Latest news with #disillusionment
News.com.au
09-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- News.com.au
‘What's the point?': Young Aussie's rant exposes housing crisis
A young Australian has gone viral after asking a question that exposes a major problem when it comes to financial security and home ownership in this country. Larissa Kay has amassed more than 700,000 views on TikTok in a clip where she asks 'What's the point?', revealing she fears she'll never be able to own a home and doesn't know what to do when it comes to planning her future. In the video, the fed-up 28-year-old woman, living in NSW, explained that she felt disillusioned with society because she's moved to a regional area and is living in a studio, but still can't get ahead. And she argued that many other Aussies in their 20s or 30s would likely be in a similar situation unless they were 'being given things by your parents'. Ms Kay said she had become disillusioned, previously thinking that if she went to university, got a degree, and then snagged a good job, she'd be able to afford a nice house by now, a holiday once a year, and be seriously considering having children. Instead, she's renting, not thinking about having children, and certainly not nearing the purchase of a home. 'That is not happening and you're just kind of like, what is the actual point of anything?' she said. 'I thought by now I might have a three-bedroom house, maybe like be thinking about kids, maybe be successful in my career. 'I moved regional to save money but there's no jobs out here. It has made me reassess my whole life? What am I doing? Should I just go travelling? 'I'm a pretty A-type person, I like to plan everything, but I'm just kind of feeling like f**k it, should I just do what makes me happy?' Speaking to Ms Kay explained that she studied for five years and is a qualified allied health professional, but it hasn't worked out. 'It didn't really pay off for me in terms of pay and working conditions,' she said. 'I originally went into it because I was told it was in high demand, which it was/is - but professionals like healthcare, teaching, etc seem to be the ones getting left behind.' She's now started Luupa, a pet-sitting service that matches owners with pet sitters, but she's still nowhere close to homeownership. Even though her career hasn't so far worked out as planned, the 28-year-old argued that she thought it didn't used to be this hard to get ahead in Australia. 'My parents worked fairly normal jobs and owned two homes in decent areas with a pool,' she said. 'Whereas myself and a lot of my peers need a full time job with a university degree, plus a side hustle or two to make ends meet, and that still decent guarantee a home, or a decent rental. 'I fear every day I'll never have a house of my own - when you don't have the option of living with parents or having them help you - it's really scary.' Ms Kay explained that housing is 'definitely the biggest expense' even though she and her partner live somewhere small. 'We live in a small studio, which we are grateful for and is comfortable, but we do this because we want to have a life outside of just working to pay rent or save for a home,' she explained. 'If we were to move to a bigger house, our rent would likely triple which is just completely unaffordable for us. So that is really hard.' Housing isn't the only weekly expense that Ms Kay frets about. In fact, she feels like everything is too expensive. 'Basic things like fuel and groceries - we used to be able to budget $100 a week as a couple and that's more than doubled,' she said. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has found that younger people are struggling to get into the housing market at the rate as previous generations. About half of Millennials are homeowners - 55 per cent - whereas 66 per cent of Baby Boomers were homeowners at the same age. That shouldn't be a surprise because in 1984 the average Australian could buy a home that cost 3.3 times their annual income. But in 2025, the average person faces house prices 10 times their annual salary. Even if young people manage to get onto the property ladder that doesn't mean they're set either. Financial comparison website Finder has found that mortgage holders are drowning in debt, with 42 per cent of homeowners in 2024 admitting they were struggling with their repayments. Over 13 per cent admitted they'd missed repayments in the last six months. Ms Kay's rant hit a raw nerve with other young Australians who were quick to commiserate with her. 'I'm worried about my housing prospects and I'm a professional who's in a relationship with another professional, and we have no kids,' one shared. 'I'm 29. In a 3-person share house. Good paying full time job. But haven't managed to save anything in the last 5 years,' one admitted. 'It feels like we've been sold out and lied to,' another said. 'I've just accepted I'll never own a house, live in share houses and make minimum wage my whole life even though I have a university degree,' one shared. 'If you don't have family support it's becoming impossible to just set yourself up,' someone argued. 'Two incomes of $120-150k a year is the minimum required to live in Australia. You need to find a career that can get you to that in the future, or you're cooked,' another said.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Climate Change Hell, Military Coups, Big Industry Pollution, Fractured Families: Guadalajara Gives a Bracing Latin American Take on World Collapse
