Is a life of dull conformity the only possible reality?
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Fourteen years too late, I have finally seen Fight Club. It was certainly an interesting film, but strange in some personal respects, strange because it has stirred a slew of conflicting ideals within my muddled psyche.
I realize that inside of me resides the strong desire to tear apart the white collar noose binding me to this consumer driven and emotionally numb society. Keeping this in check, however, are the emotional restraints that have been drilled into me from the moment I could communicate with the world around me, reminding me of the societal consequences that would befall me should I choose to stray from the flock. Fearing this, I have naturally settled and become what society expects from me. I have studied. I have obtained a stable job. I have obeyed the law. I have paid taxes. I have shopped at Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, Safeway, Best Buy, and Gamestop. I have become another cog in the machine.
Yet ever pervasive is that primal sense of destruction, that wanton need to tear down the pillars of materialism and greed that humanity has built itself upon. But thoughts and ideals are all they'll ever be. In the end, I know that I will return to the same job, the same house, and the same life.
Is it better then to merely brush aside these anti-establishmentarian sentiments and continue living as millions upon millions of others do, going through life to simply exist? Are these "maniacal" tendencies just rash impulses that arise from thinking far too radically?
Or is there some truth in thinking like such, that there is more to life than what everyone else believes and has accepted?
I realize that inside of me resides the strong desire to tear apart the white collar noose binding me to this consumer driven and emotionally numb society. Keeping this in check, however, are the emotional restraints that have been drilled into me from the moment I could communicate with the world around me, reminding me of the societal consequences that would befall me should I choose to stray from the flock. Fearing this, I have naturally settled and become what society expects from me. I have studied. I have obtained a stable job. I have obeyed the law. I have paid taxes. I have shopped at Target, Wal-Mart, Costco, Safeway, Best Buy, and Gamestop. I have become another cog in the machine.
Yet ever pervasive is that primal sense of destruction, that wanton need to tear down the pillars of materialism and greed that humanity has built itself upon. But thoughts and ideals are all they'll ever be. In the end, I know that I will return to the same job, the same house, and the same life.
Is it better then to merely brush aside these anti-establishmentarian sentiments and continue living as millions upon millions of others do, going through life to simply exist? Are these "maniacal" tendencies just rash impulses that arise from thinking far too radically?
Or is there some truth in thinking like such, that there is more to life than what everyone else believes and has accepted?
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Unfortunately we have to make some compromises to be able to put bread on our tables and live a decent life. But, NEVER let go of your ideals and beliefs, as they are the things that set you apart from the majority of the world. In other words, we work for food, but it's our own selves that make us what we truly are, NOT society.
True, if you are too different, other people might try to harrass or put a distance between you and them because they cannot comprehend/manipulate you the way they'd want to. There was an old saying: "People of true value are often pushed aside."
True, if you are too different, other people might try to harrass or put a distance between you and them because they cannot comprehend/manipulate you the way they'd want to. There was an old saying: "People of true value are often pushed aside."
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From 0-2, we eat, drink, shit, sleep and cry.
From 3-18, we undergo some sort of schooling that trains us to think like the rest of society/the establishment.
For the next 3+ years, you are in university (maybe), which is similar to above, but more esoteric.
And then we are stuck in a shitty day job, which many of us will hate, with a boss we'll probably hate, working massive overtime with no extra pay.
And then at about 65+ we retire, and we spend the rest of our lives as an old, decrepit, mouldy, decaying person, surviving on a meager pension and whatever savings we have, and then die slowly as our body falls apart.
Yes, this won't be completely true for everyone, but most people will have some variation of it. Fuck I hate this world. I applaud you for wanting to change it, but unfortunately most people are comfortable with with their daily routine (that's fine, we are simple creatures and are willing to put up with a lot of abuse as long it means stability).
From 3-18, we undergo some sort of schooling that trains us to think like the rest of society/the establishment.
For the next 3+ years, you are in university (maybe), which is similar to above, but more esoteric.
And then we are stuck in a shitty day job, which many of us will hate, with a boss we'll probably hate, working massive overtime with no extra pay.
And then at about 65+ we retire, and we spend the rest of our lives as an old, decrepit, mouldy, decaying person, surviving on a meager pension and whatever savings we have, and then die slowly as our body falls apart.
