Having entered adulthood in the US during the Great Recession and being laid off the second it benefited the company (despite easily turning a profit), I cannot understand your position. My grandparents had hefty pensions and their careers grew _with_ their companies. Modern management practices dictate short-term margin as a priority meaning high-salaried employees are considered risks before boons. That, coupled with the well-known fact that salaries do not keep pace with CoL, it is nonsensical _not_ to take the same approach - always be on the lookout for your next step at any time.