A Slave To Society

What kind life are we living, if only to satisfy others wants, needs, and requirements. Who told us that this is ok and this is how life should be?

I am only 21 and even when I was a teenager I always found myself thinking the same thing periodically. Where do I want my life to be? How do I become financially stable without working my life away? How? How? How?

I know that work ethic get’s you to where you want to be in life but why does it have to be in blue and white collar work? I am willing to work for everything I have and will have in the future to come. I’m fine with that. What I am not fine with is working overtime at a job I will hate with people I don’t want to be around and still not having enough to live even comfortably. Why would I do all of that for a greedy company or boss who only wants to keep positions filled and make more money? Why would I work for their benefit and social status just to be depressed in my own life?

Why is it only possible for the rich to become richer and the poor become more poverty stricken unless they have a random strike of good luck?

I don’t want this for myself or my child. But, I ask myself how can I obtain this without living a hellish, unhappy life?

Now I ask you what do you think?

How should life be in the workforce?

How would you make a happy life while still being able to provide fully for yourself and your family?

25 thoughts on “A Slave To Society”

  1. You presented important issues we all need to reflect on. I do believe that the discipline to not keep up with the Joneses may reduce the pressure or need to work overtime. Living within our means is certainly one step towards living a life of contentment. I will write about this sometime soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. Ricky Talks this generation is the generation “I”.
    In Toronto you will often hear people say this: “do it unto others before they do it unto you”. That is no lie! The first time I heard after moving there it set me back on my heels.
    I don’t know what the answer is, what I do know that for most it feels like they are on a hamster wheel. Going, going, going, but not getting any where..

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • That is exactly right! I won’t lie when I tell you my generation feels very entitled to things they have not earned. Growing up I learned the phrase “I” is God “eye” is me for “eye” look unto him for all my wants and needs. That has personally kept me focused and willing to earn my way honestly. But alas, life does tend to feel like a hamster wheel.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • I wish I had that kind of experience with work. My job left me so far up shits creek that I no longer want to work in the medical field. It would be nice if corporations would have the decency of mom and pop shops.

      Like

      Reply

      • Yeah, Mom and Pop shops can suck too… Actually some of my worst work experiences have been with the smallest places. I have had two bosses I really liked, one at a larger company, one at a company with just three employees. Corporations can be a little nice if you can just fade into the bureaucracy… horrible as that seems…

        Liked by 1 person

      • Well I guess I thought they’d be better I’ve never worked in a small business only corporations. With corporations I liked that I could just come and be left alone to do my job without people bothering me too much, like you said just fading in. But then again in the medical field that back fires when your the only one left alone to do everyone’s jobs.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. I dealt with this question since I turned 18 and it not only made me depressed, it made me clinically depressed back then, including social anxiety. When I turned 18, it was like I left a safe haven and I got a true culture shock. At least in my city, there is heavy competition, no real team spirit and horrible working conditions. You could never trust your workmates, they all appeared like friends but in reality, they waited for the next chance to pee on your leg, because you’ve been competition. 9 years later, after trying many jobs and being severely burned out, I needed a break. I early retired, for a few years, which is possible in my country due to the social system (Germany). I slowly recovered and today I can work again, but I took a lesson from it. My health is more important than making a rich person richer by exploiting my body and soul. If I notice again that I don’t feel well, I definitely take a break again. We live in a society where it’s hart to work in a field you passionate about, because others decide for you what kind of jobs you get. You can’t influence it, at least not here in Germany. You need to take what you can get.

    Honestly. while so many people are afraid of it, I wish it would happen faster that software and robots replace human workforce. Then the society would be forced to think out a new way of living. One with more freedom… like an unconditional basic income. I am minimalist and I don’t need much. I don’t have issues with working, but I’d like to take my time to find something I truly enjoy. And I want to work with things I am passionate about. Something like an unconditional basic income would allow us to follow our own goals. As of now, we’re nothing more than slaves. But that is my depressive impression I got over the decades.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I can relate on so many levels. I grew up faster then most kids should ever have to. I was used to having “Struggle meal” hell I even learned how to pay bills and budget money before the age of 14. For me I was so aware of the workforce and the damage it created in white collar blue collar society such as where I live in the US. This system only gives those who already have wealth a chance, some people have dumb luck, and the majority struggle paycheck to paycheck and work themselves blood, sweat, and tears until they die only to live somewhat comfortably. How stressful. Just like you I had an issue with depression regarding this issue, I tend to be a worry wart and I’ve been that way all my life. So if you can imagine a kid from age 7-17 that worried about finances and how they are going to be able to achieve a decent future that was me. It actually was extremely depressing for me because I come from a family at the short end of the stick so I knew from the start I’d have to work that much harder to make the bare minimum vs other kids who weren’t poor. I personally just don’t understand why it is so hard to get, maintain, and keep a decent way of income that supports people and their families that also makes them happy in life as well.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • Yes. Absolutely agree. I know what you mean by “paycheck to paycheck”. That’s basically how I and my friends and their families grew up. We grew up in a low-income district. And yes, you grow up faster under these conditions.

        I am generally not a jealous person. If someone has a little more than I do, I don’t care. But what I never understood was why so many people accept that our system is designed on a way that the majority of wealth is funneled up to the top 1% and grows even further from there, while there are actually places on this planet where people still starve, or other places like ours, where people are confronted with the question how to get food at the end of each month (living paycheck to paycheck).

        I am very socio-critical about this. I do accept what I have as I somewhat turned into a minimalist over the years and don’t need that much, but accepting what I can afford doesn’t mean that I have to accept inequity. I don’t want to ignore the fact that wealth is unfairly and unevenly distributed in this world. I am glad you ponder over this question too. More people should do.

        Liked by 1 person

      • It’s a relevant topic to many people but it’s almost like taboo to talk about it or acknowledge it. So that leads me to wonder…what else can be discussed into this topic? Why isn’t anything being done?

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment