About 8.6 million Americans, or 5.3 percent of the U.S. workforce, currently hold more than one job, marking the longest sustained streak of multi-job holding since 2009, according to the latest U.S. jobs report for July.
Social media is filled with young people documenting their side hustles, but data shows that multiple-job holding is not confined to Gen Z. Across all age groups, the rate has remained consistently above 5 percent of the workforce for three consecutive years.
For many, the motivation is financial. Real wages have barely budged over the past year, while rent, groceries and insurance premiums have continued to climb.
One worker in Washington, D.C., who held three jobs simultaneously before transitioning to a full-time role earlier this year, said the extra income initially felt like a smart use of time.
"It gets more really exciting because you're like, 'oh, I'm earning more money, I'm like using my time really wisely.' And so you don't really realize that you're stretched thin until you have these weeks where you're working a 50-hour work week," she said.
But the breaking point was not the long hours alone. She said the math did not add up once convenience costs were factored in.
"I realized I was actually spending way more money on convenience fees, like Ubering to a job, getting takeout, because I didn't have time to cook dinner. So actually when I pulled back on one of my jobs, I ended up saving more money just on my day-to-day expenses. Because I had time to prep for the week, strategize on using the metro or the transit system, the bus. And so when I was able to do that, I actually saved a lot more money," she said.
The July jobs report underscores a broader economic reality: for many working Americans, a single full-time job no longer covers basic living costs. But as some workers are discovering, the fourth job is not always the answer — sometimes, it is the one they quit.
Millions in US hold multiple jobs as costs outpace wages: data
Millions in US hold multiple jobs as costs outpace wages: data
Breaking long-standing Western heroic narrative conventions in filmmaking, the trending Chinese anti-war film "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East", is reshaping global cinematic discourse on war and peace.
The summer blockbuster was released on Tuesday nationwide and had earned box office revenue of more than 536 million yuan (around 79.5 million U.S. dollars) as of 22:00 Friday.
The story centers on Xu Fu, a down-on-his-luck Chinese chef portrayed by celebrated comedian Shen Teng, who travels to the Middle East to settle his debts. There, he joins forces with a local restaurant manager to operate a bustling restaurant, bringing authentic Chinese culinary traditions to a war-torn foreign land.
As a distinct Chinese anti-war feature, "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" abandons timeworn Western heroic storytelling. The film adopts the humble viewpoint of Xu Fu, an ordinary cook. Through his eyes as a neutral bystander, it portrays the struggles and sufferings of ordinary people trapped in conflict and uses food and everyday life to explore survival, compassion and the value of peace, rather than focusing on the battlefield.
Such a narrative perspective is quite pioneering among global anti-war film productions.
"It realistically reflects the turmoil of war. Therefore, we desire peace and oppose the suffering that wars of aggression inflict upon the people," a moviegoer praised.
Meanwhile, the blockbuster has garnered massive overseas anticipation prior to its international debut. Many global film enthusiasts agree that the production epitomizes a transformative shift in Chinese film industry, which is overhauling Hollywood's established narrative paradigms and reinterpreting the global narrative of war and peace at a higher level.
"Just imagine how this story would unfold if Hollywood were to film it. It would almost certainly follow the standard formula of superheroes, super-soldiers, or elite operatives swooping in, resolving the crisis in a flash, and then disappearing. What does the 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' offer? The idea that the best days are those spent sharing a meal together. Conversely, what drives people to fight instead of dining together? Anyone who has seen the film knows the answer. That is why some netizens have said that if this movie were to compete for a U.S. Oscar award, it would be a voice representing the Global South," said Zuo Heng, a researcher at the China Film Archive.
Many scholars also hold the view that war narratives on international screens have long revolved around contests of victory and military conquest, but "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" does not stoke hatred nor glorify victory by force. Instead, it hides the key to peace amid the mundane routines of daily meals.
This vision of peace, rooted in the moderation and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization, blazes a new trail of expression for global anti-war films.
It constitutes an innovation in film creation and enables the world to see perceptions of peace different from those of the West.
"The film delivers an anti-war perspective that diverges from the Hollywood paradigm. It abandons Hollywood-style individualism, and quietly challenges the 'America First' mindset. 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' keeps exploring innovative approaches to shape contemporary Chinese discourse and narrative systems," said Sun Jiashan, a researcher with the Department of Chinese Culture Education and Research under the Central Institute of Socialism.
Chinese anti-war film offers new cinematic narrative on war and peace
