It seems like part of the disconnect is the idea of an "entry level job" that is not a permanent, lifelong career. This is (or at least used to be) a fixture of

It seems like part of the disconnect is the idea of an "entry level job" that is not a permanent, lifelong career. This is (or at least used to be) a fixture of the US workforce: you start out in a non-ideal position to gain experience and prove yourself. You're not making enough to own a new car, buy a house, start a family, put kids through college, etc., but you don't expect that right out of the gate: you live frugally, with roommates, and invest in your career until you later attain a better-paying job. But two ways that seems to be breaking down lately: 1. More and more people are getting stuck in entry-level jobs permanently, unable to find any opening to move up to a better-paying career that's sustainable for life. 2. Younger generations may have a growing sense of entitlement - increasingly appalled at the notion of scrounging for your first N years our of college, rather than immediately living a glamorous, 'Sex in the City'-style urban lifestyle. I think part of the backlash against this post is that the author's words seem to place her firmly in the 2nd category - she's eating out and living in her own place (in the most expensive metro area in North America) while complaining that she 'feels' poor... and complains about having to work "a whole year" in an entry-level position before the prospect of a promotion.