You’d have to be entirely brainless to look at this landscape and think your hard work is going to “pay off” in any significant way.

That “hard work” gets milked at every job. Your “hard work” is just “meets expectations” on your quarterly review and that’s why you won’t see a cost of living raise this year. Maybe if you work harder next year? And don’t take any time off?

And then you see the billionaire class spending more money with a wave of their hand than you’ll ever see in your life. More than your entire community could pool together in your collective lifetimes. The billionaires didn’t “work hard” for it. They were born into it. Then you’ll see that massive waste of money implode at the bottom of the sea and wonder why people go hungry.

If you’re going to work hard - make sure it’s for yourself / someone you care about. Employers are here to take advantage of you.