I've heard tell of academics telling other academics who are struggling with precarity and unemployment to "keep going" and "your time will come" and I cannot believe folks are saying this now, in February 2021, and yet here we are.

No. It's time to work toward a viable career.

It's one thing to say "keep going" about searching for jobs (with a heavy networking component) in general, but to keep going with a focus on academic positions only? No. Gah. This is harmful advice. Harmful.

It frustrates me that folks who demand the highest research & critical thinking standards in their own fields -- as they should -- think it's legit to base their career advice on "well, it worked for me."

Consider spending your energy (such as you have it) on activities that will help you launch a viable career instead of publishing yet another academic paper. Papers are great, but you've limited energy -- need to be strategic about where to spend it. There are many better things.

(I maybe got the phrasing wrong above: please do keep going toward a [or a few different] viable career[s]. You probably need to do more networking. Specific advice depends on your specifics.)