You’re not burnt out, you’re existentially starving

Personal resonance & coping strategies

• Many commenters, including successful startup veterans and managers, say the piece mirrors their emptiness: good jobs and big exits didn’t prevent feeling drained and pointless.
• Others describe classic “work–kids–sleep” loops or brutal DIY projects plus full‑time jobs leading to profound exhaustion.
• Practical advice offered: keep a stable daily schedule even on sabbatical, avoid slipping into unstructured isolation, and build external commitments (gym buddies, classes, volunteering, clubs, even small online communities) so “someone will notice your absence.”
• Hobbies that are easy to resume in small chunks (games, crafts, side coding, creative work) are seen as key for overburdened parents.

Marriage, kids, and purpose

• One camp claims marriage and children “solve it for most” by providing automatic meaning and responsibility; some point to historically higher marriage/child rates and religious communities.
• Others push back: the suggestion feels judgmental, kids are expensive, and many parents are still burned out. Some note kids changed their life perspective positively; others highlight the sleepless years and long‑term strain.
• There’s debate over family planning, falling fertility, and whether having kids is a moral or ecological imperative.

Burnout vs overwork vs depression

• Several distinguish: overwork = too many demands, solvable by time/money; burnout = “what’s the point?” apathy even when not overloaded; depression may require medical or therapeutic help.
• Others argue these overlap heavily and are often rooted in unresolved trauma or impossible life constraints. There’s discussion of medication versus addressing underlying life problems.

Money, time, and structural constraints

• Many reject the framing that this is primarily an existential issue: they are burned out because they’re juggling demanding jobs, childcare, household management, and high living costs.
• Some note that “buying time” via cleaners, delivery, or assistants helps, but only for those with high incomes. Others criticize consumer choices (constant delivery, hiring out simple tasks) as both financially and morally draining.

Consumerism, alienation, and meaning of work

• A strong thread blames consumer culture and shareholder‑oriented work: people feel they’re creating value they don’t own, for distant investors and not their community.
• References to classic ideas of alienation: humans evolved to work for themselves and their “tribe”; cleaning your own house or helping neighbors feels satisfying in a way corporate work doesn’t.
• Some say modern life channels all desire into purchasable things, eroding community, tradition, and shared projects.

Generational perspectives

• Gen Z commenters describe unique nihilism: high costs, useless degrees, app‑warped dating, precarious work. Older generations respond that each cohort has faced crises (nuclear war, AIDS, recessions), arguing “it got better” for them.
• Long subthreads debate housing affordability, geographic “just move” advice, gig work, and the sense that economic prospects are objectively worse, driving radicalization when “no house” and “no community.”

Reactions to the article itself

• Several find the title and structure (“It’s not X, it’s Y”) cliché or AI‑like, and the heavy bolding/highlighting visually grating.
• Many feel the piece starts strong then devolves into a humble‑brag and soft pitch for a book and political project, aimed at a narrow, highly privileged audience. Some call it self‑help or political marketing “slop”; others say it still gave them language for what they’re feeling.

Politics and “highest purpose” debate

• The author’s turn to politics and anti‑corruption as “highest purpose” draws mixed reactions.
• Supporters see politics and public service as a way off the hedonic treadmill and into lasting, pro‑social impact.
• Skeptics view politics as zero‑ or negative‑sum, marketing‑driven, or inherently shallow as a source of meaning, preferring family, craft, or local community projects.