The conspiracy to make YOUR life PATHETIC... what can you do about it?

Originally posted by XxNightAngelusxX
And I just wanna make it clear--I'm not whining. I just don't want to end up hating my life again. Been there before, not doing it again. I refuse to.

Absolutely awesome thread!

VERY glad to see it because personally I am facing the EXACT same issues...

I was homeless at the same age as the OP and I was happy!

As for what to do about, that is the real question...

I believe that the key is to focus your entire life around connecting with your PURPOSE...

God made each one of us for a specific reason and I am convinced that the secret to finding happiness is to CONNECT with that purpose.

The biggest loss for humans is to die without finding out who they really were and why they were really born.

The biggest loss in life is losing your sense of purpose...

What we do in life echoes forever in eternity.

God uses every encounter of our lives to draw us closer to him.

"My life went in circles until God took hold of me and changed me.” That man was Jacob. He said, “I encountered the Lord at Bethel. I was never the same again. Insecurities will cause you to go in circles and miss your calling and destiny.

You must lay your life down completely for the Lord. It is better to die serving the Lord, than to die in calamities that are coming upon the earth. You can only achieve what you were called to do when you connect with God and when you walk under an open heaven.” LINK

"YOU ARE CHOSEN BY GOD FOR A DESIGNATED PURPOSE.

He Created You For A Definite Assignment. The events and experiences of your life are all part of God's plan to reveal to you His Purpose and Will for Your Life. I Peter 2:9 Through the completion of this spiritual discovery will come your greatest inner peace. Your future contains far greater joy than all the sorrows of yesterday."

You Are Chosen By God For A Designated Purpose

reply to post by penninja


OMG. Going back and re-reading these posts I realized it was you that brought up Mr. Miyagi and wax-on, wax-off. I guess my mind wandered at that point and I didn't realize the actual point you were making in your post. That whole focus of that bit you were just pointing out was as Miyagi got older he had a kid do the dirty work for him. When I read that Karate Kid blurb my mind drifted onto Daniel-san being taught his karate craft. That inspired me to post what I did shortly afterward.

I think you are correct in assuming Miyagi worked hard when younger, afterall in the movie he was the master teaching his craft to his young student, I assume Miyagi went through something similar in his youth. Daniel did the wax-on, wax-off routine with aching muscles. He questioned Miyagi but was told to hush, ask no question, and do what he was told. Daniel's arms aching, he pressed-on. The next day was paint-the-fence with the same evasive instructions. Daniel was hurting, ready to walk out, but he continued on.

You post that Miyagi got his vintage cars waxed, he got his fence painted too, but I don't think that was the main point to take away from there. Daniel worked through his agony and the reward was that he conditioned his muscles and his mind to take him further than he imagined he was capable of. With the basic drudgery out of the way he was ready for more specialized training. For a person just entering the job market many if not most have to face some distasteful and seemingly pointless tasks, get past their inherent laziness, and then graduate on to more challenging work. Some never make it past two weeks while others take-off in a career that leads them on to new heights. Early-on in their working life is when many make the choices that decide what kind of future they will have.

I have/had (past-tense since I no longer live in the States) friends that sought the "easy way" and avoided commitment to a jawb. They are still working diligently at getting-by without commitment. I took a different path and have earlier today been chasing señoritas and tequila as I now sit in my kitchen/garden patio on my laptop as the palm and bamboo sway in the afternoon breeze, and with most of the million I retired with intact because I live off my retirement pension from my jawb. If curious, I was designated an official photographer/videographer for the Department of Defense attached to a missile test range where a primary function was staging war games with the navy fleet and aviation. I supported operations on other ranges located in the Caribbean and on Hawaii, Florida, and in the Bahamas. It was an enjoyable jawb but I am retired now.

Point is, a little dedication and effort pays off. You can dwell on the pointless tasks new workers often have to deal with or you can keep in mind that it is an effort necessary to prepare yourself for better things. Working and living does not have to be pathetic.

Flag for your thread, OP. Interesting topic and inspires thought.

