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Isn’t it funny how some professions that were once so respected have become the punchlines of today’s workplace jokes? You know, the ones that used to come with a certain status, a neat paycheck, stability, and a reputation for being absolutely essential to society, but these days, they’re about as cool as a paper hat at a Michelin-star restaurant.
Meanwhile, brand-new jobs pop up out of nowhere that no one could have predicted, from viral content creators to AI-powered everything, and suddenly people are making bank by posting pictures of their breakfast. You’ve got to love the evolution of work, right?
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#1
Teacher. The complete lack of respect by government, parents, and kids is astonishing.
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#2
Journalism. Somewhere along the way it stopped being about delivering the news in a timely manner, and started being about getting clicks and being the first to report something, even if it might not have been true.
#3
Retail.
Believe it or not, it was once considered a respectable job. Adults would work full time for years with the same company, be knowledgeable about what they sold and make a wage that could support a family.
Daniel Atkins 2 weeks ago
I worked at Wal-Mart shortly after Sam Walton's death. They used to be pretty particular about their employees. They also had training the first few days they had you in front of a computer learning with interactive videos about where you were going to work. Plus all the employees that had worked there for a while said it changed after Sam died.
As the internet often shows us, there’s a job out there for everyone – whether that’s sitting on the couch in a bathrobe reviewing snack foods, operating a drone, or developing AI that could one day take over the world, the possibilities are endless. And the respect? Well, that’s up to us to create, but it might not come from our grandmas any time soon.
But hey, just when we thought the job market was a sinking ship, new classes of work came in like a superhero squad ready to save the day – and by save the day, I mean make a ton of cash. Enter social media content creators, crypto investors, NFT creators and dropshippers.
Imagine telling your grandma you're going to make your living by showing off your life on Instagram, trading virtual currency or selling something you don’t actually own. She’d probably hand you a spoon and tell you to get back to work, but now, these entrepreneurs are raking in six figures.
#4
Nursing. We went from heroes during Covid to expendable workers. Working at a 30 percent loss of staff so they can offer 1.5% yearly raises. It’s a total joke. There’s no one with experience anymore. About 70 percent of nurses have been on the job less than 5 years and don’t stay anywhere more than 2 years. Not to mention starting rates for new nurses in some areas is as low as 28 bucks an hour for a degree and license. Pathetic.
Ray Carrillo 2 weeks ago
Nurses are the ones in the hospital that keep you alive. They also poll as top 5 of trusted professions.
#5
CEO, business magnate. Believe it or not the majority of us in the 90s thought the US was a meritocracy and those people got there by being smart.
Turns out it's just nepotism and connections with a smattering of generational wealth.
LonelyLittleLeafSheep 2 weeks ago
What other career rewards you with a golden parachute for losing billions of dollars?
#6
Mail carrier. In the US at least. We had a good half century where delivering the mail was highly paid, highly respected and a great job for people that didn't like the typical office/jobsite routine. In 2024 the pay is sub par and moving towards outright poverty wages. The respect is still high but waining due to out of control junk mail and sub par carriers who don't get paid enough to care. The PO took all the new technology of the last two decades that could have made the job easier and more efficient and used it to micromanage carriers.
Source: Am mailguy.
And of course, we have AI specialists. A decade ago, no one even knew what machine learning was, unless you were watching sci-fi movies, but even then, it felt pretty out there.
Today, AI is the backbone of everything from customer service bots that ask if you’d like fries with your existential crisis to self-driving cars. If you had told someone in 2005 that their future could involve writing code that teaches computers how to be “smart,” they’d think you were just pulling their leg. But here we are. The future is now.
Then there’s the gig economy—the world of Uber drivers, freelance writers, and even the guy who somehow makes a living being a full-time professional napper. Yep, that's a thing, and so is the professional panda cuddler. I think I just found my dream job.
These are jobs that didn’t exist a decade ago. I’m pretty sure social media influencer or panda cuddler were not options on the university application form when my mom was a student. Just saying.
#9
Taxi drivers used to be super knowledgeable about local geography and attractions. Now they know nothing and just do whatever the app says.
Though to be fair maybe they weren't ever respected for that knowledge.
Apatheist Account2 2 weeks ago
Not true of black cabs in the UK - definitely respected for "The Knowledge".
Meanwhile, engineers, doctors, teachers and journalists have taken a big hit. There was a time when these folks were admired, like they were the rock stars in society. But not so much anymore, and these classic professions have lost a lot of respect over the decades, according to people online.
