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.
Good stuff. We might be the same person. I can especially relate to the feeling of wanting to get away from everything/everyone. Not out of anger or bitterness towards the world, just out of the pure joy of being alone. But of course the other half of being human pulls you towards life and the people in it, which is ultimately what it's all about. A great depiction of the complexity of life in the modern era ✌️
The huge rise of Intentional communities has been born out of this.
Arrivals and creation straight up and vertical since 2020.
I have traveled to many and studied them. I grew up in a commune and its a great way to live.
This communal shared work and wealth system used to be an impossible sell, as people DID have wealth and STUFF!
But they are now filled with under 30s who have nothing anyway. So its actually a huge lifestyle upgrade. Its an easy dream to sell for a 27 year old with nothing but Debt and breaking down car and an 2200$ a month apartment.
Two good ones are Wheaton Labs - Dancing Rabbit...
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.
This article resonates with me deeply. I'm autistic. My condition pretty much guarantees that I'll never have a girlfriend, never be able to live on my own, and never have any sort of job higher than janitor. Society has never tried to help me or offer me a special place in it. It instead tells me I am inherently evil and deserve to die simply because I'm a straight white male. I eventually reached the conclusion: why should I care about a society that doesn't care about me? So I checked out. I now spend all my time reading, writing, and listening to my vast metal collection. I don't watch Hollywood slop or play video games anymore. I don't desire luxury goods or other status symbols. I only care about making enough money to survive. There are many other young men in this country who are doing the same thing as me. We are bleeding the beast dry by not playing its rigged game. The Regime can try to compensate for our refusal to participate by importing millions of third worlders, but good luck finding anyone competent enough to maintain the complex systems created by those who came before them.
Thank you, I'm glad you found it interesting!
Great writing! I really relate. I dropped out of the race to take care of former laboratory animals in remote Wyoming, and have never been happier.
To building anew!!
Sounds amazing, I'm jealous! Give the critters a pat and a scratch for me
Will do!!
www.kindnessranch.org
If you wanna see what we’re up to.
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.
Good stuff. We might be the same person. I can especially relate to the feeling of wanting to get away from everything/everyone. Not out of anger or bitterness towards the world, just out of the pure joy of being alone. But of course the other half of being human pulls you towards life and the people in it, which is ultimately what it's all about. A great depiction of the complexity of life in the modern era ✌️
Great biting social commentary.
The huge rise of Intentional communities has been born out of this.
Arrivals and creation straight up and vertical since 2020.
I have traveled to many and studied them. I grew up in a commune and its a great way to live.
This communal shared work and wealth system used to be an impossible sell, as people DID have wealth and STUFF!
But they are now filled with under 30s who have nothing anyway. So its actually a huge lifestyle upgrade. Its an easy dream to sell for a 27 year old with nothing but Debt and breaking down car and an 2200$ a month apartment.
Two good ones are Wheaton Labs - Dancing Rabbit...
And a great one in NZ is https://www.wilderland.org.nz/
So there is a way out and a movement.
Its not for everyone but - this and community based religion is growing.
Im going to creating one In NZ, luckily I have 300 acres. It will be a co - ed combo between lord of the flys and fight club.
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.
This article resonates with me deeply. I'm autistic. My condition pretty much guarantees that I'll never have a girlfriend, never be able to live on my own, and never have any sort of job higher than janitor. Society has never tried to help me or offer me a special place in it. It instead tells me I am inherently evil and deserve to die simply because I'm a straight white male. I eventually reached the conclusion: why should I care about a society that doesn't care about me? So I checked out. I now spend all my time reading, writing, and listening to my vast metal collection. I don't watch Hollywood slop or play video games anymore. I don't desire luxury goods or other status symbols. I only care about making enough money to survive. There are many other young men in this country who are doing the same thing as me. We are bleeding the beast dry by not playing its rigged game. The Regime can try to compensate for our refusal to participate by importing millions of third worlders, but good luck finding anyone competent enough to maintain the complex systems created by those who came before them.
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!