What is the general feeling about long term plans?

I have a question that I would like to hear as many replies to as possible to get a feel for what the majority think here:

Are you preparing for long term in your life?

i.e. retirement or second home or anthing that you feel is directed towards your well being, comfort or survival say 20 yrs or more down the road.

I ask this because it seems to me the majority of people that are younger than me seem to live for today and have almost a firm belief of "whats the use, we are all doomed anyway"

It also appears the US administration almost feels like the same way...spend now, wont be a later anyway?

This troubles me deeply and I want to see if I am the odd man out or "they are"...

Thanks in advance


[edit on 25-1-2007 by Arkangel4time]

Originally posted by Arkangel4time
"whats the use, we are all doomed anyway"

I feel the same way^^,yet i might prepare anyways,because all this doom & gloom could be a way to control the masses in the future.
Causing mass pessimism can eliminate one's long term goals.
I would prepare for survival,just in case!

The future becomes today a lot faster than you think. I was a member of the hippie culture of the late 60s and early 70s. We were going to change the world, and make it safe for all lovers of peace and "free love" ... Anyone remember that? Hell ... We all grew up, got jobs, had families, tried to live up to our own expectations, and failed miserably. Just like the generations before us and you lot that has come after us.

Anyhow, for me, that was last week. I turned around ... It's this week ... I'm 58 1/3 years into this trip, retirement is coming up fast, and just because I didn't think we were gonna last this long, I still got started investing and saving ... Just to hedge my bets ... You know ... Just in case I was wrong...

At any rate, I'm here a week (thirty plus years) later, the world hasn't gone totally insane, and the sun still comes up. And I'm not too afraid to retire. I know folks, who are my age, who don't have a pot to pee in, insofar as retirement is concerned. They are going to have to rely on social security to make it or work till they die.

It's easy to decide to chuck it all in and give up on tomorrow. I may be very wrong, but I think tomorrow is going to be here for a long time, and those of you, who don't hedge your pessimistic outlook with a little future planning are going to find yourselves woefully unprepared when your "next week" arrives and you don't have a proverbial pot to pee in. Then you will probably become one of those who lay the responsibility for your bad lot on everyone else ... And the government.

You have to assume some personal responsibility for your life and your future. Asking everyone else's opinion (including my own) isn't going to make it right or wrong. If you have to ask for all our opinions on such a weighty matter ... Hell ... You already know the answer.

Well I'm 45, so yeah I've been preparing for awhile, probably not as much as I should have been.
Time does go fast so I guess for the young out there, you really do need to do something to prepare for the future.
That doesn't mean you spend all your time worrying about money and materialistic things either, get out and experience everything you can.

The one thing that does frighten me more than not having "enough" for retirement or any of those things is: getting to old age and saying, "I wish I'd done that"!!

Originally posted by Arkangel4time
I have a question that I would like to hear as many replies to as possible to get a feel for what the majority think here:

Are you preparing for long term in your life?

i.e. retirement or second home or anthing that you feel is directed towards your well being, comfort or survival say 20 yrs or more down the road.

I ask this because it seems to me the majority of people that are younger than me seem to live for today and have almost a firm belief of "whats the use, we are all doomed anyway"

It also appears the US administration almost feels like the same way...spend now, wont be a later anyway?

This troubles me deeply and I want to see if I am the odd man out or "they are"...

Thanks in advance


[edit on 25-1-2007 by Arkangel4time]

As you are already aware from my other post, i believe we are in the "end times" (not that anything is ending other than the darkness Earth is currently in)

I am 19, currently studying at University (1st year). This is something i have thought alot about, more so than anything else. As much as i know there is little time left of the current system, i still need to take responsibility just incase it doesn't happen and also to maintain who i am at present, and this means either University or getting a job, at my present stage in life.

I would say you are DEFINATLY not alone. Nearly everyone i have met who is at university doesn't know where they are going or where they want to be, and alot of people also recognise the fact that we are heading into a period of great change and potential doom.