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


I sympathize. I was in quite a similar situation as you. I had a job as security on a casino boat and I loved it. Sure, the days were long and boring but, I was making somewhat decent money and able to save a little. It was a great work environment. Sadly, I was not with the company for very long, about half a year before the casino boat decided to cut out the middlemen(the security) and have the workers on the boat perform the duties. I loved the daily grind employees like myself. They were from all over the world and were young men and women like I was. I hated the casino company though for getting rid of us. All for the mighty dollar. They ended up paying their in house security half of what we guards were paid, $5/hour. They had a flag of convenience somewhere in the Caribbean that allowed them to do this. I was getting paid $10/hour but the security company was charging $22/hour for each guard. The security company promptly released me when the contract expired. The casino boat company definitely did not need to cut costs. I worked the day(slow) cruise. I was tasked with escorting the money men around the boat when it docked. 95% of the time the boat made amazing profits. This was the slow part of the day. The night cruises made A LOT more.

Anyway, didn't mean to go into a tangent. The point is that I observed Texas Hold-em players for about half a year. When I got laid off, I went to my local Native American casino and found that I was decent. The release of the security contract was a blessing in disguise. Now, I can go and make $60-$200 dollars in anywhere from 15 minutes to 100 minutes. Once I feel that my number is up, I leave. Sure, sometimes I lose but more often than not I win. I am not materialistic at all. This small income supports an efficiency for myself and I have plenty, plenty of free time now. Winning at poker is an art. If you have any kind of skill in the game and a casino to play at perhaps you could look into that. Hell, I know a few regulars that work the slots for 2-3 hours, wandering around the floor, who do that as their only source of income.

This may not be for you. How should I know? LoL. A word of caution though. If you have an addictive personality stay the hell away from the casinos. I know addicts that blow all their money in a few hours. They can be up $800-$1300 dollars and they just won't leave. Predictably, they lose it all.

That was how I escaped the rat race. As the Mc D's commercials say, "I'm lovin' it!"

What you ask at the end is what can we do about it. The ONLY thing that can change negative is to cause it to change from negative to positive. The only way to change this will be to put positive energy into what you do. Send that out into the world and it WILL create change. Everything is symbiotic. Once more echoes of positive energy abound it can take over and change the negative things.

If you want get a job but do it for YOUR reasons. No one else can force their reasoning into your thinking. You get up and keep your intentions working toward the POSITIVE goals and reasoning. The more negative we add the worse it will get. I don't know how to explain other than that. Approach everything you do with POSITIVE thoughts and actions will follow that. It won't matter if you are working for Walmart, you can infect them from the inside... it WILL eventually produce change for the better, but it won't happen unless it begins, right?

So that is my suggestion for you. Apart from that you can do what my Grandfather did for many years to make extra money for himself. He'd get up around 4:30am and go around town with a pole that had a nail on one end, leather gloves and a garbage bag. He bought a lot of nice things with the cash he made off the aluminum cans. If you only picked up three cans a day for a month, you'd have almost a hundred to cash in for money. Make money off their trash...it will put a smile on your face if you really think about the possibilities.

Hey there

In my opinion, we are slaves to the consumer society we are born into.

Governments need taxes, and taxes are generated by the population grinding their lives away to earn the money they "need" to live - I put "need" in a loose term, because what do we really need?

Once the basic requirements of food, shelter, belonging are fulfilled, our mind starts to fulfill the less urgent things in life - comfort, materialistic items, holidays, pursuit of more money.

If one succeeds and has all the money they could want or need, does that make them happy?

We are programmed to think it will - which is why people are always looking for ways to obtain financial freedom, win the lottery etc etc.

Take it from me; I've achieved financial independence. I am a multi-millionaire, in the process of selling my business. I'm 31 years old.

I'm selling the business, because the pursuit of money is just that; a pursuit. Once you've got it, it doesn't make you happy. All it does is enable you to have a bigger house, a nicer car, better quality holidays, and "stuff".

My advice to you? Pack everything you own, and spend the next 2 or 3 years exploring the world - it will open your eyes and mind. Don't get stuck in the race to fill your bank account, it's pointless.

Great thread so far...

I felt the same way you do in the past. Ive had a lot of retail jobs, you name it, and Ive done it. I was always mad about working a pointless job. My solution? I went into construction. I know it gets a bad rap from a lot of people, but its a great way to make a living. And think about all of the jobs that are opening up with the retirement of the baby boomers.

