Thursday, April 23, 2009

What The Fuck Is Happiness?

I believe Bob Marley put it best when he said, "Don't Worry, Be Happy." He sure knew what he was doing in that department. Although, he did die an unnecessary death because his Rastafarian beliefs kept him away from modern medicine until it was too late. But psh, what does that really matter, am I right?

What is the meaning of life? What's the point to it all? Why are we here? Fuck the real answer to these questions, because the bottom line is this: We are here, alive, on Earth, in control of our free-will (or so we think), so why not enjoy it?

I've been doing a lot of thinking recently, about graduating, and what I might possibly do in the fall to start my "career" and where I see myself in 10 years, 20, etc.

I seem to have fallen out of love with my major and soon-to-be degree. Awesome. I'm taking the summer off to do what I want, to be happy before I start my career.

But I keep thinking, what changes in the fall when it's time to get that first real job. People seem to rate others as a success or not by whether or not they went to college, and what kind of job they have and do they have enough money to support a family (or do they have a family?).

Why is there so much focus on the money and the career? And I get it; I really do. You NEED money in today's society to LIVE, quite literally and figuratively. The more money you have, the easier things CAN be. I'm not arguing that.

I'm surrounded by people, in my major or otherwise, obsessed with finding a job and starting as soon as possible. Believe me when I say that I do get it, I'm not an idiot. But I just think people are looking at things a little skewed. What the fuck is the rush to start something that I'm probably pretty soon going to be miserable while doing, and to be doing it for the next 40-45 years of my life?

Why would I look forward to sitting on a train for an hour going to work, and then another hour coming home from work; doing that five times a week, 50 weeks a year, for the next 4 decades of my life? What's the appeal in that? And what's the rush?

There are SO many people unhappy with their careers, jobs, etc. whatever you want to call it. It's only a very lucky few that truly love what they do. And good for them, as long as they're not lying to themselves about that.

In my Rap Music and Hip Hip Culture class (Yes, I've been blessed with the ability to take some AWESOME classes in college), an alternate option to the Final Paper and Presentation was proposed: a self-reflective examination answering questions along the lines of:
  • What do you want to be remembered for when you die?
  • What/who would you die for?
  • What are you miserable about in your life?
  • What isn't evident in your life now that you really, really, really want?
  • What in life gives you the greatest satisfaction?
  • What do you want to Be? Do? Have?
  • What would you do if you knew you wouldn't fail? If money was no object? If you had no fears?
Self-knowledge... having an overstanding (which is, obviously enough, way more than understanding... get it?) of yourself as a person. Finding out who you are, what you value, what you want out of life. Many of the presentations today, much to my surprise, kind of focused on the career goal as the future. A couple of people went up there and talked about the intangible things, which I agreed with completely. It's not to say that some people kind of missed the boat on the assignment, it's just a matter of where they took it.

What do I want to be remembered for when I die? I had written down "living a happy life. Someone who makes those around them happier." etc. etc. etc.

We all get it.

But why don't more people follow through with it? What is it about people that changes once people enter this career realm? What the fuck does it really mean to be a contributing member to society, and who makes the decision on that? Someone who makes millions of dollars producing semi-illegal hardcore fetish-specific pornography, and uses that money to better the life of his family and those around him: what would he be considered? Yes, that's a very odd and awkwardly specific example, and no, there's no reason why that just popped into my head... but, really...

Why should I become a drone and join the "work force" for the next 4 decades of my life? Why should that excite me? Better yet, why does that excite other people my age?

I've been around for just two decades and, knock on wood, that should be a minuscule portion of my life as a whole, time-wise. Why would anyone the same age be super-fucking-excited about starting RIGHT AWAY this thing that is going to consume their lives for the next 4 decades, twice as long as they've lived so far? And then when you're done with Phase 2 that is the career years... we become old. Less desirable to society as a whole, for so many reasons, be they fair or unfair. Once you get out and retire, it's the rest of your life.

College is just about done. It is 17 days until my graduation. I have no idea where the time went and how I'm actually here now, about to graduate, but that's not the point. Every year up until now, the future has been planned. It was always certain what I was going to be doing next year: back to school.

Now there is no plan. And that scares me. And that excites me.

I'm surrounded by people, both young and old, who are miserable with what they do for a living. It's hard to break the cycle once you're already in the game, and you're older. But I'm not even out of school yet. It has not even begun for me yet. Why would I be excited about starting the rest of my life, when I see more examples of people who are not happy than people who genuinely are?

And I'm not talking about family, and friends, and the other joys in life. Just the work.

What is so wrong about taking a little time off to be happy? To do what you want to do, before you begin the 'rest of your life' that is this four decade-long monotonous going-through-the-motions sort of thing that has become such a major part of society?

I just want to be happy. Which, really, is all anyone WANTS out of life: whatever it is that truly makes them happy.

