vox--2020-12-02--The Joint Chiefs chair just gave a brutally honest assessment of the Afghanistan war

Army Gen. Mark Milley , the Joint Chiefs of Staff chair , just gave an honest yet brutal assessment of America ’ s decades-long war in Afghanistan .
Asked at a Washington , DC , think tank virtual event about the planned drawdown to 2,500 US troops in the country by January 15 , President Donald Trump ’ s top military adviser tried to assure the audience that the US had somewhat completed its mission .
“ We went to Afghanistan ... to ensure that Afghanistan never again became a platform for terrorists to strike the United States , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael O ’ Hanlon on Wednesday morning .
“ We believe that now after 20 years — two decades of consistent effort there — we ’ ve achieved a modicum of success.
” Let those last four words — “ a modicum of success ” — sink in for a moment .
That ’ s Trump ’ s top military adviser saying out loud that after two decades of war , tens of thousands of Americans and Afghans killed , and more than a trillion dollars spent , the US can only boast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its efforts there .
Milley ’ s remark is certainly more accurate than the rosy assessments top US officials offered the public as the war raged .
Year after year after year , presidents and top generals insisted America ’ s effort to support Afghan government forces against the Taliban had “ turned a corner ” and that success was on the horizon .
But now , as US forces draw down from the country , Milley has made one thing painfully clear : The US never turned that corner .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Kabul made only modest gains over the past two decades .
Namely , the US hasn ’ t suffered a terrorist attack on the homeland planned in Afghanistan since 9/11 , and America helped set up a friendly government in Kabul , a capital city that in recent years has been safer than in the past .
But the Taliban holds more ground in the country than when the war started , and danger remains for the insurgents to overrun the government in Kabul if and when US troops fully depart .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been in a condition of strategic stalemate where the government of Afghanistan was never going to militarily defeat the Taliban , ” he continued , “ and the Taliban , as long as we were supporting the government of Afghanistan , is never going to military defeat the regime.
” It would be infuriating if it weren ’ t so all “ So damn depressing , ” as Faysal Itani , deputy director of the Center for Global Policy , noted on Twitter .

Army Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chair, just gave an honest yet brutal assessment of America’s decades-long war in Afghanistan.
Asked at a Washington, DC, think tank virtual event about the planned drawdown to 2,500 US troops in the country by January 15, President Donald Trump’s top military adviser tried to assure the audience that the US had somewhat completed its mission.
“We went to Afghanistan ... to ensure that Afghanistan never again became a platform for terrorists to strike the United States,” he told the Brookings Institution’s Michael O’Hanlon on Wednesday morning. “We believe that now after 20 years — two decades of consistent effort there — we’ve achieved a modicum of success.”
Let those last four words — “a modicum of success” — sink in for a moment. That’s Trump’s top military adviser saying out loud that after two decades of war, tens of thousands of Americans and Afghans killed, and more than a trillion dollars spent, the US can only boast of “a modicum of success” for its efforts there.
Milley’s remark is certainly more accurate than the rosy assessments top US officials offered the public as the war raged. Year after year after year, presidents and top generals insisted America’s effort to support Afghan government forces against the Taliban had “turned a corner” and that success was on the horizon.
But now, as US forces draw down from the country, Milley has made one thing painfully clear: The US never turned that corner. Instead, the US and its Afghan partners in Kabul made only modest gains over the past two decades.
Some people will give Milley some credit here. Oh he’s telling the truth. No. It’s been an abject failure. By every metric. Especially when most of the metrics are currently classified. They don’t usually do that when they are successful. — Paul Szoldra (@PaulSzoldra) December 2, 2020
Namely, the US hasn’t suffered a terrorist attack on the homeland planned in Afghanistan since 9/11, and America helped set up a friendly government in Kabul, a capital city that in recent years has been safer than in the past. But the Taliban holds more ground in the country than when the war started, and danger remains for the insurgents to overrun the government in Kabul if and when US troops fully depart.
Milley acknowledged as much. “We have been in a condition of strategic stalemate where the government of Afghanistan was never going to militarily defeat the Taliban,” he continued, “and the Taliban, as long as we were supporting the government of Afghanistan, is never going to military defeat the regime.”
It would be infuriating if it weren’t so all “So damn depressing,” as Faysal Itani, deputy director of the Center for Global Policy, noted on Twitter.


vox--2020-12-02--3 Hong Kong pro-democracy icons were sentenced to prison in huge blow to protest movement

Three prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates were sentenced to prison Wednesday for their roles in a protest during the massive demonstrations against an extradition bill during the summer of 2019 .
It ’ s yet another troubling sign of the erosion of Hong Kong ’ s freedoms .
Joshua Wong , Agnes Chow , and Ivan Lam — all 20-something-year-old members of a now-disbanded pro-democracy group known as Demosisto — all pleaded guilty to the charges related to participating in , and inciting others to join , an unauthorized but largely peaceful protest outside Hong Kong police headquarters in Wanchai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentences of up to three years , but Wong will serve 13.5 months in prison , Chow faces a term of 10 months , and Lam was sentenced to seven months .
Wong and Chow were first arrested on these charges in August 2019 , and Lam in September 2019 — but many Hong Kong observers see this as part of the larger crackdown on Hong Kong ’ s democratic freedoms that has intensified after the Chinese government implemented a sweeping national security law in July .
That law gives authorities broad powers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beijing , making things like protesting or taking any anti-government stance a potentially seditious or terroristic activity .
Wong faces additional charges , including for participating in another unsanctioned protest in October 2019 and for violating the Hong Kong government ’ s mask ban , which had barred people from wearing face coverings at mass gatherings , months before the coronavirus pandemic would make mask-wearing mandatory .
He was also charged along with dozens of other activists for participating in an illegal gathering , a vigil on June 4 to commemorate the 1989 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested in August under the national security law , allegedly for “ colluding with foreign forces.
” She could potentially face life in prison if charged and found guilty .
Though the activists ’ legal woes stem from Hong Kong ’ s recent upheaval , they were also key figures in Hong Kong ’ s 2014 Umbrella Movement , which challenged proposed changes to Hong Kong ’ s election rules .
The movement didn ’ t succeed in its goal of giving Hongkongers universal suffrage , but it became the precursor to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those began as a protest against a controversial extradition bill and transformed into a larger pro-democracy movement that engulfed Hong Kong for months before arrests and pandemic restrictions , and , finally , the national security law helped to smother the resistance on the streets .
But the 2019 Hong Kong protests were largely leaderless .
People organized on social media and online , closely guarding their anonymity for fear of reprisal .
The fluidity of the protests made it hard for Hong Kong authorities to curtail or weaken them , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-known pro-democracy figures who had publicly sided with the cause , even if they themselves weren ’ t on the front lines of organizing the protests .
Wong himself acknowledged this last year , saying last August that it was “ completely ridiculous ” that the police were targeting “ specific prominent figures of social movement in the past and framing them as the leaders of the anti-extradition bill protests.
” The sentencing of these pro-democracy figures is just the latest degradation of Hong Kong ’ s freedoms and its autonomy .
Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the “ one country , two systems ” rule .
The “ one country ” part means it is officially part of China , while the “ two systems ” part gives it a degree of autonomy , including rights like freedom of the press that are absent in mainland China .
China is supposed to abide by this arrangement until 2047 , but it has for years been eroding those freedoms and trying to bring Hong Kong more tightly under its control .
The national security law has accelerated this process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ one country , two systems.
” That has directly threatened Hong Kong ’ s civil society , independent press , and , most obviously , the territory ’ s sustained pro-democracy movement .
Wong faces additional charges , and so could Chow , under the new national security law .
This is Wong ’ s fourth time in jail , and he was already disqualified from running in Hong Kong ’ s local elections last year .
He reported to custody before sentencing and was placed in solitary confinement after a scan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his stomach .
Wong said he had trouble sleeping because the lights were left on for 24 hours .
“ It is now the Chinese Communist Party ’ s plan , I think , to start an indefinite detention for them by giving them new charges again and again , ” Eddie Chu , a former pro-democracy lawmaker who was arrested in November on charges related to a scuffle with pro-Beijing lawmakers last year , told the Washington Post .
Nathan Law , a Hong Kong pro-democracy figure who fled to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a New York Times op-ed he co-wrote with Alex Chow , another activist .
They said despite the relatively short sentences , those sentenced “ might not get out for quite a bit longer than that : The Chinese government , acting through the Hong Kong authorities , has already pressed more charges .
And its point , after all , is to stamp out dissent in Hong Kong.
” And , as Law and Chow pointed out , the “ much more severe national security law ” looms .
The expansive law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Journalists and Hongkongers purged their social media histories this summer , in case past statements could make them targets of the new law .
Pro-democracy books were pulled from shelves of libraries in July , including some written by Wong .
In August , Hong Kong authorities told publishers to remove “ sensitive content ” from textbooks .
Activists and opposition figures were arrested throughout the summer and fall , some for allegedly advocating for Hong Kong ’ s independence , a “ secessionist ” activity illegal under the national security law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to flee to Taiwan in a speedboat , including some who ’ d reportedly been charged under the national security law , but they were intercepted by Chinese authorities .
In July , a dozen pro-democracy candidates were barred from participating in the Legislative Council elections .
Those elections were slated for this September — until pro-Beijing Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam postponed them a full year , citing the coronavirus .
( Which , despite a recent spike , has largely been under control in Hong Kong for months . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ law that disqualified legislators for “ unpatriotic ” behavior ; a handful of pro-democracy legislators were quickly expelled .
The rest of the pro-democracy legislators resigned en masse from the pro-Beijing body .
And if those Legislative Council elections are held next year , Hongkongers on mainland China will likely be allowed to vote , assuring domination by pro-China forces .
The press , too , has taken a hit .
Jimmy Lai , the founder and owner of Next Digital , which publishes Apple Daily , a Hong Kong publication that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in August under the national security law on allegations of colluding with foreign powers .
And just as the pro-democracy activists were sentenced on Wednesday , Lai was arrested on additional fraud charges , along with two other executives from Next Digital .
And this week , 40 staff members with Hong Kong ’ s network , i-Cable News , were abruptly fired .
Many belonged to its award-winning investigative unit ; other journalists quit in solidarity .
One former employee told Radio Free Asia the firings were “ a bullet to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News .
All of this has put Hong Kong in a particularly perilous place .
Resistance is still happening , but public protests or dissent come with tremendous risks .
“ It ’ s not the end of the fight , read Wong ’ s Twitter account Wednesday , posted via his lawyers .
“ Ahead of us is another challenging battleground .
We ’ re now joining the battle in prison along with many brave protestors , less visible yet essential in the fight for democracy and freedom for HK.
” Law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called on the incoming Biden administration to retain its criticism of China , but also “ foster a new China policy that prioritizes human rights over other interests.
” The Trump administration has revoked Hong Kong ’ s special trade status and placed sanctions on officials tied to the anti-democratic crackdown in Hong Kong — including Lam , the chief executive , who recently complained she has to hoard cash as she no longer can access banks .
But it has so far failed to deter Beijing , which has only escalated its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-democracy movement .

