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Hmm, I've been reading a bunch of blogs, and it seems like everyone is working hard towards something. Everyone has things to be stressed out about. Recent examples would be school related challenges, like nursing school or trying to get into med school. I feel like writing a criticism of people being forced to work pretty damn hard and compete against each other, just for an opportunity to better serve their community. But... that's a very skewed view on reality.
1. I'm currently in my second year of college and... I've already taken 2 semesters off. I got fed up with grades and what not and I'm sort of just self studying and chilling out. I'm "officially" really doing anything. Of course I'm very lucky to be in a position to be able to pull this type of shit. But I think everyone should be able to say, "fuck you, work with me, instead of working me into the ground."
2. I guess my point is...what I see a lot, is people working like livestock in confined situations. People who are going to be benefiting the system they are a part of, but being forced to jump through stupid hoops. Some people are able to just suck it up and do it and be awesome and happy later. But I feel this alienation is probably what causes a lot of suicides. Some people, myself included, will not undergo alienation, even if it's for a short period of time. You could call this being an asshole and running away from responsibility, but I'm not going to work machinery in a factory.
3.The difference between a human and machines or farm animals, is that some humans will say, "fuck this" and stop working.
Note: The alienation I feel I have to deal with, is an opportunity of a lifetime for the majority of the population on earth. What I feel is bothersome, most people would consider a dream come true. To be even in my position would be great for them. So yeah, I know how ridiculous I sound. I know how ungrateful I seem to be. This post is... just a mood, a random perspective I have sometimes. Take it with a grain of salt.
 
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3.The difference between a human and machines or farm animals, is that some humans will say, "fuck this" and stop working.
That is really not the difference or rather: "yes, free will dictates us more than instinctive obligations", but compassion, understanding and rules to prevent abusive laboring is also amongst the many things we distinguish ourselves from machines/farm animals.
You're also complaining about dehumanization effects from working repetitive tasks and jobs for minimum wage/reward to compensate for their employees' lack of rewards of the company's success (yet, receives the consequences if the company fails or goes under).
To be even in my position would be great for them. So yeah, I know how ridiculous I sound.
You just sound overall patronizing because you're boasting your own predicament (without much detail) as well as assuming that others are
I feel like writing a criticism of people being forces to work pretty damn hard and compete against each other, just for an opportunity to better serve their community. But... that's a very skewed view on reality.
This is a bad view of reality, yes; in nearly all aspects of life, we compete with others for future opportunities, but in the same aspects: we are also working alongside one another to improve our society's fundamentals, whether the improve is minor or locally, or nationally, doesn't really change the tone of cooperative work.
I think you're preaching to a rather small crowd of people and your situation doesn't really sound that ideal if you haven't finished university (have you?)
While I get your kind approach, it's kind of worded poorly or improvised.
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If you're taking semesters off because you refuse to be "alienated" then surely that means you don't enjoy whatever you're doing at college? You talk a lot about you just going fuck this and leaving, but if you're not leaving to go anywhere, why leave in the first place? My point is, if you truly don't want to be "alienated" maybe you should do something that does contribute to society, that does in some small way make the world a better place, but do it in your own way. You just bumming of school making up random excuses is so pointless, when you could be spending your life doing something.
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I highly recommend you read Le Nausea by Sartre if you have not already.
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+ Show Spoiler [quote] +On October 07 2012 01:57 Torte de Lini wrote:Show nested quote +3.The difference between a human and machines or farm animals, is that some humans will say, "fuck this" and stop working. That is really not the difference or rather: "yes, free will dictates us more than instinctive obligations", but compassion, understanding and rules to prevent abusive laboring is also amongst the many things we distinguish ourselves from machines/farm animals. You're also complaining about dehumanization effects from working repetitive tasks and jobs for minimum wage/reward to compensate for their employees' lack of rewards of the company's success (yet, receives the consequences if the company fails or goes under). Show nested quote +To be even in my position would be great for them. So yeah, I know how ridiculous I sound. You just sound overall patronizing because you're boasting your own predicament (without much detail) as well as assuming that others are Show nested quote + I feel like writing a criticism of people being forces to work pretty damn hard and compete against each other, just for an opportunity to better serve their community. But... that's a very skewed view on reality.
This is a bad view of reality, yes; in nearly all aspects of life, we compete with others for future opportunities, but in the same aspects: we are also working alongside one another to improve our society's fundamentals, whether the improve is minor or locally, or nationally, doesn't really change the tone of cooperative work. I think you're preaching to a rather small crowd of people and your situation doesn't really sound that ideal if you haven't finished university (have you?) While I get your kind approach, it's kind of worded poorly or improvised.
1. rules to prevent abusive labouring.. idk... what we mainly do is just offshore it. the jobs we don't want to do, we have others do. we have rules to protect ourselves, but considering the working conditions of others at the global scale.. of course we are working on this and things are getting better with greater awareness, fair trade things, and etc...
2. "You just sound overall patronizing because you're boasting your own predicament (without much detail) as well as assuming that others are"
I am able to be free from degradation and to have a future, to be able to go to school, to be able to have a chance to have a career. These are things we take for granted in western society. To be free from having to work a crappy job during the day then have to take care of the children at home at night...
I compare myself to the world but even within western society, I'm pretty well off.
