This is great stuff, esp for an inveterate NEETer like me who since quite young has been skeptical of people throwing around words like ‘purpose’ or ‘productive member of society’. I consider my self an autodidact of a certain level. Always enjoyed learning new things. But always scanned as lazy cuz refused to work five days a week. (To what end? To enrich whom??)
Now we see that our corporate obsession with the otherwise perfectly subjective notions of ‘purpose’ and ‘productivity’ is going to be our undoing.
Totally awesome assessment and implementation of the purpose of life: working ourselves into a lather towards our own demise. Gg, humanity 👍
It is impossible to find contentment within mainstream America if you are critical of mediocrity. It is too stupid, too hypocritical, too vengeful, punishing, increasingly fascist. You have to find a niche of some kind that represents your values. And good luck with that. Social media including Substack is similar except it's not a question of fitting in as much as being followed and liked, being popular. Genuine exchange is rare even here.
I read about a 103 year old pedicab operator. He never would get sick. They asked him how he did it. He said ‘I don’t
Allow myself negative thoughts.’ He said he used to, and he would get sick. But stopped sometime before. At around 88 his family insisted he stop. He had worked 12 hour days putting his family through college. Six or seven days a week. They took his pedicab away. He went downhill. So they bought his old vehicle back, refurbished it with top of the line gearing and wheels etc. he went back to work and was never unhappy. He had stopped doing hills. And he worked a four hour day. But he was still doing it past 100. His children were doctors and lawyers. All successful and wealthy. Of course they would take care of all his needs. But work was one of his needs.
Working and struggling is good. It isn’t bad. The world today has MORE opportunities than ever before. Untold riches are in front of you. And wild adventures. But NEEDing your life away? Not good. Life is meant to be challenged and met with gusto. Not passivity.
Thank you, I'm glad you found it interesting!
This is great stuff, esp for an inveterate NEETer like me who since quite young has been skeptical of people throwing around words like ‘purpose’ or ‘productive member of society’. I consider my self an autodidact of a certain level. Always enjoyed learning new things. But always scanned as lazy cuz refused to work five days a week. (To what end? To enrich whom??)
Now we see that our corporate obsession with the otherwise perfectly subjective notions of ‘purpose’ and ‘productivity’ is going to be our undoing.
Totally awesome assessment and implementation of the purpose of life: working ourselves into a lather towards our own demise. Gg, humanity 👍
I both love and hate how close this hits to home for me.
HOLY CRAP THIS WAS A GUT PUNCH. Great writing.
This was such a good read. Thank you.
It is impossible to find contentment within mainstream America if you are critical of mediocrity. It is too stupid, too hypocritical, too vengeful, punishing, increasingly fascist. You have to find a niche of some kind that represents your values. And good luck with that. Social media including Substack is similar except it's not a question of fitting in as much as being followed and liked, being popular. Genuine exchange is rare even here.
I read about a 103 year old pedicab operator. He never would get sick. They asked him how he did it. He said ‘I don’t
Allow myself negative thoughts.’ He said he used to, and he would get sick. But stopped sometime before. At around 88 his family insisted he stop. He had worked 12 hour days putting his family through college. Six or seven days a week. They took his pedicab away. He went downhill. So they bought his old vehicle back, refurbished it with top of the line gearing and wheels etc. he went back to work and was never unhappy. He had stopped doing hills. And he worked a four hour day. But he was still doing it past 100. His children were doctors and lawyers. All successful and wealthy. Of course they would take care of all his needs. But work was one of his needs.
Working and struggling is good. It isn’t bad. The world today has MORE opportunities than ever before. Untold riches are in front of you. And wild adventures. But NEEDing your life away? Not good. Life is meant to be challenged and met with gusto. Not passivity.
NEETing. Not NEEDing.
I know farmers. Massive agri business, and they do okay. Or, small organic and they work themselves to the bone for nothing. Tough life.
O faces!!!
Great writing but I really tuned out when you mentioned that hack Peter Zeihan
This is genuinely one of the best compliments I have ever gotten on my writing. Printer ink is about as expensive as gold, so it means a lot! Thanks!
Sounds amazing, I'm jealous! Give the critters a pat and a scratch for me