But what I really want is to continue on doing what makes me happy for the rest of my life. If I want to break away from the New York City scene, and move to Hawaii, open up a bar and start a family down there: as long as that makes me genuinely happy, why should anyone have a problem with that?

What is so wrong about not doing the "work thing" as other people seem to define it? And the answer to any question you propose to people along these lines is the same: get a job.

OK. I need money to live, to survive, to be able to do the things that people say make them happy. Again, I get it.

There are just so many people out there that have it easier. People who come up with these ideas that you would never think could make someone a millionaire... Who the fuck is the person that redesigned the Dunkin' Donuts coffee lids about a decade back? I'm not sure, but I'll bet he's not working anymore. And I wouldn't be too surprised if he was, someplace warm just enjoying life. At least, that's where I'd be. Because that's where I want to be.

People put too much stock in trying to play the financial game. The saddest part is, you really
do have to play the game. Especially once you're in it.

All I'm trying to say, and what I really should've just said in the title, and the opening paragraph is this:

What's the point of life if you're not happy... or working towards a situation that will bring happiness? Why waste years and years and years of your LIFE worrying, saving, doing something that just doesn't make you happy? In most cases, people just need to do it because they need the salary for their family, and no other questions or ideas will be listened to.

I'm pissed off because I am not wrapping this up the way I intended to, and I haven't even said what I initially intended to say...

I'm not working my ass off to start my career for right after graduation, because I'm taking the summer off. I'm going to Europe with a friend, and then working with a bunch of friends at the sleep-away camp that I grew up at.

I'm planning on beginning in the fall to look for my eventual career. Portfolio school in Fall 2010? Maybe. I don't know what I want to do with my life... but I do know some things that I DON'T want to do with my life. And it just absolutely puzzles me the amount of people that try to push you towards the things that you don't want to do.

You have one life to live. On average, people will have 75 years to do what they want, to do what they're able to. Why waste it? Why be unhappy? Unfortunately, you never know what tomorrow brings: for good or bad. I'm not getting into Carpe Diem sieze-the-day crap right now, but more along the lines of you never know when things are going to end, or change drastically... it sucks, it really, really sucks, but it happens.

Isn't pure happiness success? Why can't it be for me? I don't even know what I would do if I could do anything, I don't even know what would make me the happiest. But I have an idea of some things that I don't want to get in to, some things that will make me the complete opposite of happiness... and I just feel sorry for those that try to push people in that direction.

So people, put on some Bob Marley, go lie down on the beach with your girl, and smile.

Even if it means not being a 'contributing member' to society...

Do whatever makes you happy.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Automatic Bathrooms: The Downfall of the Human Race

So, I came to a realization about an hour ago. However, allow me to backtrack just a tad. Upon, um, feeling the need to go to the bathroom, I realized something: I live in a frat house.

A very disgusting frat house.

The bathrooms are by far and away the worst component of my living quarters. Just, awful. Once pledging is over with, it's like a homeless shelter in there, I swear it.

TMI? Yeah, sorry bout that.

Anywho, I rolled out of bed and ran to the nearest school building to use their bathroom. Ran into one of the brothers, who was there for an academic and scholastic reason, as for me, I was there for scatological reasons (google it).

So I go to the bathroom. A pretty pleasant experience overall. Or so it seems on the surface. When I'm done and I walk away, automatic flusher. I make my way to the sink, automatic sink. I need soap: automatic soap dispenser. Paper towel? Oh yes, automatic.

Save for wiping, I was totally taken care of in this bathroom by other forces. Seems like a simple luxury. But i started to think as I walked out of the door and down the hallway... holy shit. Some other force, by way of "sensors" knew when i was done, knew when i wanted water, soap and paper towels and delivered them to me. And people just take it without asking questions? People just blindly accept that it's simple technology.

Ever wonder if there's something going on behind the scenes? Ever see the Terminator movies? Well, actually, heh, I've only sent he third one, which sucked, but that's neither here nor there. But Seriously people, machines are beginning to take over.

I think the automatic bathroom experience is the first force in what will eventually wipe out the entire Human Race. You think about it.

Sensors? or more?! When you pee in a urinal (for the guys out there, obviously) and the toilet flushes the second you're done, before you even zip up and walk away, and that robotic voice comes out and says "thank you for your deposit," does that not freak anyone out?

Okay, so I made up the speaking part, but can you imagine? That's probably the next step. If it is, remember where you heard it first: right hizzere, mofos.

All I'm saying is, maybe from a little too many movies, but it's possible people. Don't take things for face value.

Why would someone with technological knowledge spend so much time, money and resources into making an automatic toilet flusher? Is that interesting to anyone? Something else is going on. I'm really not gonna care to try to figure out what, all I'm saying is, you heard it here first. It's coming people, maybe it's already here. The end of the human race.