Yes I do go to work and slave away some days, yes its all for some corporation in the end. But theres still satisfaction at the end of the day. Maybe the company I work for is part of the "system", but when I go home at the end of the day, I can say Ive done something.

And the houses Ive helped build? They arent going anywhere.

And Im a girl to, its not just a mans job. I started out cleaning construction sites, and now Im a carpenter.

My starting wage, to sweep and haul away garbage, was also at least 3 dollars more an hour then any retail/service job Ive ever had.

OP - I read your original post and I know exactly where you are coming from. Our generation has been raised on a pack of lies. My wife is so similar to you, looking for a productive job that is good for society and will help provide for the family, but....

Reality will hit hard.

You have to work to provide for your family and real unemployment is close to 20%. 1/5th of people looking for a decent job cannot find it.

My advice, take the best job you can find and enjoy your life outside the 9-5 or more likely the 7-7 and enjoy the time that is your own.

Originally posted by Hefficide

You use the term "sell out" an awful lot. Let me give you the perspective from a 46 year old, father of two children frame of mind.

Your parents are miserable because they're tired. They've slaved their butts off to provide you with a comfortable enough life that you can not have a job right now and can be well fed and sheltered enough to ponder these types of things. They wanted nice things because, when you are a parent, you want your kids to have nice things - so you sacrifice your own wants for your kids sake.

Until you get married and hear those words "Honey, I'm pregnant", you won't be able to understand. It's a great pressure to know that you are about to be responsible for the life of another being. It's enough to make a person put the needs of others before their own sense of pride.

~Heff

LOL your right, but for me, it didn't sink in until he was born.

Should've developed a skill that's worth something. The possibilities of supporting yourself without having a boss or filling out a w2 are literally endless. It's not too late. Decide what you love and pursue it. If you have to "sell-out" temporarily while you figure out how to do that, there's no shame. Big picture stuff and whatnot

Originally posted by Ace High
OP - I read your original post and I know exactly where you are coming from. Our generation has been raised on a pack of lies. My wife is so similar to you, looking for a productive job that is good for society and will help provide for the family, but....

Reality will hit hard.

You have to work to provide for your family and real unemployment is close to 20%. 1/5th of people looking for a decent job cannot find it.

My advice, take the best job you can find and enjoy your life outside the 9-5 or more likely the 7-7 and enjoy the time that is your own.

gotta agree there... that's the reality of America today. unfortunately, not everyone will find a job doing something they like. I know many college graduates that can't find a job in the field they studied in. so with that in mind it's hard to tell someone "do something you enjoy".

for the OP, it sounds like you will have to do just that and take the best job you can find in order to support yourself and your siblings if you get custody. From there it will be more work and time if you want to invest and start your own business. If it is just yourself you might be able to take a chance and think of what skills you have- like if you are into crafts or can make things I see some people sell on etsy and do well. If you like kids you could baby sit and maybe start your own daycare. I know these things aren't really helping society, but it would at least be taking care of yourself. The Peace Corps is a good idea if you want to really help people although I know they don't let just anyone join, the last time I checked they want some college backround and some experience.

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


You are still young and have time on youre side!! Please dont be so sad!! Everyone has to start from somewhere!! Everyone is a Slave to Someone!! Focus on whatever kind of work you can find!! Go back to school and protect youre DREAMS..keep them to yourself and work towards making them happen!! We all have to do jobs in life just to get by!! I live paycheck to paycheck!! I worry about having enough Food and Gas to make it until I get payed again!! Never lose Faith!! Things will get better!!

If you use your logic, you're a slave every time you use streets or eat cheap food. Streets and roads are usually based on politically connected contracts, Cheap food supports the use of chemicals and over use of the soil.

Don't expect to change the entire world but just be happy if you can change a small part. Be a caretaker for a disabled person, bag groceries and say something nice to a person who looks down, file papers and be the one non-jerk in the office.

Originally posted by Daughter2
If you use your logic, you're a slave every time you use streets or eat cheap food. Streets and roads are usually based on politically connected contracts, Cheap food supports the use of chemicals and over use of the soil.

