I feel like too many people get sucked into the idea of furthering their career, to the point that they forget to further their own life.<p>What is the point of existence if we never get around to experiencing it?<p><i>"It's not the things we do in life that we regret on our death bed, it is the things we do not." - Randy Pausch</i>
Today, too many people have jobs to support their lifestyles, not their lives. People end up working to continue making monthly payments on houses larger than they need, cars fancier than they need, and they won't be able to fully enjoy those things because they're always working 9-5. Today, we are a lot further along than we were 50 years ago. People aren't working in factories to put bread on the table, people are working in offices to pay for their next new car or big screen TV.<p>My goal is to make as much money as I can as fast as I can so that instead of trying to become the next billionaire, I can stop working and become the next great thinker. I value knowledge and happiness over money.
Can I just say that I love Charles Bukowski? If you've never read him go buy his books now. There's so much humanity in there. Some will think he's a downer or depressing, but I think he's genius. His life reminds me of this quote by Hokusai:<p><i>When I was 50 I had published a universe of designs. But all I have done before the the age of 70 is not worth bothering with. At 75 I'll have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants, of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am 80 you will see real progress. At 90 I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life itself. At 100, I shall be a marvelous artist. At 110, everything I create; a dot, a line, will jump to life as never before.</i><p>Never stop learning, folks.
>>You know my old saying, "Slavery was never abolished, it was only extended to include all the colors."<p>Some people balk at the idea of "wage slavery," primarily because they think it is so different from the traditional slavery that it should not be called that.<p>But the question is, if you are doing something and the alternative is starvation and death, are you really a free human being? If you think about it for a while, the answer becomes clear: you are not free. Sure, you have the freedom to switch from one slave-owner to another, but at no point in the process do you have real freedom.
I have three things to say about this:<p>1. Many people are horrified by the thought of not being a simple worker bee. They say they want change, but they don't. They want the security of someone else taking care of them. The reason wealth exists is because there are people that cannot live this way, and thus, make their own way. You cannot fault hard working business owners because their employees put themselves in a place to require said employment in order to sustain a life they consider normal.<p>2. There will always be wealth. If the US gave up capitalism in favor of socialism, the money would be placed in the hands of the whole, and in this case, the government. At that point, the government has the money and the power. We're screwed.<p>3. Life is suffering. There is no perfection on this realm. Solve this problem and another will follow. This is a symptom of life in samsara. Bukowski recognized this, which is why he talked of a simple life without possessions. If you truly want to break free of 'the man,' you'll have to life a life defined by something other than money, objects, and achievements. For most of us, this is nearly impossible. Middle ground is an illusion.
I support and understand what he's saying, but I think too many times we set up this false choice between "pursuing our dreams" and "working for the man"<p>There's honor -- and authenticity -- in making choices for your life that involve working in the system.<p>I used to look down on those who worked jobs they hated and would say things like "That's just not for me. I don't know how you can do it." until one day somebody took me aside and pointed out what an insulting and condescending attitude I had. I was being a jerk, a well-paid, able-to-pick-what-I-want-to-do jerk. Other people did not have the same lives or face the same choices as I did. I should respect their uniqueness and decisions -- even if they loudly and publicly complained about them.<p>I have learned that for myself it is too easy to go off on a wild tangent about how one lifestyle is so much better than another, talking about slavery and such, just like in this letter. Basically I was being a judgmental prick, substituting my values for other people's and then declaring that my choices and values were best for everybody.<p>I finally realized that the quality of life is something each of us owns through our own personal choices.<p>So I don't do that anymore.
You know, I don't see the career ascent about forgetting my own life. I see it as a way I can do good for this world. If I have people under my span of control, I can impart what I believe to be good in this world as a part of my leadership and management style.<p>I also want to be a motivational speaker when I 'grow up'. I came from humble beginnings. Some people's talks have really changed my life. In order to give those talks and be invited to speak, yes you have to ascend the established social order.<p>Am I wasting my life by working a lot? No. The things I work so hard for have real effects in this world. My mom has been working for over 40 years of her life. If I do things right, she'll be able to retire eventually. Do I work harder than other people do for the same, or less, compensation? I'm sure I do. But you know what, you have to make the best of the situation you're in.<p>I was recently invited to give my first talk. Here is the abridged executive summary:
<a href="http://www.evernote.com/shard/s34/sh/9a92bf45-27e1-4470-be7e-4aca3aba5cac/4a5fdbf41d26cb91d0aa5cff7b093f96" rel="nofollow">http://www.evernote.com/shard/s34/sh/9a92bf45-27e1-4470-be7e...</a>
<i>They never pay the slaves enough so they can get free, just enough so they can stay alive and come back to work.</i><p>I do love my job, though there is so much more I want to do with my life - so much more I could do that (as far as I can tell) would really help humanity. Unfortunately I'm locked into working because of student loans and overall cost of living. I try to do work in my free time but sadly 3 hours a night does not build a company with enough revenue to grant me freedom.<p>By the time I've earned enough from my job to afford not having a job I worry I'll have moved on to a different life stage where kids will take up my evenings.<p>I know I'm not the only talented, driven 20-something in this situation and with student loans recently so high, it is a pity to think that overall out generation will have fewer who are able to make their ideas real because of it. Thanks to YC for offsetting that effect and helping us believe we can "get free".