Our way of life can not remain the same, even without all the conspiracy theory! We are using far too much energy, which is no wonder why the NWO wants to reduce Earths population! We will be forced, one way or another, to adapt to these changes (providing nothing else happens
)

Just enjoy the ride i say! Whatever happens, in the end, does it really matter? If there is no higher purpose etc, then does it matter if you "suceed" in life anyway? More importantly, do we even have the correct definition of sucess? Money, a wife, a house and nice car are seen to be signs of sucess (the world still revolves around money), but not necessarily signs of a decent person.

If your in search of a philosophy or words of wisdom to help you, even if you don't want to believe it, i really would recommend listening/watching some Bill Hicks.

That man reflects who i am personally so much, which is why he is an idol of mine. He tells things how they are, and was not afraid to go against what the consensus. He, IMHO, is the modern day version of Jesus Christ. He is not a follower, not a leader, but just a human being who questioned himself and reality until he found the truth. My favourite quote of his, which has inspired and touched me on a very deep level;

"Wouldn't you like to see a positive '___' story on the news? To hear what it's all about, perhaps? Wouldn't that be interesting? Just for once?...

Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration … that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There's no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we're the imagination of ourselves. Here's Tom with the weather."

Just do what you have to do stay above water for the time being, and wait for the changes to begin. if nothing happens, then "meh", light up a doobie and continue plodding on with whatever makes you happy

Originally posted by sigung86
The future becomes today a lot faster than you think. I was a member of the hippie culture of the late 60s and early 70s. We were going to change the world, and make it safe for all lovers of peace and "free love" ... Anyone remember that? Hell ... We all grew up, got jobs, had families, tried to live up to our own expectations, and failed miserably. Just like the generations before us and you lot that has come after us.

Boy do you have that right. I came from the generation I like to call the "Party till you puke" generation. Some of my old friends died prematurely, some of us were delayed in finally getting it together, but the majority(from my clique) have garnered the less than happy lifestyle.

You have to assume some personal responsibility for your life and your future. Asking everyone else's opinion (including my own) isn't going to make it right or wrong. If you have to ask for all our opinions on such a weighty matter ... Hell ... You already know the answer.

Yes you are correct, I already know the answer for me personally. I was more wondering about the reasons and thoughts of the younger peeps around. For clarification I am 46 now although I stilll feel 20 in my head lol.

To Shrunkensimon: Again a well phrased response. I will admit from only seeing one post before in another of my threads, I just assumed you were a tad older. You are well read in your young years (boy does that now make me feel my age lol).

Thanks so far to the repliers, I would hope to get more, as this does have me torn between the logical and the "felt in your soul" outlooks of people in general.

Funny how I was just thinking of this.

Next month will mark the 20th anniversary of a cross-roads in my life. I would still make the same choices again, but I'd have made even better choices, applied myself from the very beginning, and not have been nearly so negative.

I was thinking, if Dr. Strangecraft could go back 20 years and talk to Young Strangecraft, I imagine the conversation would not have been very productive.

(After 2007 Dr. S. makes his explanation of 20 years of world history)

1987 strange: You mean the Soviet Union will cease to exist within the next five years?

Me now: yes.

1987 strange: But without a global thermonuclear war?

Me now: right. Actually, the Poles, as well as the Catholic Pope will bring about the end of the soviet union.

1987 strange: And we will invade Panama once and Iraq twice, but not East Germany?

Me now: There won't be an "east" Germany. The two Germanies will have a "Vereinigung" with the help of Nato.

1987 strange: No @($#%&@#!!! ? Will it bring about a neo-nazi genocide, with the world trying to stop the ethnic cleansing?

Me now: Germany will be fine. The ethnic slaughter will happen in Yugoslavia, once Tito dies. With no Soviet Union, central Europe will sink into chaos. Czechoslovakia will cease to exist again. . ..