Don't expect to change the entire world but just be happy if you can change a small part. Be a caretaker for a disabled person, bag groceries and say something nice to a person who looks down, file papers and be the one non-jerk in the office.

I agree. This isn't a one day project. You set a bunch of goals, but the journey to them is filled with opportunities to do good. You can light up your area of the dirty pond we all swim in.

But it does take awareness of your ultimate goals to propel you to them. If the city doesn't support the dream of what your life ought to look like, treat it as a temporary thing and make plans to move away when you can - a mini-goal. If you have determined what it is that is important to your happiness and life, then you chip away at it until you can achieve it.

I suppose everyone will have a different picture of what bliss looks like.

But really, don't fall into the trap of societal pressures like consuming "stuff," getting sucked into mind-numbing TV or sports to distract you from thinking, being, and creating. Pull out of the consume/strive/consume/spend/pay debt/consume trap, and leave them to it. Just opt out. Keep your options open and your eye on the goals. You'll get there. You won't lose if your refuse to play the games.

reply to post by Hefficide


Well said.

Also, to those of a certain age before proper maturity, consider not wasting opportunities that you will be grateful for. Like education, it's easier when you are younger to get proper qualifications that can enable a satisfying life. For example, if you want to help people, train for something that helps people. Like teaching, or physical therapy, new age or otherwise, there are plenty things to do, and plenty of these can result in self employment, where it doesn't mean working for unscrupulous companies.

Youth + time + opportunity x parental + financial support = good prospects (use these wisely).

reply to post by penninja



I'm sorry I did not read all of your reply but wanted to respond to one of your assertions that Jesus, Ghandi and Buddha would not have made bad fathers? They would have been the worst of fathers, too consumed with their work of helping humanity to be able or have time to focus on their own children. I believe some are there to teach and some to raise the teachers of tomorrow. Those who teach (in a grand way) sacrifice having an own life with children and family for the greater good and those who raise families sacrifice their life as great spiritual/social teachers to teach few. Then of course we have all the types in between on a sliding scale between the two extremes and those who change course or temporarily take a break from either.... just one way of seeing it and my thoughts reading your post

much love

Originally posted by Erongaricuaro
reply to post by penninja

 

Certain assumptions were being made based on the OP's query.

Assumptions yes (no offense plz not saying this to be insulting) Assume Makes an A out of U and Me usually.

Wasn't trying to single you out either, the across the board shut up buck up, deal with it trend started getting on my nerves.

Honestly you just sort of continued on right here with the same mindset "lacks direction" etc.... You have a set of values broken into you that's the way it is again I have to reiterate, I didn't see this Thread as being about how to grow up and be like every other adult, I see it as asking how NOT to. And most of these return replies i'm bashing including yours go on to DEFEND your life and give a hard sell on it.

To me that is the Mental definition of getting OLD, developing a paradigm, becoming conditioned to it and accepting that it's the "Only Way"

Is it the "Only Way" no... I think while better than religion we can do Way better than Money as a definition of success.

I have never seen anyone list their Bank Account Total on a Tomb Stone... I see things like "Loving father" or "Best friend" or other some such statements, but never a bank account total or how many houses a man acquired

then retiring fairly young with financial security and multiple paid-off homes and property and now living south of the border in what to me is a paradise.

And you keep going....

You do realize that if the OLD ALLOWED the YOUNG to change and improve upon paradigms, if we didn't create such awful systems in theory there is no reason you couldn't have just walked across the border at 18, built a house with your hands in less than a year and had that from day One right? Not from 30 years into things?

The first reaction to that from some will be hogwash, some will assume if they hadn't read that this 42 year old is some 19 year old "dreamer"

But no, we are DESPERATELY In need of a new Paradigm in an automated world of Robots...

Don't get me wrong the Industrial Revolution was needed, could have robots building Robots to do our dirty work if we didn't go through it.

But the line of thinking from the Industrial era is going to get us all killed and NOW more than ever we NEED young thinkers who are going to QUESTION and DISMANTLE the machine here because if we don't LET them we are all screwed.

