Can't Even

How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation

De: Anne Helen Petersen

Narrado por: Anne Helen Petersen

Duración: 8 h y 25 m

Resumen del Editor

An incendiary examination of burnout in millennials - the cultural shifts that got us here, the pressures that sustain it, and the need for drastic change.

Do you feel like your life is an endless to-do list? Do you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through Instagram because you’re too exhausted to pick up a book? Are you mired in debt, or feel like you work all the time, or feel pressure to take whatever gives you joy and turn it into a monetizable hustle? Welcome to burnout culture.

While burnout may seem like the default setting for the modern era, in Can’t Even, BuzzFeed culture writer and former academic Anne Helen Petersen argues that burnout is a definitional condition for the millennial generation, born out of distrust in the institutions that have failed us, the unrealistic expectations of the modern workplace, and a sharp uptick in anxiety and hopelessness exacerbated by the constant pressure to “perform” our lives online. The genesis for the book is Petersen’s viral BuzzFeed article on the topic, which has amassed over seven million reads since its publication in January 2019.

Can’t Even goes beyond the original article, as Petersen examines how millennials have arrived at this point of burnout (think: unchecked capitalism and changing labor laws) and examines the phenomenon through a variety of lenses - including how burnout affects the way we work, parent, and socialize - describing its resonance in alarming familiarity. Utilizing a combination of sociohistorical framework, original interviews, and detailed analysis, Can’t Even offers a galvanizing, intimate, and ultimately redemptive look at the lives of this much-maligned generation,and will be required listening for both millennials and the parents and employers trying to understand them.

©2020 Anne Helen Petersen (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

I’ve never felt more seen

Complex, thorough, and informative. I hadn’t been able to fully understand my professional trajectory as a female freelance art director until this book. I felt this book accessed a raw place in my body that was waiting to be acknowledged and hugged. Petersen’s work is a relief to those who have felt their society just isn’t quite right but can’t quite put their finger on a singular reason as to why. The reason is because there are many. If you are a millennial or wish to understand them more, check this out. To Anne, All I have is a heartfelt thank you. A raw, exhausted, but genuine, thank you. 🙏❤️✨

Eye opening

Being the oldest of the millennial generation and often refusing to identify with it, I figured this book would confirm all the reasons for which I don't identify with the generation. I was completely wrong. As a nearly 40 year old mother of 3 boys, married with a graduate degree in highly stressful job in healthcare during a pandemic crisis, this book was perfect timing! It opened my eyes on the fact that I am absolutely a millennial. It also really helped me understand how the generation came to be. I have so many things to reflect on after reading this book. Great combination of qualitative information from millenials and historical references to explain the driving forces behind who we are as a group. I anticipate I will read it again because I enjoyed it that much. Catapult for self discovery at a time in my life when I have the desire and confidence to explore what I want life to look like. Thank you to the author for this perspective.

Great insight for boomers

I’m a boomer parent of 2 young millennials. I often wondered why anxiety and depression is so rampant for the millennials (and younger generations) and this book provided some valuable insight. Its a wake up call for those trapped in the upward mobility rat race. The only deduction is I felt the author was a little to left leaning with her views on capitalism and specifically Private Equity.

Engaging and Topical

4 of 5 stars.

“Can’t Even” is an absorbing read chocked full of anecdotes from Millennials describing the circumstances of modern burnout. Covering a wide swath of Gen Y’s demographic, Anne Helen Petersen narrates a multiple aspects of this phenomenon, giving much to think about.

The good:
Anne Helen Petersen is a good writer and narrator whose prose flows nicely. Burnout is an important societal topic which she has researched in detail without becoming pedantic.

Observations and/or the less good:
The first half of the book is better than the second half where the narrative becomes less about how we find ourselves in this current situation of overwork/burnout and more about victimization and misapplied blame. At what point do valid observations become rants about how unfair things are?

Writers have their perspective and the author’s worldview as a former Manhattan journalist seeps into the narrative, becoming more political as the book progresses. While I, as a member of Gen X believe that the author correctly identifies a system which benefits a minority at the expense of others, her suggested solutions of more government policy and to a lesser extent an implied return/expansion of organized labor would create as many new problems as those they’re designed to solve.

Great Perspective!

This book did a great job of laying things out, and I'm glad there was a focus on systemic issues. I know too many people who feel like they aren't doing enough while they get paid a good third of what they should be.

This should be required reading for living gens

This book was perfect. The brief but thorough history on each generation provided such a clear understanding for why each generation sees and walks the world as they do. Well written..enjoyed it.

This is a must listen!

This book is for anyone who feels like they are giving everything they have each day, but never feel like they are getting ahead or reaching the goals they always dreamed of. This is a new day and what our parents taught us is not what our reality is. Everyone, no matter our race, is trying to survive. This book breaks it down very well.

this book makes you feel less crazy

I originally was interested in this book because it's in terms of the millennial generation and I myself being an older millennial I have assumed that there's something wrong with our generation. however the breakdown of all generations within this book she was a clear pattern as to how our society has ended up the way we are and how we deem things socially acceptable when the way we're treated often would be unacceptable 60 years ago. I recommend this book to anybody who is feeling down and out about their situations it's nice to know that we're not alone no matter what social economic background we come from

Wonderful book! Its great points and I wish that everyone could read it.

We all need to be aware of the societal and economic issue so that we can stop blaming ourselves. This book gave me the awareness to stop Trying to keep up with all the craziness and just do enough To make me happy and to do what I can tolerate.

so relatable

Kept nodding my head yes. So relatable. Real problems we are experiencing. Quick listen