The Zeitgeist weighs heavily on this year's Guadalajara Construye, the top Mexican fest's pics-in-post showcase, one of the its industry centerpieces, now in its 19th edition. 'Here Be Dragons,' by the Sundance selected Iria Gómez Concheiro ('The Cinema Hold Up') takes place after a military coup, confronts 'a culture of fear,' she says. 'Genesis' unspools during the Earth's final days, 'The Swimmers' during the hottest summer in the history of Buenos Aires, suffering mass exodus, 'Girls Ground' is set in a coastal town poisoned by its heavy industry. More from Variety Guadalajara Highlights Hits, Notable Debuts Among Recent Spanish, Portuguese-Language Movies, Plus a Film About a 'Hell of Naked Depravity' Leading Mexican Post-Production Houses Chemistry and Semillero Join Forces in Guadalajara (EXCLUSIVE) 'Pulp Fiction's' Maria de Madeiros Receives Tribute at Guadalajara's Portugal Country of Honor Celebrations Other films portray characters turning to ('8 Ways to Die') and preparing to abandon ('That Shadow Fading') bedrock affective relationships. One keynote ('The Swimmers,' 'The Monster') is a sense of disillusionment. Such themes will be given, however, a regional twist, their makers promise. ''Genesis' forges a uniquely Latin American approach to science fiction, reclaiming futuristic storytelling from colonial perspectives and transforming our collective dreams of what's possible. It sheds light on what it truly means to be human in a world in the face of collapse,' says producer Juan Sarquis. 'Here Be Dragons' ¡s described as a 'dystopian thriller told from a Latin American perspective.' Six of the seven Works in Progress are directed by female filmmakers in a Latin America where they are seizing opportunities to make movies as if there is no tomorrow. Titles in this year's Guadalajara Works in Progress competition, running June 9-11. 'Genesis,' ('Genésis,' Magaly Ugarte de Pablo, Mexico) During Earth's final days, Alma must conceive with an imposed partner to earn passage to humanity's last refuge. A pragmatic pact unexpectedly transforms into passionate attraction but rejection shatters their bond and their hope. Confronted with impossible decisions, their reality begins to fracture. 'Genesis' sheds light on what it truly means to be human in a world in the face of collapse,' says Ugarte de Pablo. The latest from Mexico City-based Filmaciones de la Ciudad, founded by Juan Sarquis, also an executive producer and development manager at El Estudio. 'Girls Ground,' ('Tierras Niñas,' Zara Monardes, Chile) Luz spends her last summer of childhood in Chile's Ventanas, a heavy industry coastal town, accompanied by her half sister and pet rabbit. Written by Monardes and producer Catalina Aguilar, a Ventana Sur entry which won three industry prizes last December. The film 'highlights the complex journey of personal identity and the challenges women face as they navigate a world that shapes and often limits their development,' says Monardes. Set up at Chile's Cine UDD educational facility, whose to date 16 graduation features to date include 'La Madre del Cordero' and 'Sariri.' 'Here Be Dragons,' ('Aquí Hay Dragones,' Iria Gómez Concheiro, Mexico, Chile) The biggest title playing this year's Guadalajara Construye, marking the third feature from Gómez Concheiro, behind Sundance title 'The Cinema Hold Up' and Guanajuato winner 'Before Oblivion.' After a military coup, Candelaria, 18, searches for her missing brother and the truth about the so-called 'barbarians' and her own father. Produced by Gómez Concheiro's label Ciudad Cinema and Machete Producciones ('Leap Year,' 'La Jaula de Pro,' 'Huesera'). 'We are very pleased with the results so far and truly believe we have something special and unique to offer Mexican and Latin American cinema,' says Machete's Edher Campos. 'The Monster,' ('O Monstro,' Helena Guerra, Brazil) As she realises an ex-girlfriend has stolen her idea for a film, an obsessive, frustrated film editor spirals out of control, becoming what she always feared: a pathetic monster. 'At the heart of the film are the gripping performances by Estrela Straus and Victoria Rossetti,' says Guerra. 'Together, they embody the same character at two pivotal moments: a woman in her 20s, bold and brimming with desire, and decades later in her 40s, disillusioned and haunted by memories she cannot escape.' A Havana Fest Coral Prize finalist, and first feature from São Paulo's Irmãos Guerra Filmes. 'The Swimmers,' ('Los Nadadores,' Sol Iglesias SK, Argentina) A first feature from Buenos Aires-based guerrilla indie film collective Los Nadadores Cine, made by and starring four of its members including writer-director Iglesias SK and producer Valentina D'Emilio, plus directors Joaquín Fretes, and Tobías Reizes. Four friends suffer the hottest summer in history in Buenos Aires. Amid power outages, and a massive exodus abroad, they break into the mansions of the absent ultra rich. 'This is a film by a new generation of Argentine filmmakers who dare to combine diverse narrative elements to create a fantastic and nihilistic story about the future of the world,' says D'Emilio. 'That Shadow Fading,' ('Aquella Sombra Desvanecía,' Samuel Urbina, Peru) For years, Sol, a funeral keyboardist, has sought refuge in the monotony of her work. Now her son, Junior, is finishing university, will soon leave. In a sweltering, desert-like city, mother and son will try to connect before separation. 'Our film carries a restrained narrative and a sensitive gaze; it delves into the intimacy of the domestic, the wound of detachment, and the possibility of becoming whole through loss,' say Urbina and producer Walter Manrique. '8 Ways to Die,' ('8 Maneras de Morir, Mar Novo, Mexico) Out of work, out of sorts after she breaks up, Lex, thirty-something, seeks solace in her only emotional mainstay, her grandmother. Their relationship swings from tenderness to dark humor. The latest from Mexico's Novo, a member of the writers room for Amazon Original series 'Mentiras.' Her debut feature, 'Sisters,' bows this year. Best of Variety 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Animated Program — Can Netflix Score Big With 'Arcane,' 'Devil May Cry' and the Final Season of 'Big Mouth?'