JOBS? They aren't coming back... China has stuff wasting away on the shelves, if those 1.5 Billion people build 5 Machines each no one will ever need to go to work again from a place of NEED and Yes, we are closing in on the capacity to do that in MY lifetime let alone the OP's

(not as simple as robots) automation is everywhere... Jobs vanish every day. This system will fail. and frankly we don't actually NEED 6 Billion Writers lol... lol there will always be a need for some human work, but realistically this day of Work as we know it is already over, a lot of jobs are there just to keep people working

It did, however, sound from your tone you are not generally at ease with life. Perhaps it is just that you are fed-up with hearing from people that may expect more from you and others.

I sound like i'm not at ease with Life? O really? Remember the Assume...

I am however fed up with hearing people "Expect more" from me and others though YES that is correct.

MOST people do unfulfilled things, I completely believe that to the 95th % when people talk of their "fulfilling careers" they are fulla bulla, most jobs are very boring, something like 40-50 Million jobs in this country are down right terrible that would be roughly the number of telemarketers and fast food workers we have "to keep people employed"

Okay fats food can be run like in Japan from a Machine no one actually need the guy that forgets to wash his hands touching their food, frankly it's gross, and calling people and asking them to buy stuff is a step above begging

So if you question that we aren't in a stage where the industrial era is over just look up, half our wrk force is doing NOTHING already

so YES she has every right to QUESTION.... WHY WE PERSIST

and i'm sorry but when your mind get's locked into something and just keeps doing it and insist other people keep doing it that's sort of crazy. That lack of plasticity in the end is the start of dementia

If we keep the INDUSTRIAL ERA Going

While living in the COMMUNICATION ERA

We are doomed

6.5 BILLION People Doing and building and digging will use up every resource on this planet

In the real world machines can build assemble-able homes and 4 -6 guys and maybe 2 others to maintain computers can create housing for a nation of people

And why do you need several homes lol?

Originally posted by IAmD1
reply to post by penninja

 

I'm sorry I did not read all of your reply but wanted to respond to one of your assertions that Jesus, Ghandi and Buddha would not have made bad fathers? They would have been the worst of fathers, too consumed with their work of helping humanity to be able or have time to focus on their own children. I believe some are there to teach and some to raise the teachers of tomorrow. Those who teach (in a grand way) sacrifice having an own life with children and family for the greater good and those who raise families sacrifice their life as great spiritual/social teachers to teach few. Then of course we have all the types in between on a sliding scale between the two extremes and those who change course or temporarily take a break from either.... just one way of seeing it and my thoughts reading your post

much love

I don't see it, because in their world their kids could go along with them on their jobs all day... 40 Million people serving up burgers can't have that option.

And I used an extreme example anyway lol

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


I am not sure you got my point on Mr Miyagi

(it's not like i'm about to rewatch the movie or read the book to get his whole back story)

But he barely had a job at all... it's not Hard work I am bashing if you personally WANT to learn Karate and work hard at it that's a wonderful thing, sure busting your but is the way to achieve things and if they are personal things that's fine.

You mention Video work for defense dept i believe it was?

Please, please... I mean no offense when I say this. It might sound insulting, it''s not I can even clarify this by saying in OUR youth there wasn't a choice, it was still needed...

But you essentially... worked for a dept that absorbs at the moment like a Trillion dollars from people labor, to build weapons we need to defend our interests which at the moment we THINK is Oil and we need that much Oil because every day 40 Million people will get into Cars, burn gas to go do stuff no one actually needs done, because the system requires it.

Can you not see that in the next 40 years HER 40 years this is...ridiculous?

Once upon a time we DID need everyone working, omg, we really really did, and we still need a lot of people working, cancer isn't cured YET, we have a few, a scant few but a few technologies to develop before we can go to Mars in person and keep expanding etc.... Insert your own thoughts here____________

But in my lifetime, while I'm still alive at this rate of progression even those problems will be solved.

My reference of Mr Miyagi is a Guy who had ONE home, an apartment and a small one at that, inside I saw no JUNK and he was perfectly content.

6.5 Billion people making GARBAGE, consuming too much, burning ol to go do things that aren't needed because ONCE UPON A TIME we did need the effort of the entire population to build a world free of drufgery

Guess what we are just about there my friend?

