A 24-year-old man has gone viral after revealing how embarrassed he feels to tell people he’s a garbage man, but to his surprise, internet users have rallied around to show him just how valuable his job is.
Tyreek Lamar Sanders, of Leeds, Massachusetts, posted on Reddit to explain that he feels a “sense of embarrassment” about being a garbage man and doesn’t like to tell people about it. He started the job when he was 23, and at first, he was delighted to have work and wanted to seize the opportunity. But over the last two years, he started to view his career as less important as others.
Sanders, who is part of Generation Z (born between 1997-2012) explained to Newsweek that being a garbage man is “looked down upon,” so he feels ashamed to be upfront about it. Despite performing a valuable role in society, he says that people don’t see it as a good career.
“I feel like people my age were sold the college dream, so because I didn’t go to college and decided to become a garbage man, I often felt like a failure compared to my peers,” Sanders said.
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Regardless of what people think, the Gen Zer loves being a garbage man because he gets great dental and healthcare, earns $24 an hour, starts early in the morning and is finished by mid-afternoon. He even gets to listen to his own music or podcasts while he works.
He shared his thoughts on Reddit on October 8, asking social media users if he should feel this ashamed of his job. The post instantly went viral, and in just a few days it amassed more than 12,000 votes and 4,400 comments.
“I was just curious what other people thought about being a garbage man, and I didn’t want to ask my coworkers how they felt, so I went to Reddit,” Sanders continued.
“I was very surprised by how much attention it gained, and the responses definitely changed my perspective. The comments were very wholesome, and I didn’t realize how much people appreciate their garbage men.”
According to research conducted by Deloitte and the Network of Executive Women (NEW), Gen Z have a very different approach to work than previous generations. When deciding on a new job, Gen Z puts less onus on salary, and would rather do work that’s more interesting but doesn’t pay as well.
They also found that diversity is a key component for most Gen Zers looking to join the workforce. They don’t just want to work for a company because it offers good perks, but also because they offer a spectrum of differences.
The Online Response
The outpouring of positivity that Sanders received from his post has helped him learn to love his job even more, telling Newsweek that it’s changed his outlook for the better.
“I still feel a little bit embarrassed to tell people what I do for work, but honestly, I have a good career that’s essentially recession proof. So, I should feel no shame,” Sanders said. “If you didn’t go to college or don’t plan on going to college, it’s a great idea to look into the trades. There’s plenty of money to be made from them, and trade jobs are in high demand.”
With over 4,400 comments on the viral post, many Reddit users were quick to assure Sanders that he should feel no shame about his choice of career.
One comment reads: “That’s a completely important and respectable job. I think we should respect all jobs, but yours in particular is one of the most important jobs for society. Don’t feel bad for working hard at something practical that helps people.”
Another Redditor wrote: “If every garbage person worldwide were to simultaneously quit at the same time, society would probably collapse. It’s such an underrated and valuable job and it’s a shame we teach people how to determine others’ worth based on their professions.”
A different person added: “Seriously. I never understood why being a garbage man was a point of ridicule or shame. It’s honorable work and it’s actually essential for society to function, which plenty of 9-5s can’t claim.”
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