The Difference between a 23YO American in 1980, and a 23YO American in 2025

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29. Big Bear

My Social Security report for 1983, the last full year I worked there, shows $26K as my earnings for the year.

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, thought I was crazy to leave that job to join the Navy, but it worked out for me.

The next step up for me at Big Bear would be an Assistant Store Manager position, but then, you got put on "salary" instead of hourly.

They worked those Managers and Assistant Managers to the bone. I saw my Assistant Manager, who lived about an hour away from our store, start at 6AM and not leave until 10-1030 PM. One night, he got a hotel close to the store instead of making the drive home. I knew that wasn't for me.

Even my first job, on a Void Tiger Team on my first ship in the shipyard, had a better quality of life.