I've been at my current full-time job a bit over a year. The previous six years were a mix of freelance, contract, and startup work -- sometimes full-time, sometimes way-more-than-full-time, and sometimes not at all... but usually part-time.<p>There are some things I like about the current job, and if I stick around at least another six months, I'll likely play a key role in overhauling the front end of a major automaker's website using state-of-the art. Not a bad feather to stick in a cap.<p>On the other hand, the chances that I'll do anything else in the meanwhile seem pretty slim. I notice in the last year alone, my energy for original/personal projects is diminished, I feel less creative/thoughtful in general -- and arguably even less <i>interesting</i> than during the aforementioned freelance period. I do feel, as Bukowski put it, somewhat emptied out by my work.<p>It's possible what I really need is a different full-time gig, since I have been in some full-time situations that felt energizing. But I'm starting to be convinced that when I'm hiring myself out part-time, I stay more personally grounded <i>and</i> sharper as far as my general skills and strength in the field goes.<p>Unfortunately, steady skilled part-time employment seems to be considerably more difficult to find than full-time.
i sold my startup about 3 months ago, and immediately starting looking for another job. after a couple months, a couple interesting but-not-exciting offers, and one interview process that ended in me not getting an offer, i finally took a worthy vacation. while on a boat in the caribbean, a couple things occurred to me: (1) i really don't need to work for the next ~10 years (2) in that time, i will likely stumble on another opportunity similar to the previous one, which has afforded me this financial freedom (3) i am way more interested in learning, exploring, and art than a "real" job, even a job like my previous one, that i particularly enjoyed. (4) i am very fortunate to be in this position, and i really don't want to waste it.<p>so i've been giving this topic some serious thought. to work or not to work? that is the question.
$100 are about $650 in todays money [1].<p>[1]: <a href="http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=100%24+from+1969" rel="nofollow">http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=100%24+from+1969</a>
<i>> In 1969, publisher John Martin offered to pay Charles Bukowski $100 each and every month for the rest of his life, on one condition: that he quit his job at the post office and become a writer.</i><p>this makes me think of basic income, which might be one approach to ending wage slavery:<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income</a>
Such beautiful words. Love the last line: "To not to have entirely wasted one's life seems to be a worthy accomplishment, if only for myself."
I'm glad he made it out, but that's a sad story. When you stop and think about what he's saying, it's depressing. And, it's true.
I don't happen to believe the wage system is slavery (I do happen to believe we have a modern slavery system, but that's another story)<p>"They never pay the slaves enough so they can get free, just enough so they can stay alive and come back to work." But then why don't the slaves leave? Unlike in the past, nobody is holding a gun to their head. One possibility, probably popular among entrepreneurial types, is the slaves don't leave, because they don't think they can leave. It's a problem that is easily solved! All the boring types need is a little bit of education, for them to learn that leaving is possibility.<p>But maybe, what scares us a little bit, is that maybe the slaves don't want to leave. They value that security that the boring life brings them (that is why they complain "it ain't right" - because they have lost something they really valued). This is the really scary thing, because we don't want to be boring but we could see ourselves making the same choice. At the same time we don't understand the choice of the slaves to not leave, we identify with it at a level that we maybe can't explain. But is it a wrong choice? Who are we to judge others for choosing security over wealth or self-exploration? Maybe we are at a knife edge- a little bit less motivation here, a marginal preference there, a taste of failure here, and we, too, would pick security over wealth (of money, of intellect, of experience). I think that the strange paternalistic attitude of the passage is a result of the fear - the fear of that condition.
> What do they do it for? Sex? TV? An automobile on monthly payments? Or children? Children who are just going to do the same things that they did?<p>Hm... abject terror of homelessness.
This essay isn't particularly good. "The Abolition of Work" and "Quitting the Paint Factory" are both much better essays on the same topic.<p><a href="http://deoxy.org/endwork.htm" rel="nofollow">http://deoxy.org/endwork.htm</a><p><a href="http://paulbe.dreamwidth.org/961.html" rel="nofollow">http://paulbe.dreamwidth.org/961.html</a>
"A man can never drink his fill by waiting in line for the tap"<p>That quote motivates me everyday, because it reminds me that the things I want in life will never be achieved by working at a place in any capacity where the choice of my continued employment lies in the hands of any one person.
