A wee example.

So, not 10 minutes after I made my last post, I got an email from one of the folks I talk to regularly about their job. Just to give you a flavor of the feelings that the average person I talk to is expressing, I have quoted from his email (with permission). He is an lawyer specializing in intellectual property issues, at a moderate size boutique firm.

I really, really need a new job doing something else.  I almost quit about 20 minutes ago and the more I think about it the more I want to, except that the "rational" side of me is arguing not to throw a good paying job away with nothing else lined up.  I don't think I can take this job anymore.  Have no interest or sense of urgency whatsoever. Problem is I can't think of what else to do that has even the remotest interest to me and make a living and maintain health insurance.  I thought the job would be better by now but it is just sucking the life out of me.  Feel completely trapped.  And a vacation isn't the answer as I just dread having to come back to this hell hole.  I know that resigning will make me feel better for a couple of days but that is all, then the frantic pace of trying to find something new to do will drive me over the edge.

His email is pretty typical of what I'm hearing.