South China Morning Post
05-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- South China Morning Post
Harvard speech by Chinese graduate exposes class disillusionment and education gap at home
Controversy surrounding a speech given by a Chinese Harvard graduate reflects the Chinese public's 'disillusionment' with elite education and 'anger at class rigidity', according to a Chinese academic. Advertisement Jiang was the first Chinese woman selected as the student speaker at a Harvard graduation ceremony. 03:40 Absurd, anxious, concerned: Students react to US revoking Chinese student visas Absurd, anxious, concerned: Students react to US revoking Chinese student visas While her success was initially praised by the Chinese media, it soon drew criticism from social media users who questioned whether her 'privileged' family background truly represented the broader Chinese student population. As the controversy escalates, some academics and commentators have begun to examine how it reflects the Chinese public's growing disillusionment with elite education. Yuan Changgeng, an anthropologist at Yunnan University who has long studied changes in social attitudes, said that in recent years 'China's social classes have become increasingly rigid and tensions between them have been on the rise'. Advertisement He added that within the past two years, few of the 'elites' active on Chinese social media had been held up to public scrutiny without having flaws in their experience or morals exposed. 'People are increasingly recognising that competition in education is ultimately a competition of family finances and social capital [connections and resources],' said Yuan, referring to the fact that children from wealthy families in China often have access to more educational resources, both at home and abroad.
CBS News
04-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden's White House press secretary, says she's no longer a Democrat
Washington — Karine Jean-Pierre, who was the White House press secretary under former President Joe Biden, is no longer a Democrat, according to her publisher's summary of her upcoming book, "Independent." A blurb by the publisher, the Hachette Book Group, says Jean-Pierre "didn't come to her decision to be an Independent lightly," and goes on to say that she "defines what it means to be part of the growing percentage of our fractured electorate that is Independent, why it can be worthwhile to carve a political space more loyal to personal beliefs than a party affiliation and what questions you need to ask yourself to determine where you fit politically." Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a conversation at 92NY on June 3, 2025, in New York City. John Lamparski / Getty Images The summary indicates that Jean-Pierre, a longtime Democrat who also worked for former President Barack Obama's administration and his presidential campaign, grew disillusioned with the party over its efforts to pressure Biden to drop his reelection bid last year. Biden ended up leaving the race for the White House weeks before the Democratic National Convention, and Vice President Kamala Harris went on to become the party's presidential nominee. She lost to President Trump in November. In addition to serving two Democratic presidents, Jean-Pierre was chief of staff to Harris during the 2020 campaign. "She takes us through the three weeks that led to Biden's abandoning his bid for a second term and the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision," the Hachette summary says. In her book, Jean-Pierre "shares why Americans must step beyond party lines to embrace life as Independents." The book will be available in October, according to the publisher. "Until January 20, I was responsible for speaking on behalf of the president of the United States. At noon on that day, I became a private citizen who, like all Americans and many of our allies around the world, had to contend with what was to come next for our country," Jean-Pierre said in a statement from Legacy Lit, which is part of Hachette. "I determined that the danger we face as a country requires freeing ourselves of boxes. We need to be willing to exercise the ability to think creatively and plan strategically. We need to be clear-eyed and questioning, rather than blindly loyal and obedient as we may have been in the past. And freeing ourselves of boxes is truly at the heart and soul of my new book, Independent." Jean-Pierre was Biden's second White House press secretary, taking over the position from Jen Psaki in 2022. She served as principal deputy press secretary before being elevated to the role of press secretary following Psaki's departure from the White House. Jean-Pierre was the first Black woman and first openly gay person to serve as White House press secretary.
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Britain CAN be great again - and here's how! JEREMY HUNT's vital new book where he insists: It's time to stop wallowing
Missed yesterday's part one in the Mail? Read it here It was that diplomat and global thinker Henry Kissinger, a great and inspirational friend of mine, who warned the biggest pitfall for any country is self-doubt. And yet that is what we as a nation are going through. We are suffering an epidemic of self-loathing, a massive decline in self-confidence and crippling disillusionment.