NOW WHAT

We absolutely need a new paradigm, we absolutely need something other than "careers' to create fulfillment

Your career actually sounds kind of cool. I do a lot of video work myself... not so bad.... I didn't mean to get personal i'm not that kind of person. But the girls question is absolutely poignant... isn't there something more?

Most adults ARE unhappy, for at least half of people the "work" doesn't exist that needs doing and they have no meaning, as lot of the work that does exist could be eliminated over night no one would miss it.

Everything can be automated these days, video...yeah that you need a human for and likely always sort of will, creativity isn't a machines job, but even 90% of that at least the stuff I do is LUXURY, entertainment or the selling of junk

Mr Miyagis house was DEVOID if Junk, it was easy to accumulate cars, he lived his HOBBY very, very ZEN existence

Look at the world? resource problems... no lol, we have none, we have 40 million people getting in cars to work to do stuff no one needs and that stuff uses power that doesn't need to be on and the garbage they sell gets moved in trucks and all those burgers come from cows that fart methane too and create a green house effect, most products use oil, they burn power...

working to make money to burn resources to be stuff they never needed in the first place.

Industrial era is over, it existed to create a world where people could be FREE from toil

And we are on autopilot, in a loop so to speak just continuing it long after it's needed. We are moving forward at breakneck seed and half the world has nothing to really do and people just waste so much.

You know i'm talking about some form of Soicalism where we eliminate like half of jobs leave the ones people want to work at and pay room and board and power and food and a fair token of spending money.

Getting 70 million commuters off the road for no reason, not being bombarded by phone calls and ads, fast food machines not grubby people wasting their lives touching the food. Every person that assembles, folds, stuffs, licks, snaps, zips, folds...being replaced by machines that do it better and the same for dangerous jobs and toxic jobs etc etc et al...

The above that if you WANT you can make money... Like Star Trek, GOOD TEACHERS, GOOD DOCTORS (less lawyers lol) people who WANT to be there, people who get incentives for being there

Honestly... I actually like to work

You know what i don't like? Working with those who don't want to be there anyway, those that have the positions they hate. It's no favor to try and do something in the end for luxuries anyway and to be made to deal with people who are morbid about it, in fact they can make the work dangerous or hurt people or ruin lives so let them go home please

Okay... NY State produces enough Milk for the nation, food rots, everything you need to know can be downloaded on the internet, being served and sold all day isn't fun, I can stick a buck in a machine for a burger, most factory work can be eliminated this world creates 100x the amount of stuff we need anyway

Paid for for life for finding ways to eliminate jobs... bonuses by the govt, invent the self cleaning toilet and eliminate the need for toilet paper and get 20,000 people laid off get a million bucks.

I think we could get by comfortable with 1/6th of people working, around 50 Million that WANT to

Then we need a philosophy like MR Miyagi where doing matters, Hard work sure... I'd Love to collect a check work 3 hrs a day and spend 10 on my Martial Arts, i'd be a far more interesting person. My garden needs serious work too.

The Assumption seems to be people would do nothing

In our culture yeah

The tech exists the reality is it can be started tomorrow, our CULTURE our way of thinking isn't right

That's why I mentioned MR Miyagi... Small home, no excess, no junk.... was he Lazy? No he obviously spent a lot of time on Karate. Learning BEING

Working Making Videos of Missiles?

I agree, your life doesn't sound awful, awful... like cameras get to play with cameras... sure it got old at times though? Plenty of stuff you'd rather have filmed. Rewarding materially to the average sounds pretty alright, better than most...

Nothing else you could have done with a video camera you rather would have done? Really? Honestly?

If paid for you couldn't have had a lot more fulfillment doing documentaries. planting a garden? learning karate all day if the paycheck was out of the picture? Whatever?

Don't get me wrong

It beats foraging for berries and dying of Malaria

But we are there, we built it to end drudgery and human suffering an era can come to an end and history will remember it as the worst era in human history world wars, slave labor, oppression

I can't rationalize it... we waste, we force needless consumption, we are entirely material, we are continuing a process in completely the WRONG direction here people.

reply to post by penninja


Well said!

I wanted to contribute to your thoughts but am not at my best at the moment so will leave it at that until my mind clears a little.

Your ideas are definitely worth expanding on in my view and I might do so later on if I can get my mind up to scratch today