Three prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates were sentenced to prison Wednesday for their roles in a protest during the massive demonstrations against an extradition bill during the summer of 2019. It’s yet another troubling sign of the erosion of Hong Kong’s freedoms.
Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam — all 20-something-year-old members of a now-disbanded pro-democracy group known as Demosisto — all pleaded guilty to the charges related to participating in, and inciting others to join, an unauthorized but largely peaceful protest outside Hong Kong police headquarters in Wanchai on June 2019. All potentially faced sentences of up to three years, but Wong will serve 13.5 months in prison, Chow faces a term of 10 months, and Lam was sentenced to seven months.
Wong and Chow were first arrested on these charges in August 2019, and Lam in September 2019 — but many Hong Kong observers see this as part of the larger crackdown on Hong Kong’s democratic freedoms that has intensified after the Chinese government implemented a sweeping national security law in July. That law gives authorities broad powers to target dissenters or anyone who challenges Beijing, making things like protesting or taking any anti-government stance a potentially seditious or terroristic activity.
Wong faces additional charges, including for participating in another unsanctioned protest in October 2019 and for violating the Hong Kong government’s mask ban, which had barred people from wearing face coverings at mass gatherings, months before the coronavirus pandemic would make mask-wearing mandatory. He was also charged along with dozens of other activists for participating in an illegal gathering, a vigil on June 4 to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Chow was also arrested in August under the national security law, allegedly for “colluding with foreign forces.” She could potentially face life in prison if charged and found guilty.
Though the activists’ legal woes stem from Hong Kong’s recent upheaval, they were also key figures in Hong Kong’s 2014 Umbrella Movement, which challenged proposed changes to Hong Kong’s election rules. The movement didn’t succeed in its goal of giving Hongkongers universal suffrage, but it became the precursor to the mass anti-government demonstrations last summer and fall.
Those began as a protest against a controversial extradition bill and transformed into a larger pro-democracy movement that engulfed Hong Kong for months before arrests and pandemic restrictions, and, finally, the national security law helped to smother the resistance on the streets.
But the 2019 Hong Kong protests were largely leaderless. People organized on social media and online, closely guarding their anonymity for fear of reprisal. The fluidity of the protests made it hard for Hong Kong authorities to curtail or weaken them, so they went after the next-best thing: well-known pro-democracy figures who had publicly sided with the cause, even if they themselves weren’t on the front lines of organizing the protests. Wong himself acknowledged this last year, saying last August that it was “completely ridiculous” that the police were targeting “specific prominent figures of social movement in the past and framing them as the leaders of the anti-extradition bill protests.”
Worth recalling that the Hong Kong Police HQ siege last year which Wong, Chow, and Lam have just been jailed for was 1. unauthorised, but peaceful - the most I saw that day was egg throwing at the building 2. the movement was essentially leaderless - not formally led by the trio https://t.co/Kl7hLYNBZL — Helier Cheung (@HelierCheung) December 2, 2020
Hong Kong’s freedoms are deteriorating in real time
The sentencing of these pro-democracy figures is just the latest degradation of Hong Kong’s freedoms and its autonomy.
Hong Kong is supposed to be governed according to the “one country, two systems” rule. The “one country” part means it is officially part of China, while the “two systems” part gives it a degree of autonomy, including rights like freedom of the press that are absent in mainland China. China is supposed to abide by this arrangement until 2047, but it has for years been eroding those freedoms and trying to bring Hong Kong more tightly under its control.
The national security law has accelerated this process, chipping away at the facade of “one country, two systems.” That has directly threatened Hong Kong’s civil society, independent press, and, most obviously, the territory’s sustained pro-democracy movement.
Wong faces additional charges, and so could Chow, under the new national security law. This is Wong’s fourth time in jail, and he was already disqualified from running in Hong Kong’s local elections last year. He reported to custody before sentencing and was placed in solitary confinement after a scan allegedly showed a “foreign object” in his stomach. Wong said he had trouble sleeping because the lights were left on for 24 hours.
“It is now the Chinese Communist Party’s plan, I think, to start an indefinite detention for them by giving them new charges again and again,” Eddie Chu, a former pro-democracy lawmaker who was arrested in November on charges related to a scuffle with pro-Beijing lawmakers last year, told the Washington Post.
Nathan Law, a Hong Kong pro-democracy figure who fled to the United Kingdom, said the same in a New York Times op-ed he co-wrote with Alex Chow, another activist. They said despite the relatively short sentences, those sentenced “might not get out for quite a bit longer than that: The Chinese government, acting through the Hong Kong authorities, has already pressed more charges. And its point, after all, is to stamp out dissent in Hong Kong.”
And, as Law and Chow pointed out, the “much more severe national security law” looms. The expansive law has rapidly chilled speech in Hong Kong. Journalists and Hongkongers purged their social media histories this summer, in case past statements could make them targets of the new law. Pro-democracy books were pulled from shelves of libraries in July, including some written by Wong. In August, Hong Kong authorities told publishers to remove “sensitive content” from textbooks.
Activists and opposition figures were arrested throughout the summer and fall, some for allegedly advocating for Hong Kong’s independence, a “secessionist” activity illegal under the national security law. In August, 12 activists tried to flee to Taiwan in a speedboat, including some who’d reportedly been charged under the national security law, but they were intercepted by Chinese authorities.
In July, a dozen pro-democracy candidates were barred from participating in the Legislative Council elections. Those elections were slated for this September — until pro-Beijing Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam postponed them a full year, citing the coronavirus. (Which, despite a recent spike, has largely been under control in Hong Kong for months.) In November, the Chinese passed another law that disqualified legislators for “unpatriotic” behavior; a handful of pro-democracy legislators were quickly expelled. The rest of the pro-democracy legislators resigned en masse from the pro-Beijing body. And if those Legislative Council elections are held next year, Hongkongers on mainland China will likely be allowed to vote, assuring domination by pro-China forces.
The press, too, has taken a hit. Jimmy Lai, the founder and owner of Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, a Hong Kong publication that has backed the pro-democracy protests, was arrested in August under the national security law on allegations of colluding with foreign powers. And just as the pro-democracy activists were sentenced on Wednesday, Lai was arrested on additional fraud charges, along with two other executives from Next Digital. And this week, 40 staff members with Hong Kong’s network, i-Cable News, were abruptly fired. Many belonged to its award-winning investigative unit; other journalists quit in solidarity. One former employee told Radio Free Asia the firings were “a bullet to the head” of newsgathering operations at i-Cable News.
All of this has put Hong Kong in a particularly perilous place. Resistance is still happening, but public protests or dissent come with tremendous risks. “It’s not the end of the fight, read Wong’s Twitter account Wednesday, posted via his lawyers. “Ahead of us is another challenging battleground. We’re now joining the battle in prison along with many brave protestors, less visible yet essential in the fight for democracy and freedom for HK.”
Law and Chow, in their op-ed, called on the incoming Biden administration to retain its criticism of China, but also “foster a new China policy that prioritizes human rights over other interests.” The Trump administration has revoked Hong Kong’s special trade status and placed sanctions on officials tied to the anti-democratic crackdown in Hong Kong — including Lam, the chief executive, who recently complained she has to hoard cash as she no longer can access banks. But it has so far failed to deter Beijing, which has only escalated its campaign to crush Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.