1987 strange: It will be invaded?

Me now: Nope, the two halves will vote to split, but they will be two of the more prosperous nations in the central part of the European Union.


1987 strange: What about a great depression that leaves American cities a burnt-out wasteland, with the survivors fighting a bloody civil war over resources?

Me now: Actually, interest rates will hit their lowest point since world war II, and stay there for almost a decade. You'll have a wireless handheld telephone that will be better than Captain Kirk's communicator, and your car will tell you when one of its tires is low. Your kids will be learning foreign languages from the computer in the playroom. You'll also be able to communicate with people anywhere in the world via computer, and it will be cheaper to do it that way than to use the US mail, which will cost 39 cents, by the way. Gas will have hit $3 a gallon, but most of it will be in taxes. You will choose to drive a four-cylinder car.

1987 strange: You're not from the future! You're a $*@# governement agent!!!



[edit on 26-1-2007 by dr_strangecraft]

i am in my mid-twenties, and can say from talking to my peers that i am rare in that i am planning. i live/work close to a college, and everyday discuss with folks. i encounted two main currents of thought: comfort and/or apathy. most my peers dont have a clue what to do after graduating, or even why they are in college to begin with.
as for me, everyday i try to polish my mind and gather information so that in the event of destruction, my mind will carry with it the info and insight of this age so it may be continued into the new world. and if that day never comes, well there is nothing wrong with being as smart, strong, and wise i can be, in any world.
i feel a responsibility beyond me to strengthen my mind, body, and soul so that i am prepared best as possible to carry foward human progress. i do not trust that the majority of americans could survive years in a nomadic wilderness livestyle.
planning is tricky for a man of my age, on one hand i want to secure my future in the current system such as establishing career, family, and home, but on the other hand a feeling that my efforts may all be washed down the drain, having these conflicts is difficult, but none the less i must live like today is my last, but plan like i'll live forever.

I thought maybe i should refine one of my statements here:
When I said some of the younger peeps I talk to , seem to not be planning etc., I fully realize a lot of younger peeps throughout time I am sure, have the mindset of "I will do that later". This is just being young I guess...

The difference I really tried to point out is that there seems to be a different underlying reason as of lately( say last 5-6 years..oddly enough the length of term of W in the US)

some things to consider:

100 years ago people got married at 14, had full lives by thier 20's, owned business. they matured at younger age.

today childhood, dependence has been extended into the early 20's.

i have lived in vacinity of this college for six years or so now. when i first got here there was lots of people outside, everyone said hello to each other as they passed on the sidewalk, people were in the woods and playing sports. and today this still happens, but noticably less, and less.

the kids coming in as freshmen now are very plugged into electronics, and the over all mood seems more docile.

it is interesting to note that when you want to domesticate an animal you breed them so you have abults with the demenor of a juvinile. you don't want the animals to fully develop in maturity.

they are planning less because they are living less.

yes i know i have bad spelling and grammer so hold your comments on that one. it wastes time

OK thats a pretty good point to make. I am fully aware that we seemed to be getting dumbed down (intentionally is my opinion). I also have observed the change in how we interact or don't interact anymore. So are you saying that you believe people today have been distracted from what's a prudent long term goal?

I can say from personal experience that my change to a less social interaction began with the mainstreaming of the internet.

A little history: When I first found the internet, there was no Graphical user interface, it was all text and command line functions. At that point it was a gem for research and for communication it was a secondary thing (yes it was pre www too lol). Once it mainstreamed, I got caught up with chat and websurfing, and over the long haul I decreased realworld interacting and replaced friends with cyber friends...long story short, I had to make a serious attempt to reconnect with reality per se.

This could be a whole new thread actually lol.



[edit on 26-1-2007 by Arkangel4time]

yes, the majority of 20 somethings have no concept of real world goals, beyond plans for personal ego modification, they are void. it is common to have a personal dream, but few speak of plans as a group of citizens, or as a nation, a community.

