A distinction needs to be made between firings (which are for cause) and mass layoffs. Companies that don't lay off employees do exist: https://www.ajobthing.c

A distinction needs to be made between firings (which are for cause) and mass layoffs. Companies that don't lay off employees do exist: https://www.ajobthing.com/blog/this-company-has-never-laid-off-an-employee-in-86-years--heres-how-they-do-it https://www.ajobthing.com/blog/this-company-has-never-laid-o... Being "laid off" is a novel concept that primarily exists with the formation of corporations. Prior to that most people who lost jobs knew that the job was temporary going into it. Or lost due to factors such as disability (which, admittedly, would be far worse than a modern layoff). This more modern concept of losing a job is typically very stressful, as most people's wealth support is fairly precarious. Given that there are often alternatives for a corporation there's the fact that the stress is inflicted when it need not be. So yeah, people get upset. Just like people get upset about things like cancel culture, lack of healthcare, what have you. It used to be that getting kicked out of the tribe was a last resort for the most serious of crimes. Now petite expulsions happen all of the time and we're supposed to just be okay with it?