vox--2020-12-02--This winter, the Vox Book Club is reading about lesbian necromancers in space

As we head out of a very odd 2020 and into what we all hope will be a better 2021 , the Vox Book Club believes that we all deserve a treat .
It is in that spirit that I am delighted to announce that our dual picks for December and January are Tamsyn Muir ’ s Gideon the Ninth and its sequel Harrow the Ninth , the first two volumes of the Locked Tomb trilogy .
( The release date for the third volume , Alecto the Ninth , has yet to be announced . )
Together , these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secret identities , star-crossed lovers , lesbian necromancers in space , and so much more .
The Locked Tomb trilogy is one of those book series that I ’ m evangelical about .
As soon as I read Gideon the Ninth last year , I informed every single person I knew that they had to read it , too , and then I watched with satisfaction as everyone who had the good sense to follow my instructions read it , fell in love , and then started telling everyone they knew to read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the kind of book you can love like that : so strongly that you want to force everyone else to love it in just the same way .
The Locked Tomb trilogy tells the tale of Gideon Nav , a brash and impulsive swordswoman who likes duels and dirty magazines , and Harrowhark Nonagesimus , a vicious bitch of a goth princess whose only pleasure in life comes from necromantic bone magic .
Gideon and Harrow are forced to work together on a quest .
They hate each other .
Obviously , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s delightful .
The trappings here are all flamboyant and absorbing and fun , but it ’ s the prose that really makes this pair work for me .
It ’ s so lush and velvety that you feel you can wrap yourself up in it , and Muir is constantly conjuring up lurid gothic fantasias only to puncture them with a bone-dry joke .
The result is pure pleasure .
Subscribe to the Vox Book Club newsletter to make sure you don ’ t miss anything , and let ’ s get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vox Book Club schedule for December 2020 and January 2021 TBA : Our live Zoom Event for both books will come at the end of January , with details to be announced .
Subscribe to the newsletter , and we ’ ll send you an RSVP link with all the info as soon as it ’ s available !

As we head out of a very odd 2020 and into what we all hope will be a better 2021, the Vox Book Club believes that we all deserve a treat. It is in that spirit that I am delighted to announce that our dual picks for December and January are Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth and its sequel Harrow the Ninth, the first two volumes of the Locked Tomb trilogy. (The release date for the third volume, Alecto the Ninth, has yet to be announced.) Together, these two books form an epic tale of secret identities, star-crossed lovers, lesbian necromancers in space, and so much more.
The Locked Tomb trilogy is one of those book series that I’m evangelical about. As soon as I read Gideon the Ninth last year, I informed every single person I knew that they had to read it, too, and then I watched with satisfaction as everyone who had the good sense to follow my instructions read it, fell in love, and then started telling everyone they knew to read it, too. It’s the kind of book you can love like that: so strongly that you want to force everyone else to love it in just the same way.
The Locked Tomb trilogy tells the tale of Gideon Nav, a brash and impulsive swordswoman who likes duels and dirty magazines, and Harrowhark Nonagesimus, a vicious bitch of a goth princess whose only pleasure in life comes from necromantic bone magic. Gideon and Harrow are forced to work together on a quest. They hate each other. Obviously, they will fall in love. It’s delightful.
The trappings here are all flamboyant and absorbing and fun, but it’s the prose that really makes this pair work for me. It’s so lush and velvety that you feel you can wrap yourself up in it, and Muir is constantly conjuring up lurid gothic fantasias only to puncture them with a bone-dry joke. The result is pure pleasure.
Subscribe to the Vox Book Club newsletter to make sure you don’t miss anything, and let’s get started.
Here’s the full Vox Book Club schedule for December 2020 and January 2021
Friday, December 18, 2020: Discussion post on Gideon the Ninth
Friday, January 15, 2021: Discussion post on Harrow the Ninth
Thursday, January 28, 2021: Our live Zoom event for both books will be at 12 pm ET. RSVP now to join us for a moderated conversation with the author, including audience Q&A.


