Layoffs, lost faith, and 'cruel optimism' in tech

Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs leaves even more tech workers in Washington without a job – and with a new worldview called "cruel optimism."

Just a few years ago, a job in tech was considered a straight shot toward economic security and affordability in Seattle. But today, employees are afraid that if they lose their job, they won’t be able to find another one. To understand how the shift is affecting tech workers psychologically, Booming talked with Samuel So, who started interviewing tech workers caught up in the first round of mass layoffs back in 2022.

Why are tech workers suffering from "cruel optimism"? And what does it mean for an industry that was once seen as the last bastion of the American Dream? 

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Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.

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