4 ms·

This resonates with me. I would like to add age element. When I was younger learning to a ride a bike was an all consuming objective and a big achievement. I di

This resonates with me. I would like to add age element. When I was younger learning to a ride a bike was an all consuming objective and a big achievement. I didn't need an alarm to wake up to go try riding again. This was followed by the different big schools, football matches against what always seemed were bigger boys ... Each one all consuming. Being a middle class grown up is not inspiring. Work, code, moderate exercise (no more football), meetings, dinner, pay bond, repeat. Its been pretty much the same for the last 15 years in my case.

ajmurmann 9y ago
It seems like many people have a natural drive that frequently goes wasted in modern society. I wonder how we could use this drive allowing people to be happier and also benefit society in the process.
- mmsimanga 9y ago
  Agreed, it seems harder to mobilize people in times of peace than in times of war. As an African, things were much clearer when it was a case of fighting colonialism. Now that we are "free" there isn't much to inspire us and keep us on the same page. We caught up in mindless politicking. Not having a cause or something to look forward to is a source of anxiety for me. The moment I am caught up in something new. Building a hydroponic garden, planning journey home then all else falls aside. I don't even read HN during those times when I am occupied.
wutbrodo 9y ago
> Being a middle class grown up is not inspiring. Work, code, moderate exercise (no more football), meetings, dinner, pay bond, repeat. Its been pretty much the same for the last 15 years in my case. I'm only in my late 20s, and I have a friend group that I gather is unusually social, but I sense this type of malaise in my friends too. I don't understand it at all! I have personal projects in fields I'm no good at, I play and write music, I play intramural sports, I'm learning another language, I read voraciously, I periodically take sabbaticals to do extended travel... My problem is that there aren't enough hours in a year. I can't personally relate to the notion that life is unchallenging, and I would like to understand it. Sure, unlike in school, stimulation won't force itself on you ad mandatory, but that seems like a weak complaint. One of the only explanations I have for it is that working too much leaves people too mentally exhausted to do much else with their time. If I was stuck with 40 hrs/wk + 2 wks vacation a year I would be pretty miserable, and it occurs to me that this is something I had to recognize and take action on personally. And note that I'm not talking about lower-income folk, for whom "work less, make less" may be unrealistic. As you mentioned, we're talking about middle class or higher. I've heard that other industries can be far less flexible in terms of how accepting they are of unconventional schedules like time off on between work. Does that fully explain the mismatch you're describing between "I feel unstimulated and yet don't have stimulating hobbies while also having the extra resources to buy the extra time in which to do these hobbies"? Sorry if this is sort of rambling, but it's something I've been wondering about for at least a few years. I used to think I was odd for not being cut out for the de jure work schedule of the US (not even talking about extra work), but it seems far more universal, even if people won't admit it to themselves and thus do something about it.
- mmsimanga 9y ago
  Your rant is justified and I will take it as wake up call. I am 41, played rugby until I was 30. Now I have a bond, child and in Africa you can't exactly pick and chose your job. There is a post below that captures my sentiments, the cost of living is high. All manner of taxes, interest on bond repayments, utilities like cable, school fees. I cannot take any more time off work or take sabbaticals. Yes I diligently read every post on passive income. Wealth as in number of days you can survive without a salary the deciding factor in staying put. I have a good job and mostly like it but honestly I will not be waking up with same vigor I did in my youth. Final thought, the source of my anxiety right now is that it is 10pm and I need to go sleep to be fresh for my Monday morning project update meeting. A meeting where I will have to answer pointy haired boss (Dilbert) style questions. Edit: grammar
- dnissley 9y ago
  If I was stuck with 40 hrs/wk + 2 wks vacation a year I would be pretty miserable, and it occurs to me that this is something I had to recognize and take action on personally. Well don't keep us in suspense, what'd you do about this?
  - Joe-Z 9y ago
    Can't speak for the OP, but what I did is I found me a job where I only work part-time. At the moment I'm working 30 hours / week, although I had it at 26 / week last year and found this to be optimal to be honest. I still get to do software engineering, which I love, but I also have enough time on my hands to... basically not feel stressed all the time. (I'm certainly not as active as my parent poster, but I try to be engaged in different activities as well). I figured this out very early on in my work-life after falling into depression after my first work year, which prompted me to re-adjust some things in my life. After I got myself back together I looked for a job to get into it again and have been with my current company almost 3 years now. EDIT: Oh, also where I'm from there's 5 mandatory vacation weeks per year, so that helps too. I still try to take all my overtime (which I do still accumulate! :)) in time- rather than money-compensation though.
  - wutbrodo 9y ago

ajmurmann 9y ago

It seems like many people have a natural drive that frequently goes wasted in modern society. I wonder how we could use this drive allowing people to be happier and also benefit society in the process.

