Honestly, because most people have to.
I'm just getting to the point that I can probably work just half or so and sustain myself just fine. This is awesome, but I realize I'm overflowing with privilege. For most, this isn't an option.
Why do we waste our lives as servants?
11–20 of 91 posts
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#12Fuck this perspective. I don't mean this in an offensive way. I just mean that it is very detrimental for me to think in this way. For years I have been reading articles online, trying to become smarter, trying to learn from others' mistakes. Really, I was trying to never MAKE a mistake and trying to be smarter than I was. A large part of this was that I thought I could be destined for something "greater". Well, I'm not. I have used the sentiment from posts like this to justify my laziness and overblown entitlement, and do you know where it's gotten me? Nowhere. I'm not better than everyone else. I can't actually accomplish anything special. In fact, ever since I read that it's better to NOT write code than to write too much code, I've tried to do as close to nothing at all as possible. And that's pretty much the problem.
I guess that didn't make so much sense. But, just because the universe seems unfair re: who has resources doesn't mean that it's not advantageous to buy into the system of working for someone else. It provides an income, for one.
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#13I go through this all time time. Here's one from three and a half years ago: http://matt.io/startup/Hazards_of_Work
A year and a half ago I gave up, quit, sold my car, got rid of my apartment, and lowered my living expenses. I'm quite free of overlords at the moment, but stressfully unsuccessful and technically homeless (without being entirely poor).
Tomorrow I turn 30. This was not in my life plan. Need to daft punk it up very soon.
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#14Rah rah.
So you are sitting in your economical abode eating your economical food with a pleased non-servant grin. And there you sit. And sit.
The urge to build or do will come. Building is better with others. And soon you are back to having to make trade offs to build something you want or people want.
To me, I'm always going to build. So yeah, all I can do is either pick the best masters available to me, figure out how to spread out the masters (client vs customer) or decide that in the name of freedom, I'm not doing anything and try to declare stagnation a virtue.
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#15So that others can be 'servants' to us?
I am good at making software products, but not so much at repairing my car, so I'd rather spend some extra time making software products for others so I can get someone to fix my car for me.
So much for the pseudo-philosophical rhetoric about the 'deadness we feel inside'. I'd feel dead inside if I had to spend hours on the bottom of my car or out in the fields, instead of doing what I enjoy and am at good at.
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#16We all have to answer to somebody. The lucky ones, answer to other men. The unlucky ones, answer to their conscience.
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#17I've always been partial to Voltaire's thought on the matter: "Work saves us from three great evils: boredom, vice and need."
Even if I had more time during the day to to whatever I pleased, I doubt I'd have the money to do anything interesting. I'd probably end up programming or working on something, which I might as well get paid to do.
I'd certainly rather program than maintain a garden. But I can understand why that's not true for everyone.
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#18Has anyone turned an ah-ha moment into a life-long pursuit (and succeeded)?
None that have lived to tell the tale.
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#19It's the supreme luxury to be able to reject society. It's a luxury that's only available to those who are either born to wealth or put a lot of effort into obtaining it. There are also the "I just don't use money, man" people who are actually just living off the charity of friends.
Completely rejecting society is one of the most self-centered and egotistical things you can do. Only two classes of people obtain it: the very wealthy (basically, FU money) and vow-of-sileince monks (basically, "I'm never going to interact with humanity again").
Re: Why do we waste our lives as servants?
#20This may be off-topic, but it was rather fascinating watching that hit counter jump up by hundreds after just one refresh.
It must be really popular. :)