Originally Posted by
Freepath 
Good Job!
Well Done!
Way to Go!
You are an inspiration.
Thanks! I'm still basking in the glow. And does it sound mean? A friend texted me today, and he's a 20-ish beers-a-night-and-3-or-4-lortabs kind of guy. And he managed to squeak out a C in one class. Failed the rest. And I look back at where I was, in a similar place, and am amazed that I did so well this semester.
Originally Posted by
Freepath My point is directed toward denial and perspective. Someone needs to drive a forklift. It’s a necessary part of our economy and the livelihoods of many people.
However, I love my family, I love my friends, I am happy when I have a chance to cultivate my intellect by reading or writing, I am happy when I am fit and have a steady exercise routine, I am fulfilled by the company of my friends.
That should be a priority. That, in my opinion, is what is truly important to us, and we should all be able to see it.
But we don’t.
Instead we walk around telling each other that the way to nirvana is to drive a forklift or answer the telephone for a pest control company. Why are we in such denial about what the truly important things are? Is it arrogance? Is it pride?
It reminds me of a convict sitting in jail who says that he likes to be there.
They can lie to themselves, but don’t lie to me.
This sounds straight-up condescending. JMO.
What makes you think they are lying to themselves? Often I fly a desk doing admin paperwork but every once in a while, such as for the last few days and most weekends during last school year, I work as a housekeeper in a college dorm. This is a job I took to get me through school, I would not be happy in it long-term. But I've befriended maintenance men, the elevator repair guy, painters, carpenters, and the guys who steam clean the carpets. And I've even had lunch with the guy who drives the forklift. Some of these people have been at their jobs for over 30 years.
These kinds of jobs offer EXACTLY what you are talking about. Most of these people genuinely like the work they do, in part because at the end of the day they don't have to worry about work. They show up at 8:00 and work with a smile then they hit the time clock at 5:00 and work goes away. They go home and enjoy family, chill with friends, work in the garden, read, hit the gym, or whatever it is that makes their day better.
No one said the way to nirvana was to drive a forklift, and certainly there are other ways to be happy with your job or with your life. But why assume that someone else's happiness is fake, or that yours is better? To me it seems pretty nervy to state that someone else must be a miserable phony because their job is one you are unwilling to do.