On October 07 2012 01:58 kollin wrote:
If you're taking semesters off because you refuse to be "alienated" then surely that means you don't enjoy whatever you're doing at college? You talk a lot about you just going fuck this and leaving, but if you're not leaving to go anywhere, why leave in the first place? My point is, if you truly don't want to be "alienated" maybe you should do something that does contribute to society, that does in some small way make the world a better place, but do it in your own way. You just bumming of school making up random excuses is so pointless, when you could be spending your life doing something.
i agree with you 100% im kind of working on finding my place in society. My own way to contribute. But hmm... I'm not so sure which steps to take so I'm sort of just "taking a semester off." it's sort of a safe place to be and gives me more opportunities. I'm still sort of involved in school. I'm sitting in on one class, just not official enrolled in anything.
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Unless you are one of those lucky few people who know from the beginning what they want to do with their life (and who actually turn out to be right) there is a lot of stress in having no direction. My experience has been that there is no way to "think your way" into a career (or even a goal that will make you happy). In other words, reading books, meditating, expanding your horizons, just chilling out--all the things that people do to try to find what they want to do rarely amount to an answer that will give you direction (though they are certainly worth doing for their own sake).
I think that we find our calling by process of elimination. If you get a job and hate it, figure out the part you hate and do something else. Same with hobbies and even relationships with people.
I think you will be happier if you narrow what you are saying "fuck this" to. Rather than "fuck this society that makes us jump through hoops," it's better to say, "fuck food service, I'm going to do something else."
Using your resources to avoid engaging in the world will not lead to anything positive. The earlier you start working toward your future, the better chance you have in getting the dead ends out of the way early. There is no guarantee that anyone will accomplish their full potential, or make themselves happy, but you can lose years of your life trying to "think it out."
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It seems that you don't even have a job while you're on break from school. If so what I'm getting from all this is "I'm officially doing nothing" because "I am above working machinery in a factory."
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I understand where you're coming from, but you should try not to view it as working like an animal for the system. Some people have really shitty jobs, true, and more so now than in a good economy because people NEED a job, but when there is a good economy companies have to be reasonable to their employees because they can just leave if they don't feel well taken care of and from a business perspective it is 10x more expensive to hire a new employee than retain a current one.
Also, people work for corporations because they feel they are taken care of better than if they were to not help in a symbiotic relationship. Up until very recently people had a lot of land to grow their own food on (you can still improvise on tiny plots), and that is enough to feed oneself and ones family, as well as help neighbors/the poor, but it is difficult to start up a business (i.e. selling ones own produce) and I would argue that many people today would be more concerned with getting the new iPad than having a simple existence where all basic needs are met, but nothing more.
If you really, really don't like it (and I suggest you give it a chance and just be pleased to have opportunity), get a part time job that will allow you to do nothing more than pay your mortgage and then farm your own food and you'll subsist.
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Your blog is strange. It's filled with strong emotions, and yet provides no real details. I've blogged this style before, so my guess is that if you were explicit we would all come down on you for being ridiculous. You also defend yourself preemptively, as if you feel guilty for feeling this way? Are you also implying in your post that you currently have the financial freedom to both not go to school AND not work simultaneously? Jump through hoops? Well unless you live off the grid or in the mountains, you will work for someone, or mooch off of someone. No such thing as a free lunch.
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You're confusing working for the community and working for yourself. You can improve the world as the result of improving yourself. Your aim isn't to make the world a better place, but as a result of what you do, it becomes a better place by itself.
You also mistakenly believe people work hard because the "system" is pushing them. Not at all. I know people who work hard only to help the people around them. I also know people who work hard to improve themselves. And I also know people who work hard because they love the thing they're working on. And I know people who work hard because they love working hard. Sometimes I met extraordinary people who love all of the above.
Find something you really want to do, something you want to be, and then do it. If it's too easy, you're not doing enough. If everything is easy, go find a cure for cancer.
You think people work hard because they're forced to. No. Some of us actually want to, because we enjoy it.
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On October 07 2012 16:29 Blisse wrote:
You're confusing working for the community and working for yourself. You can improve the world as the result of improving yourself. Your aim isn't to make the world a better place, but as a result of what you do, it becomes a better place by itself.
You also mistakenly believe people work hard because the "system" is pushing them. Not at all. I know people who work hard only to help the people around them. I also know people who work hard to improve themselves. And I also know people who work hard because they love the thing they're working on. And I know people who work hard because they love working hard. Sometimes I met extraordinary people who love all of the above.
Find something you really want to do, something you want to be, and then do it. If it's too easy, you're not doing enough. If everything is easy, go find a cure for cancer.
You think people work hard because they're forced to. No. Some of us actually want to, because we enjoy it.
i agree with you 100%. I don't know the numbers, but there are probably lots of people who work great within the system. Lots of people who... are ok with the system.. but there are some people who are killed by the system. Each suicide is in reality a murder. Ok maybe not lol. Maybe I'm asking for too much, but I think we collectively have a responsibility to prevent the conditions that lead to suicides.
What are those conditions? uhh... I want to just leave this to another post but... I guess thing's like meaning in life, a purpose to live. Interpersonal relationships. Uhh healthy development of individual's expectations and desires. Uhh preventing the social norms and situation that leads to huge pressures on certain people(young people, girls and body image, LGBT population, etc...
So thing's like homophobia, which is of course being dealt with. But things like body image and marketing and advertising and commercials. The whole system of the united states, the consumer society... it's killed it's fair share of people.
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EPT
