Time/Money

[hmpf]

I had a discussion with my dad today about the sad fact that, with the way society and the economy are set up, you basically have to accept that you have to spend your entire adult life working *a lot*, often at something that isn't very gratifying, and having only a tiny bit of time and energy (if any) for friends, hobbies, political activity etc, - or you can choose to organise your life in a way that gives you more freedom to do the things that you love (including spending time with people you love), but, in that case, you have to accept that you'll almost certainly be relatively poor during your working life, and *really* poor in your old age.

(Of course, I'm still very skeptical that there'll be anything like our society or the economy or money still around when I'm old, but let's ignore that for a moment.)

Now, none of this is news, of course. But I'm still finding it hard to accept that option A, the "decent money and no time" option, is supposed to be the more desirable of the two. I'm finding myself leaning more and more towards the "be poor & do (at least some of) what you want" option. Although I'm really scared of being poor when I'm old and may need help that may be expensive.

But the idea of not being able to make jewellery, not being able to write, not being able to participate in fandom, not being able to keep working on ecological issues, even just not being able to cook for myself at least *reasonably* often.... depresses me *deeply*. As does the option of choosing, say, one of these activities to keep, and discarding the rest.

(ETA: The issue of spending time with friends is not listed among the activities in the last paragraph because I'm already being absolutely crap at managing that, even without a full-time job etc.)

Comments

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

I'm firmly in camp b. I'm also in the camp that stays up way too late on a work night under the assumption I'll be tired and bored and grumpy in work ANYWAY so I might as well extend my evening by a few hours... ;)

I would note that, while it still qualifies as poorer, it is possible to not be absolutely dirt poor if you get, say, a part time job on a higher payscale. For instance, I had office experience an audio typing skills. The job I have now pays me £100 more a month for working three days a week than my last UK full time job did (although in that job I was on the wrong tax code and paying into a pension, so I think I worked out that if I hadn't been doing that and I'd been on the right tax code, they'd be about the same, or possibly the part-time one would be about £50 less). The main different being before I was in an underpaid job in a poorer part of the country where I was basically classed as a low level office worker, whereas now I'm in a cushy government-funded job where I'm classed as more of an "executive assistant" type even though I pretty much do exactly the same type of stuff.

So I think that it is possibly to at least live above the breadline while still having time to do stuff - which is certainly my goal. Who wants to be old and have nothing to show for it but a pile of savings? I'd rather have a pile of writing, vids, friends, books, music, vacations, computer games, comics and roleplay sheets.

(The other option is to find a job doing something you want to do. So far that has eluded me... ;) )

[dunkle-feuer.livejournal.com]

I'm firmly in camp b. and despite not having much money, I'm very happy. Some of my colleagues, especially my boss, is an absolute workaholic, spending up to 15 hrs. (and more) in the office each day, very often the weekends as well. I'm sure he has much more money than I do, but living the way he does would make me absolutely miserable.

So, I'm rather poor, can't put anything aside for when I'm old, but I'm (most of time at least) very happy, which is a good thing, I suppose :)

[birggitt.livejournal.com]

I'm completely, definitively, wholeheartedly in side b.
I have took this decision years ago, and I don't regret it. I'm a pessimist at heart, so I don't believe our economy (I live in Argentina) is strong enough to support old people, not now, less in 20 years. And, even if that was a real option, I could die tomorrow in some freaky accident, and, therefore, I would have mortgaged my life for nothing.
I don't need much, and will change in a whims a new jean for an hour translating for the OTW without a second thought.
I'm not, at any scale really poor: I pay my bills, eat well enough and support 3 pets, and even manage to get a book or DVD or pc upgrade once in a while.
I'm working part time to pay my bills, I teach in the afternoons because that's what I really love, and still have time to play.
I don't believe it's about all or nothing but about set your priorities and work from there.
I hope you'll find your way *hugs*

[kimboosan.livejournal.com]

That does seem to be the choice it comes down to in our society; there are exceptions, but they are so rare and based on luck that they only prove the rule, I think.

I've kind of waffled between the two states for a long time. When I'm making money doing a job I hate, I'm secure and comfortable and miserable; when I'm broke and doing the things that resonate with me personally, I'm worried and scared and emotionally fulfilled. *head!desk*

Waffling

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

>I've kind of waffled between the two states for a long time.

So, what's the current state you're in? Just curious (and hey, I suck at reading LJ, so I need to, like, actually ask people about their lives. Kinda funny how the internet reconfigures our social mores, isn't it? It's become so that asking people a question like that actually seems like an admission of neglect, rather than - as it would probably have in an age before blogs - a sign of interest. Because if I really cared, I'd be reading your blog, wouldn't I? And yeah, I know that you understand the LJ backlog thing and stuff, so I'm not asking for another assertion of forgiveness or anything; just rambling, here.)

Re: Waffling

[kimboosan.livejournal.com]

I'm transitioning from A to B. I never did very well at being the "successful go-getter" anyway, mostly because I was miserable trying, but I kept at the grindstone because I internalized many social expectations: "someone smart, educated, privileged etc. etc. is supposed to find a good job, make decent money, buy a house, get married etc." So I'm casting those ideas off but it is like trying to hurl a thousand pound anchor off my back, they are so ingrained.

But I KNOW I'm not meant for that kind of life, aside from the fact that I've generally failed at it anyway. I'm getting divorced and focusing on my art (when I'm not dissolved in a puddle of tears from the stress) and looking for a low-stress "pay the bills" kind of job to cover me while I aspire to my dreams of living a creative life.

My life is incredibly difficult as I make this change, and I'm being battered by bad luck (cars breaking down, money woes, refrigerator problems...ack!) as well as progress (divorce, getting my own room with space to myself, going on a date, therapy).