You’ve got questions? She’s got answers(But you probably won’t like them)

Ayi， I cant find a job. Should I work on the assembly line in a factory or deliver food takeouts？

Desperate Grad

没毛病吧您 （méi máobìng ba nín， are you nuts）？ Between a 光荣的 （guāngróng de， honorable） factory worker， like me back in the days， and a 吃力不讨好的 （chīlì bù tǎohǎo de， thankless） profession that exists to spoil those懒蛋 （lǎndàn， lazy asses） who cannot move their 屁股 （pìgu， butts） off of their office chair， I would have thought the choice was obvious. When was the last time you heard someone sincerely thank their 外卖骑手 （wàimài qíshǒu， delivery driver）？

Let me tell ya， the glorious factory life is not just 一份工作 （yí fèn gōngzuò， a job）， but a lifestyle！ We all lived in the company 大院儿 （dàyuànr， communal compound） where my kids grew up eating 百家饭 （bǎijiāfàn， “a hundred families rice”）. Youre never lonely： The 酸甜苦辣 （suān tián kǔ là， “sour， sweet， bitter， spicy，” ups and downs in life） are all shared with your coworkers. I know， its a different world now and no one thinks “劳动最光荣 （láodòng zuì guāngróng， labor is the most honorable）” anymore. But would you rather work for a human 資本家 （zīběnjiā， capitalist） where you have a chance to 团结 （tuánjié， unite） the 工友 （gōngyǒu， workmates） at the next station over， or toil against a 算法 （suànfǎ， algorithm） while roaming the city alone？

Im in my mid-twenties， but Im already worried about retirement. The nice retirement homes I like all cost a fortune. How on earth can I save up enough money to afford a stay？

An Old Soul

You havent even 真正地活过 （zhēnzhèng de huóguo， truly lived）， and youre already worrying about what to do when you 退休 （tuìxiū， retire）？ In my 字典 （zìdiǎn， dictionary）， these two characters dont exist！ Its more fun to keep cleaning offices， nagging my son， and answering stupid questions. 养老院 （yǎnglǎoyuàn， retirement homes） sound like a scam for those who want to 放弃人生 （fàngqì rénshēng， give up on their lives） when they are old. Who wants to enjoy luxury without a 努力的目标 （nǔlì de mùbiāo， purpose） and have people 管着你 （guǎnzhe nǐ， watching over you）？ So 无聊 （wúliáo， boring）.

I dont believe the 活在当下 （huó zài dāngxià， live in the moment） hippie nonsense， but even when you 规划 （guīhuà， plan） for the future， how can you only think about yourself？ What about your responsibilities to your 家庭 （jiātíng， family） and 社会 （shèhuì， society）， and 世界和平 （shìjiè hépíng， world peace）？ I say， work with a larger purpose， and maybe youll never want to retire.