The "Good" Life

[LevesqueIsKing]

I found this thread on another forum and completely agreed with the op. I decided to bring it here to discuss with you guys as well :wink:

Go to school, study hard, get good grades, get into college, lather, rinse, repeat, get a "good" job, get a house in the suburbs, get married, have kids, move to Florida and retire....

Can anybody tell me why society is so obsessed with this formula for a "perfect life," why it looks upon the high-school drop out who very much enjoys his life (even though he doesn't wear a suit to a monotonous 9-to-5 job) as if he is a piece of trash who has wasted his very existence? I don't understand it, really. I don't get why the concept of a "wasted life" even exists. If somebody (be it a pothead, crackhead, or what have you) enjoys their life, who is anybody else to look down upon them for "wasting" it? Why is the cashier at a retail store regarded as "less successful" than a millionaire businessman? What good is money, what good is an education, if it subjectively brings you no more joy than sitting around and smoking pot on your free time? Can anybody give me a reasoned, logical answer to that?

I think part of the reason I agree with this person is because the way I've been raised. My parents raised me strictly by their opinions on life as if there were no other choices, which I think it a terrible way to raise a child. My sisters went through high school with 4.0's or higher each year. That followed suit in college (although I think one of them got a B once :lol. Anyway, seeing as I average somewhere around a 3.85 I'm basically the failure of my loving family.
Why do we (is it just america, or everyone?) have this standard for living? Why do we feel sorry for the people working at McDonalds when in reality, they might be living a better lives then us, with high paying jobs?

A few years ago I heard a quote that fit the topic perfectly, and luckily, I once again found it. I will be sure to save it this time around as I absolutely love this quote. Here goes:

The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.

Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."

The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"

The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."

The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.

You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions?...Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

- Author Unknown

 

[blueovalboy7]

This is one of the better ones I've seen.

The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.

Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."

The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"

The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."

The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.

You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions?...Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

- Author Unknown

 

[LeWaffles]

that's a good story, see? people read more than the first half of a long post.

 

[Sovieto]

sitting around, getting money, and smoking pot is a good life, you dont hear those people complaining, but youll hear a 9-5 job person complaining about how hard they work and get little pay. get a group of friends, work easy jobs, pay for rent and smoke weed. the good life.

 

[CyanRussel]

That is actually the Bad-Life....I used to do that, but it only led me into trouble

 

[mushroomedmario]

*is high right now

i ****ing hate my job.....

 

[CyanRussel]

I love my job....500$ a week..

 

[mushroomedmario]

didn't you learn off the story?

it's about liking your job.,....not the money...i want to go back to my old job

 

[CyanRussel]

What the hell are you talking about? Here ill rephrase it in a way you'll understand....
I love my Job.......I Love my of 500$ every two weeks

 

[mushroomedmario]

so you love your job and the money

or do you love your job because of the money

like do you actually enjoy going/being at work?

 

[Sovieto]

That is actually the Bad-Life....I used to do that, but it only led me into trouble

of course. because the man is a total square and he dosent want us living that life so he made weed illegal, which is why it leads into trouble now..

 

[CyanRussel]

I love my Job and the Money it pays....i love being at work, its better than sitting down watching T.V. in the house

 

[Byuakuya]

Although I agree with the second story to a certain extent, education is still very important in this modern society. You cannot do anything without the power of money exchanging hands. I aim to reach a very good position in life so that I can support myself and my family.

 

[JT.]

I love money, and nothing else! I agree with it all, nearly, except, I still want to be a millionaire. I've always dreamt of having a massive house, with a huge home theater, massive swimming pool, huge TV's all over, and a room made just for video games! And, of course, have a 10Gb/s internet connection. Plus the perfect computer... And a jacuzzi, and...

Yea, I think money brings happiness.

 

[blueovalboy7]

I love money, and nothing else! I agree with it all, nearly, except, I still want to be a millionaire. I've always dreamt of having a massive house, with a huge home theater, massive swimming pool, huge TV's all over, and a room made just for video games! And, of course, have a 10Gb/s internet connection. Plus the perfect computer... And a jacuzzi, and...

Yea, I think money brings happiness.

It can for a while, but once you have all of that, you then need to worry about it, for instance burglary, fire, flood, ie. natural disaster. We all have dreams of wealth and what we would do with it, but in reality there are only so many who actually get the opportunity to experience it, and I'm fairly certain I am not one of them.

You essentially work your whole life to finance things you want/need and in the end what do you have to show for it? I think you should make money work for you versus working for money if that makes sense to any of you.