A worker recently struck a nerve on Reddit after posting a frank message about the traditional idea of working hard until retirement. “Work like a dog until you’re 65+… just to enjoy ‘freedom’ for maybe 10-15 years, if your health allows,” he wrote.
In the post titled “The biggest lie we have been sold,” the redditor reflected on personal loss, sharing that their mother passed away from pancreatic cancer just a month before turning 69. “It changed my perspective on work and life in general,” they wrote.
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Rethinking the Grind
The post sparked a flood of comments, with many users questioning whether delaying happiness for decades is really worth it. “Retirement isn’t freedom. It’s a delayed apology,” the original poster added.
Some users agreed that the pressure to work nonstop has real consequences. One user shared, “My husband had a heart attack and died six days after his 65th birthday. Only health issues were high cholesterol and blood pressure, both maintained by medication. He was active, not overweight… It sucks. DO NOT WORK YOURSELF TO DEATH.”
Others, however, argued that work has always been part of human existence. “We’ve been working since the dawn of time,” one commenter said. “Working isn’t the problem. It’s the type of work that’s the problem. It’s who it’s for that’s the problem. It’s how little we have to show for it that’s the problem.”
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Finding Balance
Many agreed that the real issue is not work itself, but how it consumes life. “You traded decades of life for a paycheck, missed birthdays, memories, and time with the people that mattered,” OP wrote.
One user summed it up simply: “You have to enjoy life while you are living it. It isn’t about working until retirement for your reward. Your whole life matters.”
Plenty of users said they try to live with more balance—taking vacations, spending time with family, and enjoying life now, not later. “I take a big trip every year and spend time with friends and family whenever possible,” another person commented.
Some emphasized the need for financial planning early on to avoid working into old age. “Save and invest properly, and you can retire early,” one user said. “It takes sacrifice and discipline.”
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Is the System Broken?
A number of comments pointed to broader issues with work culture, especially in the United States. “Companies have been squeezing more out of their employees for less pay, benefits, and rewards year after year,” one commenter said.
Another noted the global differences: “Other countries give you a month or two of paid time off, several months of maternity and paternity leave, sick days aren’t a problem, healthcare isn’t taken from your pay…”
Still, some argued that while the system is imperfect, life today is better than in the past. “150 years ago, you worked like a dog until you dropped dead,” one person said. “Life has always been hard.”
Ultimately, many agreed that waiting until retirement to start “living” is a risky gamble. As one commenter put it, “You can’t wait because life doesn’t owe you anything.”
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