4 ms·

I don't understand how people can be so sure that they've made the right choice: If society isn't willing to give you anything for it, how are you sure it's you

I don't understand how people can be so sure that they've made the right choice: If society isn't willing to give you anything for it, how are you sure it's your 'usefulness in life'? Usefulness to whom? How is this person supposed to be a sympathetic character, when he paid none of the investment towards higher education, reaped a number of the benefits, and then lumps people who played by the rules/lived within their means as sad? The sheer level of entitlement and narcissism displayed by acknowledging "I could give up what had become my vocation (in my case, being a writer) and take a job that I didn’t want in order to repay the huge debt I had accumulated in college and graduate school" but then going on to shirk the debt for your own personal benefit is disgusting.

Frondo 11y ago
"If society isn't willing to give you anything for it, how are you sure it's your 'usefulness in life'?" Because usefulness isn't measured only in money. (Think of the children! No, really. They cost a ton, no guarantee they'll live to support you in your dotage even, but people still have them.)
- nostrebored 11y ago
  Society gives you a ton of validation, support, and encouragement to pursue having/raising children well. I'm not saying usefulness is only measured in money, but money is definitely one of many barometers to gauge if you're doing something useful. Seeing as this article specifically discussed his career, I think that money is a pertinent measure of what society would like you to do/you should do to fulfill your obligations.