vox--2020-12-03--Decking the halls for pandemic Christmas

A 9-foot nutcracker .
Magic crystals that light up a fireplace with green and purple flames .
Glass-glitter pinecones so sharp , they have to be handled with protective gear .
These are just some of the decorations that Christmas enthusiasts are using to show their holiday cheer in an otherwise dreary year .
Dorinda Medley , a former star of Bravo ’ s The Real Housewives of New York City , is known for “ making it nice , ” especially the exuberant Christmas displays she installs each year at Blue Stone Manor , her home in the Berkshires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this holiday season — literally , if that giant nutcracker she bought is any indication .
“ When I pressed the button , I was like , ‘ What have I done ?
’ But now it ’ s on the American Express , paid for , and I ’ m happy for it , ” Medley says .
Being happy for it , for small pockets of merriment in a time when everything seems not very merry , is adding up to big business for purveyors of Christmas decor , who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ ve got to put in the effort this year , ” Medley says of her big spending , “ because it would be easy just to fall into the doldrums of 2020 and say forget it .
But I think that , at the end of the day , people need to feel hopeful.
” Medley is not alone .
In this year of diminished holiday celebrations , with many skipping the holidays entirely and others doing their best to adjust traditions to fit the safety measures called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are choosing to redirect energy they would usually spend on parties , meals , and frantic shopping trips to putting up over-the-top decorations and light displays .
Celebrants are expressing holiday cheer inside as well , through old-fashioned Yuletide activities like gingerbread-house building and garland-stringing as people seek out what Medley describes as a Norman Rockwell-esque Christmas .
“ I want to evoke that feeling of home — because we ’ ve all been home , ” she says .
( It doesn ’ t hurt , of course , that Christmas crafts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a scene that is playing out across the country .
“ Over the last two months , we ’ ve seen a 45 percent increase in holiday lighting over the same time frame last year , and a 42 percent increase with wreaths and garland , ” says Andrew Wolf , a holiday merchant at Ace Hardware .
And John DeCosmo , president of Ulta-Lit Tree Company , says , “ Light sets sales are up , outdoor decor sales are up , and artificial Christmas tree sales are up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Our own sales online are up over 30 percent this year.
” Caroline Moss , an author and host of the podcast Gee Thanks Just Bought It , is doing an outdoor lights display for the first time and saw no reason to wait until after Thanksgiving to illuminate her home .
“ I put up an outdoor tree and outdoor lights on November 2 , ” she confesses .
Moss , who relocated to Los Angeles this year with her husband Dan , was concerned about what her new neighbors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have worried .
“ I was very nervous because I didn ’ t want to be seen as the crazy new neighbors .
I texted my next-door neighbor , and she was like , ‘ Oh , we ’ re doing it too.
’ ” According to DeCosmo , the day after Thanksgiving is typically the most popular day of the year for Christmas decorating .
But this year , people like Moss got an early start , perhaps wanting to wear their holiday cheer on their lawns .
Bronson van Wyck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clientele , saw a noted increase in business — especially among early birds .
“ We would typically do somewhere between six to 10 homes for Christmas , and we would probably have booked them by about [ mid-November ] , ” he says .
“ This year we had a dozen bookings before Labor Day.
” “ I think it ’ s important to show that we are here , we ’ re celebrating ” Van Wyck is capitalizing in another way : For $ 475 , his website offers something called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delights Package ” featuring “ ( 1 ) Evergreen , cedar and juniper wreath adorned with dried citrus , cinnamon stick and faux berries hand-crafted by genuine Van Wyck Elves , ” a full-color smart LED light bulb from GE , and a tube of those magic crystals for tossing in the fire ( Amazon retail price : $ 15.26 ) .
Van Wyck isn ’ t the only one trotting out elves .
On the new Netflix show Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas , interior designer Benjamin Bradley , the titular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yes , of elves ) gives four families holiday home makeovers that feature hand-flocked trees , Della Robbia-style wreaths , lucite diamonds , hanging lanterns , and luminescent deer .
Mr. Christmas , in his own words , goes “ Christmas balls to the walls.
” Preston Davis , the editor of Keep it Chic , is another newcomer to festive outdoor holiday displays .
“ I have never put lights outside or in windows and I plan to do that this year !
I think it ’ s important to show that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrating , ” Davis says .
In holiday seasons past , Davis hosted a series of luncheons to visit with old friends returning home for the holidays .
But with travel and large gatherings off the table , Davis is thinking about building a gingerbread house and making old-fashioned popcorn garland with her adult daughters , ages 20 and 25 — provided they ’ re able to safely travel home .
“ I plan on really ramping up , the tree with the popcorn strings and all that stuff .
I really want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
She ’ s also hoping her kids will want in on the fun .
“ I want them to help decorate and do some of those traditions , gingerbread houses and cookies .
Maybe I ’ ll even get them to produce sugar cubes for Santa .
Who knows ?
!
” She views these hands-on activities as a way to break her habit of multitasking — which , she acknowledges , “ takes a lot of value away from the time I spend with my family.
” It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , with touch and physical proximity largely off-limits , people are finding creative visual and aural ways to connect with others .
Springtime ’ s nightly clapping and cheering for first responders beget the summer ’ s illegal fireworks shows , which gave way to giant skeletons come Halloween .
Now , at Yuletide , the creative means have become literal , with people taking up those highly Instagrammable crafting projects .
In keeping with the nostalgic tone of this Christmas , Elizabeth Schulte of Salem , Oregon , is stepping up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oranges and apples alongside more traditional popcorn and cranberries .
The dried apples are the literal fruits of illicit labor ; she engaged in a practice called scrumping to obtain them .
“ It means , um , liberating apples that are maybe not necessarily legally yours , from a place where there ’ s no one really necessarily guarding them , ” Schulte says .
To atone for the scrumping , she ’ s also considering adopting another historic holiday activity : wassailing .
“ It ’ s where they would go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orchard ” to encourage the trees to grow more apples , she says .
“ Considering how we have just been robbing apples all over the state , maybe we should go and give them some encouragement.
” Schulte is incorporating nostalgia in another way .
“ I ’ m going to use some strange glitter on one of the garlands , I think maybe on the pine cones.
” Strange glitter ?
Schulte explains that before World War II , glitter was made mostly from ground glass out of Germany , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s quite annoying to find , I found some online , ” she says .
The German ground-glass glitter presented another problem , albeit one with a very 2020 solution .
“ I ’ m low-key concerned that I ’ m going to get ground glass into my lungs and eyes , ” Schulte says .
“ I think in order to safely use it , I have to wear a mask .
”

A 9-foot nutcracker. Magic crystals that light up a fireplace with green and purple flames. Glass-glitter pinecones so sharp, they have to be handled with protective gear.
These are just some of the decorations that Christmas enthusiasts are using to show their holiday cheer in an otherwise dreary year. Dorinda Medley, a former star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City, is known for “making it nice,” especially the exuberant Christmas displays she installs each year at Blue Stone Manor, her home in the Berkshires. But she’s going extra-big this holiday season — literally, if that giant nutcracker she bought is any indication. “When I pressed the button, I was like, ‘What have I done?’ But now it’s on the American Express, paid for, and I’m happy for it,” Medley says.
Being happy for it, for small pockets of merriment in a time when everything seems not very merry, is adding up to big business for purveyors of Christmas decor, who are selling holiday cheer at a fast clip. “I’ve got to put in the effort this year,” Medley says of her big spending, “because it would be easy just to fall into the doldrums of 2020 and say forget it. But I think that, at the end of the day, people need to feel hopeful.”
Medley is not alone. In this year of diminished holiday celebrations, with many skipping the holidays entirely and others doing their best to adjust traditions to fit the safety measures called for by the Covid-19 pandemic, Christmas enthusiasts are choosing to redirect energy they would usually spend on parties, meals, and frantic shopping trips to putting up over-the-top decorations and light displays.
Celebrants are expressing holiday cheer inside as well, through old-fashioned Yuletide activities like gingerbread-house building and garland-stringing as people seek out what Medley describes as a Norman Rockwell-esque Christmas. “I want to evoke that feeling of home — because we’ve all been home,” she says. (It doesn’t hurt, of course, that Christmas crafts are highly, highly Instagrammable.)
It’s a scene that is playing out across the country. “Over the last two months, we’ve seen a 45 percent increase in holiday lighting over the same time frame last year, and a 42 percent increase with wreaths and garland,” says Andrew Wolf, a holiday merchant at Ace Hardware. And John DeCosmo, president of Ulta-Lit Tree Company, says, “Light sets sales are up, outdoor decor sales are up, and artificial Christmas tree sales are up, so yes, we are seeing it. Our own sales online are up over 30 percent this year.”
Caroline Moss, an author and host of the podcast Gee Thanks Just Bought It, is doing an outdoor lights display for the first time and saw no reason to wait until after Thanksgiving to illuminate her home. “I put up an outdoor tree and outdoor lights on November 2,” she confesses. Moss, who relocated to Los Angeles this year with her husband Dan, was concerned about what her new neighbors might think, though she needn’t have worried. “I was very nervous because I didn’t want to be seen as the crazy new neighbors. I texted my next-door neighbor, and she was like, ‘Oh, we’re doing it too.’”
According to DeCosmo, the day after Thanksgiving is typically the most popular day of the year for Christmas decorating. But this year, people like Moss got an early start, perhaps wanting to wear their holiday cheer on their lawns. Bronson van Wyck, a decorator who services a high-end clientele, saw a noted increase in business — especially among early birds. “We would typically do somewhere between six to 10 homes for Christmas, and we would probably have booked them by about [mid-November],” he says. “This year we had a dozen bookings before Labor Day.”
“I think it’s important to show that we are here, we’re celebrating”
Van Wyck is capitalizing in another way: For $475, his website offers something called a “Sugar and Spice, Sensory Delights Package” featuring “(1) Evergreen, cedar and juniper wreath adorned with dried citrus, cinnamon stick and faux berries hand-crafted by genuine Van Wyck Elves,” a full-color smart LED light bulb from GE, and a tube of those magic crystals for tossing in the fire (Amazon retail price: $15.26). Van Wyck isn’t the only one trotting out elves. On the new Netflix show Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas, interior designer Benjamin Bradley, the titular Mr. Christmas, and his team (yes, of elves) gives four families holiday home makeovers that feature hand-flocked trees, Della Robbia-style wreaths, lucite diamonds, hanging lanterns, and luminescent deer. Mr. Christmas, in his own words, goes “Christmas balls to the walls.”
Preston Davis, the editor of Keep it Chic, is another newcomer to festive outdoor holiday displays. “I have never put lights outside or in windows and I plan to do that this year! I think it’s important to show that we are here, we’re celebrating,” Davis says.
In holiday seasons past, Davis hosted a series of luncheons to visit with old friends returning home for the holidays. But with travel and large gatherings off the table, Davis is thinking about building a gingerbread house and making old-fashioned popcorn garland with her adult daughters, ages 20 and 25 — provided they’re able to safely travel home. “I plan on really ramping up, the tree with the popcorn strings and all that stuff. I really want to go all out,” she says.
She’s also hoping her kids will want in on the fun. “I want them to help decorate and do some of those traditions, gingerbread houses and cookies. Maybe I’ll even get them to produce sugar cubes for Santa. Who knows?!” She views these hands-on activities as a way to break her habit of multitasking — which, she acknowledges, “takes a lot of value away from the time I spend with my family.”
It’s no surprise that in this socially distant year, with touch and physical proximity largely off-limits, people are finding creative visual and aural ways to connect with others. Springtime’s nightly clapping and cheering for first responders beget the summer’s illegal fireworks shows, which gave way to giant skeletons come Halloween. Now, at Yuletide, the creative means have become literal, with people taking up those highly Instagrammable crafting projects.
In keeping with the nostalgic tone of this Christmas, Elizabeth Schulte of Salem, Oregon, is stepping up her garland-making, using dried fruits like oranges and apples alongside more traditional popcorn and cranberries. The dried apples are the literal fruits of illicit labor; she engaged in a practice called scrumping to obtain them. “It means, um, liberating apples that are maybe not necessarily legally yours, from a place where there’s no one really necessarily guarding them,” Schulte says. To atone for the scrumping, she’s also considering adopting another historic holiday activity: wassailing. “It’s where they would go around and sing Christmas songs to the orchard” to encourage the trees to grow more apples, she says. “Considering how we have just been robbing apples all over the state, maybe we should go and give them some encouragement.”
Schulte is incorporating nostalgia in another way. “I’m going to use some strange glitter on one of the garlands, I think maybe on the pine cones.” Strange glitter? Schulte explains that before World War II, glitter was made mostly from ground glass out of Germany, and she wanted the real deal. “It’s quite annoying to find, I found some online,” she says.
The German ground-glass glitter presented another problem, albeit one with a very 2020 solution. “I’m low-key concerned that I’m going to get ground glass into my lungs and eyes,” Schulte says. “I think in order to safely use it, I have to wear a mask.”