mmsimanga 9y ago
Agreed, it seems harder to mobilize people in times of peace than in times of war. As an African, things were much clearer when it was a case of fighting colonialism. Now that we are "free" there isn't much to inspire us and keep us on the same page. We caught up in mindless politicking. Not having a cause or something to look forward to is a source of anxiety for me. The moment I am caught up in something new. Building a hydroponic garden, planning journey home then all else falls aside. I don't even read HN during those times when I am occupied.

wutbrodo 9y ago

> Being a middle class grown up is not inspiring. Work, code, moderate exercise (no more football), meetings, dinner, pay bond, repeat. Its been pretty much the same for the last 15 years in my case. I'm only in my late 20s, and I have a friend group that I gather is unusually social, but I sense this type of malaise in my friends too. I don't understand it at all! I have personal projects in fields I'm no good at, I play and write music, I play intramural sports, I'm learning another language, I read voraciously, I periodically take sabbaticals to do extended travel... My problem is that there aren't enough hours in a year. I can't personally relate to the notion that life is unchallenging, and I would like to understand it. Sure, unlike in school, stimulation won't force itself on you ad mandatory, but that seems like a weak complaint. One of the only explanations I have for it is that working too much leaves people too mentally exhausted to do much else with their time. If I was stuck with 40 hrs/wk + 2 wks vacation a year I would be pretty miserable, and it occurs to me that this is something I had to recognize and take action on personally. And note that I'm not talking about lower-income folk, for whom "work less, make less" may be unrealistic. As you mentioned, we're talking about middle class or higher. I've heard that other industries can be far less flexible in terms of how accepting they are of unconventional schedules like time off on between work. Does that fully explain the mismatch you're describing between "I feel unstimulated and yet don't have stimulating hobbies while also having the extra resources to buy the extra time in which to do these hobbies"? Sorry if this is sort of rambling, but it's something I've been wondering about for at least a few years. I used to think I was odd for not being cut out for the de jure work schedule of the US (not even talking about extra work), but it seems far more universal, even if people won't admit it to themselves and thus do something about it.

mmsimanga 9y ago
Your rant is justified and I will take it as wake up call. I am 41, played rugby until I was 30. Now I have a bond, child and in Africa you can't exactly pick and chose your job. There is a post below that captures my sentiments, the cost of living is high. All manner of taxes, interest on bond repayments, utilities like cable, school fees. I cannot take any more time off work or take sabbaticals. Yes I diligently read every post on passive income. Wealth as in number of days you can survive without a salary the deciding factor in staying put. I have a good job and mostly like it but honestly I will not be waking up with same vigor I did in my youth. Final thought, the source of my anxiety right now is that it is 10pm and I need to go sleep to be fresh for my Monday morning project update meeting. A meeting where I will have to answer pointy haired boss (Dilbert) style questions. Edit: grammar
dnissley 9y ago
If I was stuck with 40 hrs/wk + 2 wks vacation a year I would be pretty miserable, and it occurs to me that this is something I had to recognize and take action on personally. Well don't keep us in suspense, what'd you do about this?
- Joe-Z 9y ago
  Can't speak for the OP, but what I did is I found me a job where I only work part-time. At the moment I'm working 30 hours / week, although I had it at 26 / week last year and found this to be optimal to be honest. I still get to do software engineering, which I love, but I also have enough time on my hands to... basically not feel stressed all the time. (I'm certainly not as active as my parent poster, but I try to be engaged in different activities as well). I figured this out very early on in my work-life after falling into depression after my first work year, which prompted me to re-adjust some things in my life. After I got myself back together I looked for a job to get into it again and have been with my current company almost 3 years now. EDIT: Oh, also where I'm from there's 5 mandatory vacation weeks per year, so that helps too. I still try to take all my overtime (which I do still accumulate! :)) in time- rather than money-compensation though.
- wutbrodo 9y ago