Refusing to push into higher levels of consumerism...

I have no ambition...but I'm not lazy.

Let me explain: I don't understand people who say that I could be so much more when I'm working low-end jobs. My parents nag me about "having so much more potential". I don't understand why I should want to "be more", other than being a better friend, a better lover, and a better being.

Certainly, I want enough money to live, but once I have a semi-decent living (and I do), I don't yearn for anything else. I don't understand the concept of wanting to climb the corporate ladder.

I genuinely do my best at the job I'm in, but I have no concept of wanting a promotion because I'm happy where I am.

So I ask you:

Is it wrong to simply be happy with who we are and what we have? Why is it so socially compulsory to incessantly want endless amounts of baubles?

reply to post by AnIntellectualRedneck


It has become socially expected of you to 'be normal' (?). they also expect you to have a love of money, and to try to get as much as possible, in your life (hoarding?) and have many nice things, you do not need (5 cars?).

I told my father (actually stepdad) once that "i don't love money" and that i didn't need it to be happy. he was surprised that at such a young age, around 13 y/o, that I had learned this lesson. He then proceeded for the next five years to ignore that and push that "having lots of money was important".

So now I own my own company, and I have not forgot my lesson, but... others remain in the dark! and we just want to help them.

People know what is wrong and what is right, they know that it's good to share, to donate, to be kind and not to judge, that you don't need all kinds of objects to make you happy, the thing is, they do not act. A good example of this is when people know, that eating healthy is right, and yet they do nothing. they keep eating 'frankenfoods'. Ignorance. they would rather ignore the truth than improve quality of life I guess.

There's nothing wrong with being happy with your life just the way it is. I have often asked myself, why do I need more?? Am I not happy with what I've got?

I'm semi-happy with my job, I don't want anything to do with their corporate ladder, and I think it makes them mad. I'm happy with the work I do and I don't want anymore! LOL

I have a great family, we want for nothing really, and my kids are smart and healthy. I love my life! I don't desire a bunch of money and wealth. Ignore those who tell you "you could do better" if you are happy!

reply to post by Conspiritron9000


I think Tyler Derden sums it up best when he says in Fight Club, "The things you own end up owning you."

I hear you bud, and don’t take anything that your parent’s say as a criticism towards you, because if they are anything like my parents, they mean well completely. I heard that all the time……you have so much potential. You could be so much more. All of that. Most of it, like you have stated, didn’t make sense to me. I felt like I was doing enough to keep myself happy, and at the same time, enough to make my parents proud. Sure, I wanted to live my own life, but having the admiration of my parents was something that I wanted…..even though I didn’t know it at the time. But now that I am a parent, I am getting it more and more each day. I want the absolute best for my kids, no question. I want them to have every opportunity possible, including the opportunities that I had, and more. I don’t think parents will ever change from that generalized standpoint, we want the best for our children.

Now, with all the above said, maybe having a good talk with your parents to explain to them your desires in life and that you truly feel happy, will do wonders to help them understand your mindset and outlook on life. Maybe they just don’t know that you are happy, and they need to be told that. They may respond to you in a way that you never thought your parents would, and maybe they will change their motivation towards you and channel it in a different way. I guess what I am trying to say is, talk to your parents. Give them a chance to understand, and it may not be on that first conversation that they understand what you’re saying. You may have to do this a few times, but in the end, they will get it. They will be proud that you are becoming your own person, and out from under their wings. Sorry, cheesy analogy there, but it is true. Then, someday when you have kids, it will all make sense to you, with how they are to you now. I hope that helps in some manner for you. Keep happy!!!

reply to post by ChachiArcola


That is a pretty fair idea. Maybe telling them that I am doing a good bit of work and expressing potentialness juice...just not in a traditional manner. I mean, I am pretty happy.

Btw, you were always one of my favs Chachi.

I do agree there is a mistaken idealogy. The world needs janitors just as much as it needs managment. In fact we need more janitors then CEO's. Thats just a fact of life. So instead of looking at it from a money or power perspective we should look at it from a performance perspective. If your a janitor and someone in your building spills something and the first thing they think of is "Go get Joe So-and-so, he'll know exactly how to clean this up" then doesn't that mean something? Do your job well, no matter what it is, and people around you will respect you.

The same can be said about the things you own. You may not have alot of money or a big house but if people come over to your house and it smells nice and is organized and clean, people will be far more impressed then someone who has a big house but theres trash everywhere and it smells horrid.

I have seen reports about countries that offer free college education, like Finland, have higher suicide rates then countries that don't have free college (like the USA). And I can't help but wonder if its because these people are pushed to be educated and feel smart and once they get out into the real world they realize there just isn't as much demand for highly educated people as there are for low educated people. So you end up with people with high college degrees doing just trivial jobs. And the depression starts to kick in.

Now your parents may also be doing it a little for themselves as well. I'm sure all parents that are vested in the well being of their children would like to see the kids end up better then themselves. But also in the back of their head their may be some concern as to who will take care of them when they get too old. They took care of you when you couldn't support yourself, they are probably looking for something similar in return. And I'm not against this idea. We shouldn't need the government to take care of our elders when the family can do it just as well. But it will be hard as 1 child families become more and more common place.

EDIT: Also I would say that moving up the ladder does not neccassarily have to mean more consumerism or being greedy. Move to where you are comfortable. If you think you would be a good fit for a job position then take it. But don't limit yourself just because you think it makes you greedy to get above a certain point. We need people in high jobs that understand the perspective of those below them.

Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness........

Very wise words and concepts, that have been distorted into our culture’s interpretation as:

Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of money.

Experiencing the difference is a milestone.

reply to post by Open2Truth


That's an extremely nice sentiment. And you really hit the nail on the head with that one. Don't think you could sum it up much better than that, really.