vox--2020-12-03--How millennials became the burnout generation

“ We ’ re trying to build a solid foundation on quicksand.
” That ’ s how Anne Helen Petersen , author of Can ’ t Even : How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation , describes the plight of most millennials in America .
We ’ re a generation that has never quite been able to find any stability , economic or otherwise .
And it ’ s not just because we ’ ve endured two financial crises ( the Great Recession and now the coronavirus ) , though that ’ s obviously part of it .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set us up for burnout .
The sort of burnout Petersen describes goes beyond mere exhaustion , which is at least fleeting .
If you ’ re truly burned out , there ’ s no escape .
It ’ s what happens when you live without any margin for error , when you ’ re always one accident or illness away from bankruptcy or eviction .
Living so close to ruin saps the joy out of nearly everything because there ’ s no security , no peace of mind .
According to Petersen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vast majority of millennials — whether they work in retail or the gig economy — and it ’ s become so internalized that most of us can scarcely imagine a different way of being in the world .
I reached out to Petersen to talk about millennial burnout and why she thinks it ’ s similar to but also different from the experiences of previous generations .
We also discussed the role of capitalism in transforming society , the collapse of the American dream , the impossible dilemma faced by parents in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is making everything worse .
A transcript of our conversation , lightly edited for length and clarity , follows .
You did a ton of survey research for this book asking millennials to describe the state of their lives .
What were the most common complaints or themes ?
A lot of sadness and regret .
Many people I heard from believed they made the choices they were supposed to make and it led them to a deeply unsatisfying place .
They had confidence in the path , society assured them it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to college and took out debt and expected things to work out .
Or they pursued a certain career and found themselves continually exploited and continually behind .
The end result of that is a kind of despair and anger , and it came across in the surveys I conducted .
What is it about the world millennials inhabited that makes burnout so pervasive ?
The overarching thing is precarity .
Precarity has been connected to burnout historically — we just haven ’ t called it that .
We haven ’ t paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always a smaller percentage of the population that had to grapple with it .
People in poverty have been dealing with burnout forever .
The burnout experienced by millennials is textured by how we interact with digital technologies , and some of our ideas about work and the fetishization of overwork .
There ’ s a feeling of instability that ’ s the baseline economic condition for many , many millennials , and it ’ s enhanced by these other components of our lives that make it harder to turn away from .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ precarity ” and “ burnout ” ?
Because I think these are slippery terms for a lot of people .
Precarity is the state that most Americans find themselves in .
It ’ s operating with the knowledge that one big life gust ( a car accident , a serious illness , a house fire , a lost job ) could send you spiraling towards bankruptcy or eviction .
It ’ s living with massive amounts of debt and not knowing how you ’ ll service that debt if your income stream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family members in [ a ] financial position to support you .
It ’ s basically operating without a safety net .
Burnout is the feeling that you ’ ve hit the wall exhaustion-wise , but then have to scale the wall and just keep going .
There ’ s no catharsis , no lasting rest , just this background hum of exhaustion .
It manifests in not being able to make the sort of decisions you actually want to make — my classic example is that you ’ re so tired , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the book that you legitimately do want to read — and everything in your life flattens into one endless , ever-recyling to-do list that you just feel like you have to get through so that you can do the next thing on the list .
Things that should feel good or joyful or restful ( like vacation ! )
just feel like another thing to get through , because everything is work and work is everything .
“ We ’ re supposed to live in one of the most developed countries in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be this hard ” How has our relationship to technology intensified the burnout problem ?
I think it ’ s two things .
One is that our phones and our wifi-equipped laptops enable work to spread into virtually every corner of our lives .
We ’ re always connected , always reachable .
It ’ s so much harder to maintain any sort of boundary .
The other thing is that social media — Facebook and Instagram in particular — and this idea of packaging your life and leisure in a way that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether you think about it or not , has made a lot of us turn ourselves into a brand .
And maintaining that brand is exhausting .
The kind of burnout you describe definitely applies to a subset of millennials ( highly educated , knowledge-economy workers , people carrying laptops everywhere ) .
But do you think this applies to millennials in the retail or service sector as well ?
Is it universal ?
Of course !
Burnout occurs when you are asked to do more than you are capable of , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after day .
It happens when you ’ re not given autonomy in your job , when you ’ re surveilled in some capacity , when you ’ re not making enough to find financial security , when you ’ re scrambling every day to figure out child care or housing .
Middle class or “ knowledge workers ” often confront burnout by throwing money at it — which doesn ’ t really work but does provide some semblance of stability .
Retail workers dealing with lack of health insurance , algorithm-controlled scheduling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recourse — they get burned out , don ’ t have money to throw at the problem , and just keep going .
Sometimes that means they end up in the emergency room , on disability , reported to child services .
The stakes of burnout are just so much higher .
I think it ’ s incredibly important to be clear about that — but I also think that we can still use a word to gesture towards what ’ s shared between those sorts of jobs , if only to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many people as possible believe that the system that creates burnout across the income spectrum needs changing .
Yes , middle-class people should care about the working conditions of poor people , even if they haven ’ t experienced themselves .
But that presumption has led us to where we are now .
Every generation has had some version of this , and probably every time it seems like it ’ s more intense and more widespread .
You even concede in the book that burnout isn ’ t a uniquely millennial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this world and this moment that makes millennial burnout different ?
The digital tech is obviously new , but is this condition ?
A lot of it has to do with timing .
One of the things that people have said about millennials is that we ’ re unlucky .
I don ’ t like that because it suggests that there weren ’ t decisions made that made us unlucky , and that we ’ re just unfortunate to have been born at the wrong time .
It ’ s true that millennials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2008 recession and its aftermath , and that delayed any sort of adult stability for a significant amount of time .
It also limited our ability to pay off student loans or start saving money for the future .
There are cumulative effects to these things that stack up and create more instability .
But the recession didn ’ t come out of nowhere .
We intersected with it right out of school , and it was decisions made by people — most of whom weren ’ t millennials — that brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boom , we ’ re hit with another wave of precarity with the pandemic , right around the age a lot of people want to have children and start families , and now we ’ re grappling with the reality of trying to school those children or find child care .
It ’ s forcing people to drop out of the workforce after reaching their breaking point .
Millennial burnout might seem strange or counterintuitive to some , because in so many ways the world has never been easier or freer , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
We have more — more stuff , more options , more distractions — and yet there ’ s still this latent despair about the world .
How do you make sense of that ?
There ’ s this general American idea that more is always better , whether it ’ s more choices or more profits or more anything .
But there ’ s a lot of anxiety that attends having so many choices .
I think the reason why sites like Wirecutter and recommendation sites in general are so popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with options to the point of paralysis .
You want to make the best choice , the best decision .
You don ’ t want to blunder .
You want to go on the best vacation .
You want to choose the best preschool for your children .
And so on .
Making choices all the time increases anxiety .
And there ’ s the reality that maintaining a middle-class life is just harder today than it was in the past , which I think is a huge part of the burnout problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like my parents had , when doing so requires so much more debt ?
There ’ s a compulsion to keep borrowing and spending to simply maintain a decent life in an increasingly unforgiving economy .
All of this really boils down to capitalism , doesn ’ t it ?
And not just the economic system we call capitalism , but the way of life that system promotes .
There ’ s the precarity problem on the one hand , and then there ’ s the reality that our value as human beings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers , and that seems like a recipe not just for burnout but for a deep spiritual malaise .
Yeah , it ’ s such a complicated dynamic .
I was reading this old book from 1951 by a sociologist talking about the American understanding of work , which he saw as the culmination of a couple of ideals .
One is this idea that working hard without reward is evidence of deep virtue , and if you don ’ t work like that you internalize a sense of guilt .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethic .
But there ’ s another component , which is this notion that we ’ re supposed to do what we love , which he attributes to the Renaissance style of artisans who worked to produce art , even if it ’ s a wagon wheel or something like that , and that ’ s somehow operating outside of capitalism .
And I think it ’ s fine to believe that work is good and that idle hands make mischief , or whatever .
It ’ s also fine to believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ethos we ’ re operating in says that work is good when you ’ re most like a robot and you make money .
But we don ’ t talk about that .
We just talk about work as “ good.
” “ The meritocracy at the heart of the American dream was just a lie ” George Carlin had this great line about the American dream .
He said “ They call it a dream because you have to be asleep to believe it , ” and that ’ s kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This fantasy that if you work hard , if you matriculate through the system , you ’ ll find your footing and have a stable life is just dead .
Millennials might be the first generation to really confront this , although I ’ m sure Gen-Xers would disagree .
Yeah , well , and I think people who weren ’ t white and middle class already knew that for a long time , right ?
That the meritocracy at the heart of the American dream was just a lie .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a lie , it ’ s become a majority consensus .
Of course , as a society , we should ’ ve been paying attention before .
But here we are .
The chapter on “ parenting burnout ” hit me hard as a new dad .
We have a society that ’ s arranged as if every family has a caretaker who ’ s home all the time , but the reality is that both parents have to work in most families and no one has any answers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mothers , are just collapsing under the weight of impossible responsibilities .
How central is this to the burnout problem ?
It ’ s a huge component .
Fear of this exact problem is why a lot of people , myself included , are opting out of parenthood .
And I ’ ll say , there are plenty of good reasons why people should feel free to choose not to be parents , but being frightened about the mental load that ’ s going to fall on you , and struggling with financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them .
We ’ re supposed to live in one of the most developed countries in the world — having children shouldn ’ t be this hard .
We ought to make this easier .
Other countries have done it .
But we haven ’ t .
Let me push you a little because I think the book may let millennials off the hook by casting them as helpless victims of outside forces .
Is it possible that millennials have too eagerly absorbed the values that imprison them , and that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve revolted against this culture rather than working so hard to succeed within its parameters ?
You know how ideology works .
It ’ s so hard to push back against something that you don ’ t realize is an ideological force .
I grew up in a culture that told me to go to college and get a degree and do what I love no matter what .
I didn ’ t realize I was choosing an ideology when I was consuming those things .
I just thought I was doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s true for most of us .
We ’ re all surrounded by media that tells us these are the things we ’ re supposed to do .
It ’ s in all the movies , with characters saying , “ I ’ m going to Stanford no matter what it takes.
” Or it ’ s in Steve Job ’ s commencement speech , telling everyone to “ do what you love , if you ’ re not doing what you love , quit and go find it.
” And lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hopes that it would pay off .
When I was in college , people thought it was the obvious thing to do .
It ’ s a low-interest debt that will pay for itself because you ’ re investing in your future .
This was the idea of student debt as it was conceived in the ‘ 70s and ‘ 80s , when overall debt numbers were so much smaller .
But tuition just kept rising , debt payments kept rising , the labor market kept shifting , and most people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from under all the debt they thought they had to acquire if they wanted to succeed .
There was also public student loan forgiveness problems that we were sold .
We were told you can go into a career that ’ s underpaid and under-resourced and it won ’ t matter because in 10 years that debt will zero out .
A lot of people made decisions with that knowledge in hand .
They trusted the programs would endure .
But it hasn ’ t worked out that way .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , right ?
We expected the government to keep a promise and were surprised when it didn ’ t .
But an Indigenous person who grew up 10 miles from you is like , “ Of course the government ’ s not going to keep their promise.
” They know that you don ’ t trust anything the government tells you .
What ’ s your advice to people who feel like they ’ ve lost control of their own life and have to find some kind of balance now ?
I really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s going on is a huge first step .
To recognize and say , “ I don ’ t want it to be this way anymore , ” that ’ s a big deal .
Many people don ’ t even have the time or mental space to arrive at that point .
But if you get there , and you want to be analytical about your life and lay it down flat and say , “ What ’ s going on ?
Where did I get this idea ?
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a distance and see that it ’ s not necessarily true just because I believed it , or because I ’ ve done it for so long ?
” Because you don ’ t have to have an Instagram account .
You don ’ t have to have a Facebook account .
You don ’ t have to be on Twitter .
You don ’ t have to answer that email at 11 pm .
That doesn ’ t mean you have to quit those things , but if you can articulate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as a choice you get to make .

