People who sacrificed everything for their careers and received modest recognition in return have a very particular reaction to younger workers who refuse the same bargain. It looks like judgment. It's actually envy wearing a mask it found in the 1980s. - Silicon Canals

"Every generation invents a story to justify the parts of life it couldn't change, and my generation's story was a masterpiece. We told ourselves that sacrifice was currency."

"Most people my age still believe that story. They grip it like a handrail on a staircase they've already descended."

"What looks like judgment is something far more uncomfortable. The conventional wisdom says older workers are simply defending standards that younger ones are too soft to meet."

"We're defending a bargain we suspect was rigged from the start - and the people who make us angriest are the ones who had the clarity to walk away from the table."

Generations create narratives to justify unchangeable life aspects, with older generations believing sacrifice leads to rewards. Many still cling to this belief despite modest returns. Younger workers challenge these norms by prioritizing work-life balance, causing discomfort among older workers. This discomfort stems from a realization that the traditional work bargain may have been flawed. Older workers, having invested years in this system, struggle with the clarity younger workers exhibit in rejecting outdated expectations.

Read at Silicon Canals