<i>"They never pay the slaves enough so they can get free, just enough so they can stay alive and come back to work."</i><p>I suspect the author is being intentionally misleading regarding the costs of staying alive. It doesn't take $20,000/year. More like $5,000, and even that is being generous.<p>Early Retirement Extreme and other books cover this in more detail, of course.<p>I do agree with the overall sentiment of his article, but the concept that the current state of affairs is some kind of intentional conspiracy is incorrect. People like the security of being indebted and forced to work, it seems. They are not forced into such a life.
I'm not sure the alternative is any better as a startup founder/employee. You're putting in greater amounts of hours, blood, sweat, and tears for less money in a lot of cases. Sometimes it pays off, oftentimes it doesn't. Bear in mind I speak as a corporate wage-slave whose company just announced layoffs after a "record quarter". The answer must be to win the lottery, maybe I should start playing...
The early part of my career was spent chasing everything, and ironically, it was when I had the least amount of money. In 1998 I got my first job and immediately got a nice apartment in which to live and a decent car to get around. Even with these somewhat reasonable purchases I was already butting up against what I could afford. And by afford, I mean how much money I had. Soon enough the credit card debt slipped in and I was trapped. Trapped by my debt and all of the obligations that went with it.<p>This cycle did not stop until I was making a bit more money and finally got serious about saving and investing. When this happened my other priorities shifted dramatically. I was no longer obsessed about getting the newest / best thing or what have you. I paid off my debts and vowed to from then on always live well beneath my means, which I have.<p>Since that time I’ve never felt trapped. I’m disciplined about long term saving and having at least six months of normal living expenses in the bank. I’ve quit jobs that I simply did not like and later found other jobs that I did. I only regret that I did not do this sooner.
It's my opinion that people live the life they choose. No one is tricking you into it. Who's to say which way of life is right?<p>Some people enjoy the pleasures of material things and stability. Some enjoy risk and experiences. People always are a bit jealous of the other side but probably are happier with the road they chose.
IS even the question of leading a meaningful fulfilling life uniquely modern?<p>How many cavemen or Egyptians or middle age serfs were running around saying "Boy I need more experiences to give my life meaning"?<p>Maybe we have amazing lives and because we are human beings we are always looking for more.
One of the scoutmasters of my troop, 45 years ago, was a warehouseman. I doubt that his job was exciting. I imagine he took some satisfaction in doing it well. I suspect that his true satisfaction came from his family and community.<p>I have relatives and shirttail relatives who never attended or never finished college and have worked at blue-collar trades. Some are happy, some aren't, I don't know how many would recognize themselves as emptied out. Some rightly would not.<p>Anthony Trollope spent his working life in the British post office. Having more regular ways than Bukowski, he rose to responsible positions, but he worked steadily. I imagine that the readers of 2113 will mostly rate Trollope higher than Bukowski.
Employment is, by definition, exploitation. If the objective of the company is to profit, it <i>has</i> to pay the employee less than the value he generates. The alternative is profiting out of non-internalized costs (e.g., exploiting natural resources).
Buk, you are great when you are a farmer's son. But then, when you take your first job, then second, and then you start to think about art of yours, and then you drink more, and then you found a firm with the best friends of yours, and then you quit because one of them start to bully you in a pursuit of power, and then you go to Shanghai to earn your salary in response to a generous proposition - you realize - one thing to do is to work hard, another is to rest; it's up to you to choose. I am choosing hard work, no matter for what's purpose. And that is why I love you, Buk.
He seems to speak of the supervisor of the packers as someone who is above the working life, but the fact is that he is trapped for life as well, he just happens to be trapped one sport higher on a very long ladder.<p>I figure this being trapped is a sentiment a lot of people share, although I know of a significant minority of people who enjoy their jobs and lives, even after 30 years of "paycheck slavery".<p>The whole story reminds me of the song Factory by Bruce Springsteen.
This goes off the tracks for me about midway through. While for many people the reality described is actually their life, there are many of us (and I'd imagine a huge percentage of those reading this) that aren't slaves. If you're making over 70-80k/year, you have the capacity to save a lot and do the things you want to do before you hit 55, 65, or 75.
I enjoy Bukowski's work.<p>But the insights he shares in this letter are tempered by the fact that he didn't quit his job at the Post Office until <i>after</i> a would-be patron "employed" him to write.<p>Still... Some people never go crazy...
The letter and people here do not get that most people simply want to be told what to do. This gives them main sense of work and accomplishment. This also lays down fundation for creating societies.
One thing to realize is that Bukowski always considered his full time job to be being a drunk. He just switched his second job from various menial jobs to writing.
Interesting fact: 100usd in 1969 bought you nearly 3 ounces of gold. Price of gold today is 1350usd. Today's value of 100usd in 1969 would be about $4k. Not bad at all.
This guy worked at a bunch of "shitty" jobs. I think he would be better served advocating that people get a good education and perhaps end up doing something that they actually enjoy. Sorting mail and packing lighting fixtures sucks...<p>Don't force your reality on the rest of us Hank.