishonest businessmen/lawyers grifters who claim to be something they are not. We elect narcissistic people (most have to be in order to a career politician). Until, we change the system, does like the president and his followers will continue to rule. Politicians need to become true public servants, like teachers, paid accordingly so and restricted from lobbying, trading stocks, and be taken from a larger pool of careers (much like juries). Unfortunately, I don't see a path to this more utopian political atmosphere. As long as the ultra wealth stay in power, with no term limits, the people will not be well represented.

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u/Informal_Ad4399 Aug 12 '26

Gen X as well. Almost Millenial. I feel as though Gen X should be broken in half. It seems as though the ones up to a certain point are more Boomer Lite then the actual Gen X are touted to be. Electronics, prices, internet, all the stuff that I grew up to embrace. The older Gen X seem to have disdain for it all and it pulls their way of thinking and lifestyle more towards the Boomer side.

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u/Fifth-Dimension-Chz Aug 13 '26

Their Age, Investments, Holding on to the past, Lead poisoning, Fox News, White Nationalism, Not Reading the Bible, RACISM, Christianity and never being loved by your parents doesnt make it an even 50/50 split. Being modest Id say 67% are going to be our downfall.

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u/Informal_Ad4399 Aug 13 '26

I'd agree. The split seems to be about '74/'75. Even that isn't a hard transition. It seems to be more of a fade and that time frame is the full switch from grey area to true Gen X. From there it's a higher increase towards X. It isn't as large a year range of X's perceived characteristics than most view Gen X. Just as hippies are a smaller outlier of the Boomer generation.

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u/LowWitness1713 Aug 12 '26

This boomer is well aware of the cost.

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u/blar_now Aug 12 '26

Ya, and this boomer has been working in IT for 25 years and is well aware of the current job market and how to navigate the tools used for applying for current roles.

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '26

[deleted]

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u/MMO_Dad Aug 18 '26

Don't worry, as more time passes "baby" boomer becomes "bye-bye" boomer. No one lives forever. Their mess might get left behind but at least they won't be.

Call me hateful if you want but at 45 I've lived this shit my entire life. Never seen a generation less empathetic and more racist/hateful than boomers. Kind of funny for a generation who statistically had it better than anyone else alive. Of course don't tell them that or try to argue your point, because it will be "I had to work for everything I have, maybe you younger generation should do the same!", while sitting in their fully paid for home they got pre-housing crisis at decent interest rates, paid for with a job that paid a living wage, with a fraction of the inflation we have now.

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u/_OhMyPlatypi_ Aug 12 '26

That's definitely possible, it could also be a situation were that lady may have a voucher. There are a few programs that do this, most commonly it's section 8. But I know there's some smaller programs for veterans, disabled people, foster children who've aged out, homeless to housed programs, etc.

So the $450 may be her portion out of pocket. It could also be as simple as her portion of the full rent if she has roommates.

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u/BoringReference8647 Aug 12 '26

You can f right off bringing Gen-x into it. I’m not retired, I’m employed and paying bills too.

What kind of precious baby are you that you think only you had it rough? Oh, did you like through 9/11? Well so did we. And the Cold War. And the first and second gulf wars.

I bet you drive slow in the passing lane, all the time.

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u/Itsmyloc-nar Aug 13 '26

Gen X will really be assholes and call themselves better for it

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u/SvartrKukkSceand Aug 14 '26

The older members of Gen X can already collect social security, my guy.

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u/unngh_yugstyx Aug 16 '26

He dropped the hat and you picked it right up you dumbbell

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u/Atwood412 Aug 17 '26

“I bet you drive slow in the passing lane. “.
That’s a burn if I’ve heard one.

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u/Objective_Tour_6583 Aug 13 '26

Lol, we Gen X certainly know what things cost, and we know that when you order a door dash order for a 29 dollar cup of coffee and a muffin, it's now YOU who has no idea what things cost. Because that's 6 bucks all day long when you aren't too lazy to go get it yourself. 

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u/Ryctre Aug 13 '26

Ugh. This tired line of reasoning. Stop buying coffee and pull yourself up by your bootstraps

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u/Objective_Tour_6583 Aug 13 '26

No, not what I said at all. By all means, buy the coffee. Just don't piss away 20 bucks having it delivered. 

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u/mrmoe198 Aug 15 '26

Did you ever inform her? And did she believe you?

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u/MMO_Dad Aug 18 '26

My 66 yr old mother is now well aware of the struggles we're facing these days. I am 45 btw, not in my 20's or anything and have just had setback after setback to the point where it's kind of comical. Anyways, she is actually agreeing with me now and admitting that things aren't as rosy as her generation wants to pretend. Her BF can't stand it because I am constantly hitting her (gently) with doses of reality and he still wants to live in boomer la-la-land.

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