And all my uphill clawing
In Office Space, there is a discussion about what the respective characters' lives would be like if they won $1,000,000. Of course, the goal there is to figure out what you should do with your life; what will make you happy and what will fulfill you.
Is there supposed to be an ultimate answer to this? I look at my family and some older friends, and I see many of them unfulfilled with the jobs and careers on which they have spent their entire lives. In many cases, they have sacrificed personal happiness for financial stability; in many cases, they have sacrificed financial stability for what they thought would bring them personal happiness. And rarely have I found people who have achieved that desirable mixture, that combination of professional and personal happiness along with financial independence.
When asked the question about how their job is going, invariable the answer is: "Oh, you know, working away," or "They're busting my ass" or "I'm looking for something different." I would say that probably 5 percent of the friends I went to college with are working in jobs or careers they really enjoy; that they could envision continuing for the rest of their lives. And the majority of that 5 percent are those who went to law school or medical school. Although I can think of several of them who have no idea why they decided to get a law degree. A career, a post graduate degree, a commitment in life has to be more than "something to do." It has to be more than a way to pass the time, a way to make $150,000 a year, and a good answer when attending your college reunions.
I'm not certain where any of that leaves me. I have struggled with this over the past four years; what do I have to show for my life so far? A string of losing campaigns, a couple hundred dollars, a suitcase in the corner of a room that I can't possibly call my own, and broken relationships with women, friends, and family? Why am I unable to take a job or go down a career path that I am unhappy with? What makes me better than the 150 million other Americans who go to work every day waiting for 5:00 to roll around? What makes me better than my parents, or my grandparents?
So, my answer? Two chicks at once.
Is there supposed to be an ultimate answer to this? I look at my family and some older friends, and I see many of them unfulfilled with the jobs and careers on which they have spent their entire lives. In many cases, they have sacrificed personal happiness for financial stability; in many cases, they have sacrificed financial stability for what they thought would bring them personal happiness. And rarely have I found people who have achieved that desirable mixture, that combination of professional and personal happiness along with financial independence.
When asked the question about how their job is going, invariable the answer is: "Oh, you know, working away," or "They're busting my ass" or "I'm looking for something different." I would say that probably 5 percent of the friends I went to college with are working in jobs or careers they really enjoy; that they could envision continuing for the rest of their lives. And the majority of that 5 percent are those who went to law school or medical school. Although I can think of several of them who have no idea why they decided to get a law degree. A career, a post graduate degree, a commitment in life has to be more than "something to do." It has to be more than a way to pass the time, a way to make $150,000 a year, and a good answer when attending your college reunions.
I'm not certain where any of that leaves me. I have struggled with this over the past four years; what do I have to show for my life so far? A string of losing campaigns, a couple hundred dollars, a suitcase in the corner of a room that I can't possibly call my own, and broken relationships with women, friends, and family? Why am I unable to take a job or go down a career path that I am unhappy with? What makes me better than the 150 million other Americans who go to work every day waiting for 5:00 to roll around? What makes me better than my parents, or my grandparents?
So, my answer? Two chicks at once.
posted by quint at 1:39 PM
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