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I sent an email to my bosses about how we are going to have an almost Impossible week next week. We will not get done on the deadline, there is no physical way. Even if I spend a whole 24 hours straight on shift. They replied "okay, let us know if you need help".
One. The email was letting them know. 
Two. They literally don't know how to do my job nor show an interest in it when struggling. They don't bother covering vacations in my three person department that has been short for 9 months now. 
Please explain to me how the fuck I am supposed to 'self motivate' in this situation? This is what OP is talking about.
My manager is a quiet firing guy. It's beyond frustrating. We have one kid, he screws us daily. Does what he wants. My manager has basically given up because he's too busy in his work to tell him simple things like "Grab your work phone before meeting" every morning. 
I fully agree with you, OP. I can't stand my manager lately because of his lack of a back bone. More work falls onto other employees shoulders when one keeps screwing them over. It's making my entire team to hit a boiling point of annoyance with it. Weak bosses create negative atmospheres >

That’s the worst! We got a new manager at the beginning of this year and he’s the same way. We bring our concerns to him and the behavior only gets worse because he’s more concerned with being fake nice than actually being helpful. >

Yep, same here. It sucks too, because my manager is a nice guy. He's very supportive/understanding. But my god, he will tell us to not shit talk the kid (kid who is 26 years old btw) but then allows him to just screw us over daily. He came in close to 5 hours late the other day, then did a no call no show the next day- but NOPE, nothing is said. >

but I bet if it was you or another experienced employee, his response would be different >

How'd you know? Do you secretly work with me? Lmao, jokes aside- yep. I've been bitched at for the smallest of things, but I'm still there everyday, same time each morning. My co workers actually go to my defense if he tries to go at me for being too vocal about my attitude towards that kid lmao >

This is quite literally the job of a good manager. They should keep you engaged and elevated. If a manager is doing the job of the employees (i.e. a software engineering manager doing more engineering work than people work) then they're not doing their actual role.
Their job is to cultivate and push performance out of their team. In fact, typically if a team isn't hitting their expectations it's usually the manager who is meant to be punished for the lack of performance by the higher-ups. Businesses that don't obey this logic are half-assing proper corporate hierarchy for a quick power trip.
tldr; the problem with middle managers in modern america >

You need to self motivate. Even children in the first grade are expected to self motivate. The teacher can’t force them to do something they don’t have the will to do. Same with a boss