“We’re trying to build a solid foundation on quicksand.”
That’s how Anne Helen Petersen, author of Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation, describes the plight of most millennials in America. We’re a generation that has never quite been able to find any stability, economic or otherwise. And it’s not just because we’ve endured two financial crises (the Great Recession and now the coronavirus), though that’s obviously part of it. It’s because the world we’ve inherited set us up for burnout.
The sort of burnout Petersen describes goes beyond mere exhaustion, which is at least fleeting. If you’re truly burned out, there’s no escape. It’s what happens when you live without any margin for error, when you’re always one accident or illness away from bankruptcy or eviction. Living so close to ruin saps the joy from nearly everything because there’s no security, no peace of mind.
According to Petersen, this is the baseline condition for the vast majority of millennials — whether they work in retail or the gig economy — and it’s become so internalized that most of us can scarcely imagine a different way of being in the world.
I reached out to Petersen to talk about millennial burnout and why she thinks it’s similar to but also different from the experiences of previous generations. We also discussed the role of capitalism in transforming society, the collapse of the American dream, the impossible dilemma faced by parents in this culture, and why social media is making everything worse.
A transcript of our conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity, follows.
Sean Illing
You did a ton of survey research for this book asking millennials to describe the state of their lives. What were the most common complaints or themes?
Anne Helen Petersen
A lot of sadness and regret. Many people I heard from believed they made the choices they were supposed to make and it led them to a deeply unsatisfying place. They had confidence in the path, society assured them it was the right path, so they went to college and took out debt and expected things to work out. Or they pursued a certain career and found themselves continually exploited and continually behind. The end result of that is a kind of despair and anger, and it came across in the surveys I conducted.
Sean Illing
What is it about the world millennials inhabited that makes burnout so pervasive?
Anne Helen Petersen
The overarching thing is precarity. Precarity has been connected to burnout historically — we just haven’t called it that. We haven’t paid much attention to it because it was always a smaller percentage of the population that had to grapple with it. People in poverty have been dealing with burnout forever. The burnout experienced by millennials is textured by how we interact with digital technologies, and some of our ideas about work and the fetishization of overwork. There’s a feeling of instability that’s the baseline economic condition for many, many millennials, and it’s enhanced by these other components of our lives that make it harder to turn away from.
Sean Illing
Can you unpack what you mean by “precarity” and “burnout”? Because I think these are slippery terms for a lot of people.
Anne Helen Petersen
Precarity is the state that most Americans find themselves in. It’s operating with the knowledge that one big life gust (a car accident, a serious illness, a house fire, a lost job) could send you spiraling toward bankruptcy or eviction. It’s living with massive amounts of debt and not knowing how you’ll service that debt if your income stream fails. It’s not having family members in [a] financial position to support you. It’s basically operating without a safety net.
Burnout is the feeling that you’ve hit the wall exhaustion-wise, but then have to scale the wall and just keep going. There’s no catharsis, no lasting rest, just this background hum of exhaustion. It manifests in not being able to make the sort of decisions you actually want to make — my classic example is that you’re so tired, you just scroll Instagram instead of reading the book that you legitimately do want to read — and everything in your life flattens into one endless, ever-recyling to-do list that you just feel like you have to get through so that you can do the next thing on the list. Things that should feel good or joyful or restful (like vacation!) just feel like another thing to get through, because everything is work and work is everything.
“We’re supposed to live in one of the most developed countries in the world — having children shouldn’t be this hard”
Sean Illing
How has our relationship to technology intensified the burnout problem?
Anne Helen Petersen
I think it’s two things. One is that our phones and our wifi-equipped laptops enable work to spread into virtually every corner of our lives. We’re always connected, always reachable. It’s so much harder to maintain any sort of boundary.
The other thing is that social media — Facebook and Instagram in particular — and this idea of packaging your life and leisure in a way that makes it part of your personality, whether you think about it or not, has made a lot of us turn ourselves into a brand. And maintaining that brand is exhausting.
Sean Illing
The kind of burnout you describe definitely applies to a subset of millennials (highly educated, knowledge-economy workers, people carrying laptops everywhere). But do you think this applies to millennials in the retail or service sector as well? Is it universal?
Anne Helen Petersen
Of course! Burnout occurs when you are asked to do more than you are capable of, and you keep doing that day after day after day. It happens when you’re not given autonomy in your job, when you’re surveilled in some capacity, when you’re not making enough to find financial security, when you’re scrambling every day to figure out child care or housing.
Middle-class or “knowledge workers” often confront burnout by throwing money at it — which doesn’t really work but does provide some semblance of stability. Retail workers dealing with lack of health insurance, algorithm-controlled scheduling, harassment on the job with little recourse — they get burned out, don’t have money to throw at the problem, and just keep going. Sometimes that means they end up in the emergency room, on disability, reported to child services.
The stakes of burnout are just so much higher. I think it’s incredibly important to be clear about that — but I also think that we can still use a word to gesture toward what’s shared between those sorts of jobs, if only to create the sort of larger solidarity that makes as many people as possible believe that the system that creates burnout across the income spectrum needs changing. Yes, middle-class people should care about the working conditions of poor people, even if they haven’t experienced themselves. But that presumption has led us to where we are now.
Sean Illing
Every generation has had some version of this, and probably every time it seems like it’s more intense and more widespread. You even concede in the book that burnout isn’t a uniquely millennial condition. So what is it about this world and this moment that makes millennial burnout different? The digital tech is obviously new, but is this condition?
Anne Helen Petersen
A lot of it has to do with timing. One of the things that people have said about millennials is that we’re unlucky. I don’t like that because it suggests that there weren’t decisions made that made us unlucky, and that we’re just unfortunate to have been born at the wrong time. It’s true that millennials graduated from high school or college into the 2008 recession and its aftermath, and that delayed any sort of adult stability for a significant amount of time. It also limited our ability to pay off student loans or start saving money for the future. There are cumulative effects to these things that stack up and create more instability.
But the recession didn’t come out of nowhere. We intersected with it right out of school, and it was decisions made by people — most of whom weren’t millennials — that brought us to that precipice. And then boom, we’re hit with another wave of precarity with the pandemic, right around the age a lot of people want to have children and start families, and now we’re grappling with the reality of trying to school those children or find child care. It’s forcing people to drop out of the workforce after reaching their breaking point.
Sean Illing
Millennial burnout might seem strange or counterintuitive to some, because in so many ways the world has never been easier or freer, but levels of anxiety and depression keep going up. We have more — more stuff, more options, more distractions — and yet there’s still this latent despair about the world. How do you make sense of that?
Anne Helen Petersen
There’s this general American idea that more is always better, whether it’s more choices or more profits or more anything. But there’s a lot of anxiety that attends having so many choices. I think the reason why sites like Wirecutter and recommendation sites in general are so popular is because we’re so overwhelmed with options to the point of paralysis. You want to make the best choice, the best decision. You don’t want to blunder. You want to go on the best vacation. You want to choose the best preschool for your children. And so on. Making choices all the time increases anxiety.
And there’s the reality that maintaining a middle-class life is just harder today than it was in the past, which I think is a huge part of the burnout problem. How do I maintain middle-class stability like my parents had, when doing so requires so much more debt? There’s a compulsion to keep borrowing and spending to simply maintain a decent life in an increasingly unforgiving economy.
Sean Illing
All of this really boils down to capitalism, doesn’t it? And not just the economic system we call capitalism, but the way of life that system promotes. There’s the precarity problem on the one hand, and then there’s the reality that our value as human beings is bound up with our value as workers, and that seems like a recipe not just for burnout but for a deep spiritual malaise.
Anne Helen Petersen
Yeah, it’s such a complicated dynamic. I was reading this old book from 1951 by a sociologist talking about the American understanding of work, which he saw as the culmination of a couple of ideals. One is this idea that working hard without reward is evidence of deep virtue, and if you don’t work like that you internalize a sense of guilt. That’s kind of the whole Calvinist work ethic.
But there’s another component, which is this notion that we’re supposed to do what we love, which he attributes to the Renaissance style of artisans who worked to produce art, even if it’s a wagon wheel or something like that, and that’s somehow operating outside of capitalism. And I think it’s fine to believe that work is good and that idle hands make mischief, or whatever. It’s also fine to believe that work ought to be fulfilling. But the ethos we’re operating in says that work is good when you’re most like a robot and you make money. But we don’t talk about that. We just talk about work as “good.”
“The meritocracy at the heart of the American dream was just a lie”
Sean Illing
George Carlin had this great line about the American dream. He said “They call it a dream because you have to be asleep to believe it,” and that’s kind of what we’re talking about. This fantasy that if you work hard, if you matriculate through the system, you’ll find your footing and have a stable life is just dead. Millennials might be the first generation to really confront this, although I’m sure Gen-Xers would disagree.
Anne Helen Petersen
Yeah, well, and I think people who weren’t white and middle class already knew that for a long time, right? That the meritocracy at the heart of the American dream was just a lie. And now that white middle-class people are discovering it’s a lie, it’s become a majority consensus. Of course, as a society, we should’ve been paying attention before. But here we are.
Sean Illing
The chapter on “parenting burnout” hit me hard as a new dad. We have a society that’s arranged as if every family has a caretaker who’s home all the time, but the reality is that both parents have to work in most families and no one has any answers for this disjunction. So parents, especially mothers, are just collapsing under the weight of impossible responsibilities.
How central is this to the burnout problem?
Anne Helen Petersen
It’s a huge component. Fear of this exact problem is why a lot of people, myself included, are opting out of parenthood. And I’ll say, there are plenty of good reasons why people should feel free to choose not to be parents, but being frightened about the mental load that’s going to fall on you, and struggling with financial precarity, shouldn’t be one of them. We’re supposed to live in one of the most developed countries in the world — having children shouldn’t be this hard. We ought to make this easier. Other countries have done it. But we haven’t.
Sean Illing
Let me push you a little because I think the book may let millennials off the hook by casting them as helpless victims of outside forces. Is it possible that millennials have too eagerly absorbed the values that imprison them, and that if they choose to do so, they could’ve revolted against this culture rather than working so hard to succeed within its parameters?
Anne Helen Petersen
You know how ideology works. It’s so hard to push back against something that you don’t realize is an ideological force. I grew up in a culture that told me to go to college and get a degree and do what I love no matter what. I didn’t realize I was choosing an ideology when I was consuming those things. I just thought I was doing what people did. I think that’s true for most of us.
We’re all surrounded by media that tells us these are the things we’re supposed to do. It’s in all the movies, with characters saying, “I’m going to Stanford no matter what it takes.” Or it’s in Steve Jobs’s commencement speech, telling everyone to “do what you love, if you’re not doing what you love, quit and go find it.” And lots of millennials saddled themselves with student debt in the hopes that it would pay off.
When I was in college, people thought it was the obvious thing to do. It’s a low-interest debt that will pay for itself because you’re investing in your future. This was the idea of student debt as it was conceived in the ’70s and ’80s, when overall debt numbers were so much smaller. But tuition just kept rising, debt payments kept rising, the labor market kept shifting, and most people have found it impossible to get out from under all the debt they thought they had to acquire if they wanted to succeed.
There was also public student loan forgiveness problems that we were sold. We were told you can go into a career that’s underpaid and underresourced and it won’t matter because in 10 years that debt will zero out. A lot of people made decisions with that knowledge in hand. They trusted the programs would endure. But it hasn’t worked out that way. It’s such a white, middle-class, bourgeois thing, right? We expected the government to keep a promise and were surprised when it didn’t. But an Indigenous person who grew up 10 miles from you is like, “Of course the government’s not going to keep their promise.” They know that you don’t trust anything the government tells you.
Sean Illing
What’s your advice to people who feel like they’ve lost control of their own life and have to find some kind of balance now?
Anne Helen Petersen
I really do think that being able to identify what’s going on is a huge first step. To recognize and say, “I don’t want it to be this way anymore,” that’s a big deal. Many people don’t even have the time or mental space to arrive at that point. But if you get there, and you want to be analytical about your life and lay it down flat and say, “What’s going on? Where did I get this idea? How can I look at this idea from a distance and see that it’s not necessarily true just because I believed it, or because I’ve done it for so long?” Because you don’t have to have an Instagram account. You don’t have to have a Facebook account. You don’t have to be on Twitter. You don’t have to answer that email at 11 pm. That doesn’t mean you have to quit those things, but if you can articulate that to yourself, you can just see it as a choice you get to make.


