I'm 21 and entering my first year of university, I took a four year long gap for a variety of reasons. anyway, I just got home at 5am from a 10 hour long night shift and I'm distraught. I'm young- why am I working like a dog to afford rent and food and uni? I didn't choose to be here. everyone in my life is suffering some how and when I ask why, I am repeatedly told 'that's just how it is', 'that is just how life works'. it doesn't have to be this way. why is everyone so accepting of it? the solution is not 'just make a lot of money, then do what you love' as I am told- I don't want to ever deal with money actually, nor 'work' in the sense we work today, or worry about rent or groceries or government lineups or picking a flavour of toothpaste from a wall of dozens. Nor do I want to flee my country and become a monk, trek barefoot, or sip ayahuasca in the sun. I've been working full time for six years now, I'm already exhausted.
This is the exchange I continue to have endlessly:
"I do not want any of this advertising, money, animals dead on roadsides, working, line ups- I don't want it."
"Everyone is suffering, you just need to make good money and look for the good things when you're not working."
"I don't want to make good money. Or any money. I don't want to have to worry about funds or borders or..anything. What am I looking forward to?"
"..Well, there are good things, but that's just the way life is."
"And if I don't want to be part of that arrangement?"
And nobody seems to have an answer for me.
Last week, it was scorching hot and I wanted to rest for a moment and sit in the shade. There was no shade, for all the trees have been cut down. There were advertisement laden bus stop benches, baking in the sun. I cannot articulate my revulsion at this. It doesn't have to be this way. If this is "the way that it is", and I don't want to be part of "the way that it is"- what am I doing here?
When I ask this question, people look at me like I am saying the thing a person is not supposed to say out loud.
This is the exchange I continue to have endlessly:
"I do not want any of this advertising, money, animals dead on roadsides, working, line ups- I don't want it."
"Everyone is suffering, you just need to make good money and look for the good things when you're not working."
"I don't want to make good money. Or any money. I don't want to have to worry about funds or borders or..anything. What am I looking forward to?"
"..Well, there are good things, but that's just the way life is."
"And if I don't want to be part of that arrangement?"
And nobody seems to have an answer for me.
Last week, it was scorching hot and I wanted to rest for a moment and sit in the shade. There was no shade, for all the trees have been cut down. There were advertisement laden bus stop benches, baking in the sun. I cannot articulate my revulsion at this. It doesn't have to be this way. If this is "the way that it is", and I don't want to be part of "the way that it is"- what am I doing here?
When I ask this question, people look at me like I am saying the thing a person is not supposed to say out loud.