I’m guessing the fact that you need to study for 12 years to be a doctor and work for another 10 for low pay, before you can earn well in the field, might have something to do with it.
It's understandable why so many folks opt for more contemporary fields, rather than the classic ones, as these new jobs can earn them big bucks in just a few months, if done right. Technology and shifting societal values are huge factors. The values from a few decades ago, like status and stability, have been replaced by freedom and finances.
#10
Wedding photographers.
We went from being the preservers of authentic, awesome, joyful moments for the bride and groom…..
…. To being content creators that manufacture those “authentic” moments for likes and bridefluencers.
I assisted at a wedding this past fall where the bride and groom redid their first kiss three different times for the content creators…..
Seriously…. Ugh
Edit: honestly, the whole damn wedding industry needs a good kick in the nards.
#11
Working for an airline, used to be admirable job, classy, now it's embarrassing as airlines treat people like cattle.
LonelyLittleLeafSheep 2 weeks ago
Sardines, they treat people like sardines. Cattle would have more room.
We wanted to know more about what people valued, in terms of profession, a few decades ago, so Bored Panda reached out to someone who has spent 40 years in pretty much the same role. Eng. Liana Hancu, PhD is an engineer and professor at Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, who has spent a lifetime at the same university.
Professor Hancu told us that, looking back at her 40 years in the field of engineering, if she were to start university today, she would still pursue a career in manufacturing engineering, as it is a dynamic field that always pushes you to think creatively.
We asked Professor Hancu how she views the appeal of unconventional careers, like social media content creators and freelancers, compared to traditional professions such as engineers or teachers. She told us that these modern career paths are intriguing for her because they encourage self-expression and creativity in unique ways that traditional professions might not.
However, they come with significant unpredictability. While she respects the courage it takes to succeed in such roles, she appreciates the stability and lasting contributions provided by careers like engineering and education.
#13
Not sure if this was just a ME thing, but I used to think HR had a purpose. I wasn't sure what it was but now I get that they are not there for you but as nothing more as a liability shield for the company and that they should not be trusted by employees under any circumstances.
HR is like the police. They can and will lie directly to your face. They do not have your interest in mind and the entire dept is staffed by people who have no skills in anything tangible.
#14
The counseling profession is currently in limbo. Consumers do not realize the atrocity and horror of companies such as better help and ellie health and grow therapy-etcetera. These are not grounded in mental health AT ALL and soon AI will be an option.
The best therapists are those that can form a connection with a client, using techniques that take years and extra training ( much to therapists dismay-as it is $$$). There is no quick fix and a robot cannot help you.
#15
Truck driving. Truckers used to be called the knights of the road, now they're a bunch of clowns. I'm a retired driver it was a good profession when I started.
We wanted to know how the role of an engineer has evolved over the decades, and if the profession still holds the same respect and prestige it once did.
“Automation and now AI have revolutionized the profession. However, I do think that some of the respect has waned, partially because people don’t always understand the depth and breadth of what engineers do and how this contributes to the development of society. Unfortunately, many people do not realize that, without engineering, content creators would not exist today,” Professor Hancu explained.
We also asked Professor Hancu if she has noticed any significant changes in the attitudes, motivations, or skills of engineering students today compared to those from 20 or even 30 years ago. She told us that these changes are very obvious.
“Students today are incredibly tech-savvy, but I sometimes see less curiosity about fundamental principles and more focus on quick results. There’s a shift towards instant reward, which is likely influenced by the digital age. However, they are also more socially aware, which I find inspiring,” Hancu explained.
#16
I remember when I was a kid you were seen as an ungrateful a*****e if you didn't respect the police no matter what and at all times. Now it seems that everyone has a certain disdain and distrust of the police no matter your background.
#17
Politician. My understanding is that people once respected them, maybe...
LonelyLittleLeafSheep 2 weeks ago
The founding fathers never intended politics to be a full-time career. Members of society, representing all walks of life, were supposed to spend just a short term in office, hopefully do something good for the people, then return to their regular careers and let someone else have a term. Career politcians are all soulless, scum-sucking, bottom-feeders not worthy of any respect.
#18
Technical maintenance.
Industrial maintenance.
Used to be respected for your knowledge and contribution to production numbers.
Now, with corporate greed, you are the red headed step child and costing them money. You don't need all those parts!!!
But woe to you if a machine goes down and you have no part because they reduced your inventory by 3/4.
Edit: word correction!
Lost Panda 2 weeks ago
To add to this, the fact that so many uppers would rather just buy and replace instead of repair. Over my tenure in IT, I have learned how to actually repair many everyday items in use throughout the facility. It can be done for cheaper, and once I have the needed part (that they didn't order ahead of time) can usually get it done quicker. So I have skills going unused while people constantly ask "Why do we pay you?"
So, what does this all mean? Well, it’s pretty simple: respect isn’t permanent, and in the blink of an eye, your prestigious job might just be the punchline of a Reddit post. The important thing is to roll with the changes and if your job isn’t being respected now, just wait until a new one pops up. Who knows, maybe “chief virtual reality experience consultant” is in your future.
Until then, we’ve created a list of the professions people used to think highly of, but are not as respected as they used to be, according to folks online.
#19
Bank teller used to be a foot in the door to the finance industry. Now it's basically 20 year old, credit card salesmen.
#20
Blacksmiths
Now if I want my iron forged I have to go to some faceless cookie-cutter corporation. How I do miss William.
#23
"Engineer"
In some countries its a protected title, but they keep putting it on jobs that have nothing to do with engineering.
#24
Lawyers. There are so many in the legal profession doing meaningful greater good work but the public image is corporate fat cats, ambulance chasers and being the fall guy for why every house move is delayed.
#25
Artists IMO. People would pay thousands, if not millions, of dollars for a good art piece. Now, people try to short change artists left, right and center by refusing to pay them their worth or going to AI instead.
Final score:
15points
LonelyLittleLeafSheep 2 weeks ago
To be fair, even the artists who painted million-dollar works often died in poverty, and their works didn't sell for those prices until after they died. If they had the Church as patrons, they might have lived in relative comfort for a time, but those who chose to paint/sculpt/create art of their own choosing were usually destitute. More modern artists (Warhol, Pollack, Kahlo, etc) may have been more financially successful, but you are correct that there has been a relatively recent trend of people devaluing an artist's work and trying to negotiate something for nothing. And then, if the artist refuses, they insult the work and go to AI.
#26
Butchers, I don't know if I'd describe them as a joke but the social clout has dropped significantly.
#27
In the 90's Software Engineers were the s**t. Now we are the same as a Admin and Project Managers are gods. Couldn't code their way out of a wet bag but damn them Gant Charts!
Ron Man 2 weeks ago
In the 90's every other person wasn't a software developer. In the 90's, you couldn't take an online 4 week course and become a 'software developer'. This is they kind of thing that happens in a lot of industries. At one point in the beginning it's necessary and very respected. Then every other person in the world becomes one, and it's just not as needed and people outside of the industry can't tell the difference between a "real" developer, and a hacknied developer.
#28
Astrologer. Royals used to consult with their astrologers to see what was 'written in the stars' for them and it was considered a genuine science...
Apatheist Account2 2 weeks ago
One has to go a long way back for it to be considered respected.
#30
Philosopher.
It used to be that logic and reasoning worked in harmony with scientific discovery to apply the knowledge gained in meaningful ways that benefit everyone.
Now philosophers are unbearable rags who smear pretty words at the wall to appear smart and provide no benefit to humanity whatsoever.
What do you think ?
Phillip Moderow 2 weeks ago
OK, let's do away with all those professions. Can you spell "chaos" ?
Manana Man 2 weeks ago
Most of these professions have played a major role in their own downfall.
Forrest Hobbs 2 weeks ago
What? Teachers, nurses, engineers? Butchers, maintenance techs? Etc?
Load More Replies...
Anony Mouse 2 weeks ago
TBH paid professionals have been repressed for years for greed. But remember too that it’s often fuelled by consumers who want everything easy, cheap and fast. You want quality and get it nicely. Nah, I’ll go down the road to CNN (Cheap ‘n Nasty). Sometimes we’re part of the system failure. The system isn’t broken - it’s well designed by those with power and authority to benefit from it.
Phillip Moderow 2 weeks ago
OK, let's do away with all those professions. Can you spell "chaos" ?
Manana Man 2 weeks ago
Most of these professions have played a major role in their own downfall.
Forrest Hobbs 2 weeks ago
What? Teachers, nurses, engineers? Butchers, maintenance techs? Etc?
Load More Replies... Anony Mouse 2 weeks ago
TBH paid professionals have been repressed for years for greed. But remember too that it’s often fuelled by consumers who want everything easy, cheap and fast. You want quality and get it nicely. Nah, I’ll go down the road to CNN (Cheap ‘n Nasty). Sometimes we’re part of the system failure. The system isn’t broken - it’s well designed by those with power and authority to benefit from it.
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