vox--2020-12-03--Mark Zuckerberg gave $75 million to a San Francisco hospital. The city wants to condemn him anyway.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg ’ s adopted hometown of San Francisco took the first step on Thursday to formally condemn the naming of a major hospital after him and his wife , the latest flashpoint in the debate over the proper role for billionaire philanthropy .
A panel on the city ’ s board of supervisors recommended the condemnation , a move that reflects the new , increasingly controversial politics of both the tech industry and of its founders .
Activists on both the left and the right have grown sharply critical of big tech companies like Facebook .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement to charitable gifts from the mega rich .
The 3-0 vote is a manifestation of each of those crosscurrents , which both run particularly strong in liberal San Francisco .
The measure has no legal force .
But a symbolic , full vote of the board is expected on December 15 .
Five years ago , Zuckerberg and his wife , Priscilla Chan , gave $ 75 million to San Francisco General Hospital , the city ’ s sole public hospital , where Chan was a pediatrician at the time .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was formally renamed the Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center .
Since then , Zuckerberg has emerged as a political piñata as Facebook grew in size and has been dogged by cascading scandals .
And Zuckerberg ’ s troubles in his corporate life have increasingly boomeranged onto his charitable gifts , most notably at his and his wife ’ s eponymous philanthropy , the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative .
And so after years of fits and starts , a group of hospital nurses , anti-Facebook activists , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board of supervisors began to mobilize this summer to push back against the hospital ’ s name .
Rather than moving to officially rename it — which contractually could require returning the $ 75 million gift — the group decided to push for a middle ground : to condemn the name while leaving it in place .
That anger spilled out on Thursday before the Committee on Government Audit and Oversight , a panel on San Francisco ’ s board of supervisors .
“ San Francisco ’ s only public hospital should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for endangering public health in our country and around the world — and yet it does , ” said Gordon Mar , the lead sponsor of the measure .
“ These are policy choices , and they have a body count.
” “ We ’ re of course thankful for the gift and we ’ re thankful for any gift to our most important institutions during this time , ” said Matt Haney , another supervisor backing it .
“ But that doesn ’ t mean that we should for forever essentially have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential public institution.
” The session quickly became a pop-off session on the Facebook founder , with activists pillorying him for any corporate transgressions and downplaying the significance of his gift , which was the largest single private gift to a public hospital ever .
The comments became quite caustic — for instance , one San Franciscan called him a “ rich , amoral egotist who runs an extraction corporation.
” Meanwhile , charity leaders voiced concern over the precedent that the resolution could set .
Defenders of high-dollar philanthropy often argue that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boons that the donation offers the giver , their money also does real good for the disadvantaged .
And the hospital agreed in 2015 when it accepted the $ 75 million that it would keep the Zuckerberg name for at least 50 years .
Kim Meredith , the head of the hospital ’ s foundation , stressed that the “ heartfelt gift ” from Zuckerberg and Chan had made the city “ a model of care ” during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ This resolution of condemnation on the naming of [ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequences and a chilling effect on past , present , and future gifts to the city , ” she said .
“ We will need philanthropies to continue to tackle the challenges of Covid-19 , health equity , and recovery in future years.
” Meredith added in a later statement that she was “ proud that the hospital now bears their names.
” It is not unusual for an institution to name something after a donor who makes a particularly large gift .
Another San Francisco hospital is named after a different tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco officials signed off on the Zuckerberg naming contract in 2015 .
But for an institution to formally condemn a donor is unusual , if not unprecedented .

