The college dream has failed

College-educated workers who entered the labor market during or after the Great Recession face stagnating wages and diminished career prospects, fueling a shift toward economic radicalization and unionization. This "college-educated working class" increasingly views their employers with disillusionment, as jobs once considered aspirational—such as retail roles at Starbucks or Apple—have become degraded and precarious. New York Times labor reporter Noam Scheiber, author of *Mutiny*, argues that this demographic is forming a new labor identity, bridging cultural divides with traditional blue-collar workers through shared economic grievances. While AI poses further threats to job security, particularly for mid-career professionals, the growing worker consciousness suggests a potential resurgence in labor unrest reminiscent of the 1930s, as these employees leverage their sense of agency to challenge existing economic power structures.