Originally posted by Stewart Lewis
i am in my mid-twenties, and can say from talking to my peers that i am rare in that i am planning...
as for me, everyday i try to polish my mind and gather information so that in the event of destruction, my mind will carry with it the info and insight of this age ...
i feel a responsibility beyond me to strengthen my mind, body, and soul so that i am prepared best as possible to carry foward human progress. ...
on one hand i want to secure my future in the current system such as establishing career, family, and home, but on the other hand a feeling that my efforts may all be washed down the drain...i must live like today is my last, but plan like i'll live forever.

Stewart, I'm in my mid-twenties too, and I have to say, I agree 100% with everything you said in this post. I honestly didn't know why, really, I was in college, aside from the fact that it was the right thing to do.

I also feel like, we won't be here for long, at least in the sense we are now, with civilization and the pursuant materialism. I think we'll be living 'caveman-style' within 30 years. So, how am I planning? I'm preparing my mind. I majored in history, in a manner of speaking, so I can serve as a repository of information concerning our time on this planet. Of course, I'm not the best historian out there , but I may be the only one left. You never know.

OTOH, we could fix the Middle East, if we got off our high-horse, and we could change the forms of energy we use. Those two things could save the world. For real. Unfortunately, I don't see the 'grown-ups in charge' doing this anytime soon. So, we wait for our turn to change things, and hope it doesn't all go to hell before we get the chance.


Disclaimer: None of what I said is meant to imply I'm not planning for my future financially.

didn't preview--my bad.

[edit on 26-1-2007 by HarlemHottie]

I have my own collected thoughts on this subject, which I will post at a later date when I can fully articulate them.

But in response to the "dumbing down" of 20-somethings, I agree. I'm about to be 25 and made quite a few mistakes throughout college (of which I will discuss at a later date). But I feel this "dependency" is not some trend that is fostered by the powers that be, but rather, a NATURAL response to an extended life expectancy. People are living into their late 90s more than ever these days ... back in the 1800s for instance you would be lucky to make it to 50. That means we have more time to grow up nowadays ... and college, instead of being a place that men and women go to get ahead in society, is now a place where "teenagers barely past adolescence" have to go in order to get a decent job. In the 20s you got a job at 18 working right out of high school to support your family; nowadays families are being started at 25 and even 30. You don't have to be mature at 18, you can wait until your mid-20s now. I think it's just as much a natural thing as it is a downside to being "connected."

[edit on 26-1-2007 by Fiverz]

There is a Fable called The Little Red Hen
(just Google the title, the very 1st link will bring up this kids story)

There's The Ant and the Grasshopper Fable, found here
www.pagebypagebooks.com...

its my observation that the valuable lessons one can learn from Fables are no longer being brought to the attention of the elementary school kids any longer ...life lessons that point out behaviors like being frugal, being industrious, striving toward long & short term goals, etc etc
have fallen by the wayside, to such slogans as sharing-&-caring


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


as for this

~ in the OP by Arkangel4time ~

...to me the majority of people that are younger than me seem to live for today and have almost a firm belief of 'whats the use, we are all doomed anyway'

It also appears the US administration almost feels like the same way...spend now, wont be a later anyway?

as a once 'hippie' myself (see sigung86 post) half the culture was into 'Peace-Love'....
while the other half was into the 'We're On The Eve Of Destruction' worldview.
Seems like your immersed in a community of doom-&-gloomists
just like we had some 36+ years ago, or at least they're the ones that you recognize or pay attention to recently.

.......... secondly,

As far as your analysis that this administration is ?wrecklessly?
or ?fatalistically? spending & debting the future away...........

that's a Wrong-Spin assessment -> to my thinking.

thanks to all who replied. A little of my faith in humanity has been restored. Now I only wish people in the real world would at least take the time to say hi or nod or SOMETHING when you pass them on the street. Everyone is in thier own little cocoon.