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s adopted hometown of San Francisco on Tuesday formally condemned the naming of a major hospital after him and his wife, the latest flashpoint in the debate over the proper role for billionaire philanthropy.
The city’s board of supervisors approved the condemnation, a move that reflects the new, increasingly controversial politics of both the tech industry and of its founders. Activists on both the left and the right have grown sharply critical of big tech companies like Facebook. And simultaneously, there is a building backlash movement to charitable gifts from the mega rich.
The 10-1 vote is a manifestation of each of those crosscurrents, which both run particularly strong in liberal San Francisco. The measure has no legal force and is merely symbolic.
Five years ago, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, gave $75 million to San Francisco General Hospital, the city’s sole public hospital, where Chan was a pediatrician at the time. As part of the donation, the hospital was formally renamed the Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
Since then, Zuckerberg has emerged as a political piñata as Facebook grew in size and has been dogged by cascading scandals. And Zuckerberg’s troubles in his corporate life have increasingly boomeranged onto his charitable gifts, most notably at his and his wife’s eponymous philanthropy, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
And so after years of fits and starts, a group of hospital nurses, anti-Facebook activists, and progressive lawmakers on San Francisco’s board of supervisors began to mobilize this summer to push back against the hospital’s name. Rather than moving to officially rename it — which contractually could require returning the $75 million gift — the group decided to push for a middle ground: to condemn the name while leaving it in place.
The final vote on Tuesday followed an earlier vote this month by the Committee on Government Audit and Oversight, a panel on San Francisco’s board of supervisors. That’s when the measure was debated more fully.
“San Francisco’s only public hospital should not bear the name of a person responsible for endangering public health in our country and around the world — and yet it does,” said Gordon Mar, the lead sponsor of the measure. “These are policy choices, and they have a body count.”
“We’re of course thankful for the gift and we’re thankful for any gift to our most important institutions during this time,” said Matt Haney, another supervisor backing it. “But that doesn’t mean that we should for forever essentially have given away advertising rights on this most essential public institution.”
That session quickly became a pop-off session on the Facebook founder, with activists pillorying him for any corporate transgressions and downplaying the significance of his gift, which was the largest single private gift to a public hospital ever. The comments became quite caustic — for instance, one San Franciscan called him a “rich, amoral egotist who runs an extraction corporation.”
Meanwhile, charity leaders voiced concern over the precedent that the resolution could set. Defenders of high-dollar philanthropy often argue that regardless of any tax advantages or public-relations boons that the donation offers the giver, their money also does real good for the disadvantaged. And the hospital agreed in 2015 when it accepted the $75 million that it would keep the Zuckerberg name for at least 50 years.
Kim Meredith, the head of the hospital’s foundation, stressed that the “heartfelt gift” from Zuckerberg and Chan had made the city “a model of care” during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This resolution of condemnation on the naming of [the hospital] has the potential of unintended consequences and a chilling effect on past, present, and future gifts to the city,” she said. “We will need philanthropies to continue to tackle the challenges of Covid-19, health equity, and recovery in future years.”
Meredith added in a later statement that she was “proud that the hospital now bears their names.”
It is not unusual for an institution to name something after a donor who makes a particularly large gift. Another San Francisco hospital is named after a different tech billionaire, Salesforce founder Marc Benioff. San Francisco officials signed off on the Zuckerberg naming contract in 2015.
But for an institution to formally condemn a donor is unusual, if not unprecedented.