Yes, this won't be completely true for everyone, but most people will have some variation of it. Fuck I hate this world. I applaud you for wanting to change it, but unfortunately most people are comfortable with with their daily routine (that's fine, we are simple creatures and are willing to put up with a lot of abuse as long it means stability).
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I thougth i was the only one who think like this.
IMO, the point is, to adapt yourself to the society, not become one of them, because sadly in our society steriotypes, mode and personal interests rule.
IMO, the point is, to adapt yourself to the society, not become one of them, because sadly in our society steriotypes, mode and personal interests rule.
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As one who's studied sociology extensively, I can tell you what your struggling with is called your Social Mirror: how society reflects inside you and how you consider the consequences of your actions from a social perspective rather than a personal one. It may seem like a bad thing, but when it comes down to it, it's how humanity keeps order.
The truth of the matter is you're doing nothing but compromising. While its true, our lives aren't free, per say, this is because we've sacrificed our freedom for comfort. We work nine-to-five for an easy meal, a comfortable home, and other luxuries: and by doing so, we allow another person to live a life of luxury. If you look at it with a wide lens, you'll see that every ounce of work we do is done to give another person a moment of luxury, and vice versa: in that sense, we all have a very symbiotic relationship with one another.
Now, it's certainly possible to break free of this cycle. However, to do so, you have to sacrifice luxury. there was a man, in some state I can't remember, who lived in a cave and ate roadkill. He didn't pay taxes, didn't go shopping, didn't work. While he was alive and free, he certainly didn't have an easy life.
So the real question is, what do you value more? A easy life, or a free life? Because unless you are very smart, hard-working, or clever, you can only have one or the other.
Hope this helps put things in perspective!
thanks!
The truth of the matter is you're doing nothing but compromising. While its true, our lives aren't free, per say, this is because we've sacrificed our freedom for comfort. We work nine-to-five for an easy meal, a comfortable home, and other luxuries: and by doing so, we allow another person to live a life of luxury. If you look at it with a wide lens, you'll see that every ounce of work we do is done to give another person a moment of luxury, and vice versa: in that sense, we all have a very symbiotic relationship with one another.
Now, it's certainly possible to break free of this cycle. However, to do so, you have to sacrifice luxury. there was a man, in some state I can't remember, who lived in a cave and ate roadkill. He didn't pay taxes, didn't go shopping, didn't work. While he was alive and free, he certainly didn't have an easy life.
So the real question is, what do you value more? A easy life, or a free life? Because unless you are very smart, hard-working, or clever, you can only have one or the other.
Hope this helps put things in perspective!
thanks!
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Pocru wrote...
The truth of the matter is you're doing nothing but compromising. While its true, our lives aren't free, per say, this is because we've sacrificed our freedom for comfort.I pretty much aggree with averything you said, except for the bolded line. IMO, we haven't sacrificed our freedom, just limited it. We have a limited freedom, outside working/paying taxes etc, in that we can still do whatever we want as long as it doesn't impede someone else's right to be free... and as long as we can afford it.
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umnut wrote...
Pocru wrote...
The truth of the matter is you're doing nothing but compromising. While its true, our lives aren't free, per say, this is because we've sacrificed our freedom for comfort.I pretty much aggree with averything you said, except for the bolded line. IMO, we haven't sacrificed our freedom, just limited it. We have a limited freedom, outside working/paying taxes etc, in that we can still do whatever we want as long as it doesn't impede someone else's right to be free... and as long as we can afford it.
Yes, this is true. you said it much more concisely than I did.
thanks!
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Congratulations on realizing it before its too late for you, break free of the mold and have fun while having a job.
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When did we forget our dreams? The infinite possibilites that each day should stagger the mind.
The sheer number of experiances I could have is uncountable, and breathtaking. Yet I'm sitting here refreshing my inbox.
We live in loops, reliving a few days over and over, and we envision only a few paths laid out ahead of us.
We see the same things each day, respond the same way, we think the same thoughts, everyday a slight variation of the last,every moment smoothly following gently curves of societal norms.
We act like if we just get through today, tomorrow our dreams will come back to us.
And no, I don't have all the answers. I don't know how to jolt myself into seeing what each moment could become. But I do know one thing: The solution doesn't involve watering down my every little idea and creative impulse for the sake of someday easing my fit into a mold. It dosen't involve tempering my life to better fit someone's expectations. It dosen't involve constantly holding back for fear of shaking things up. This is very important, so I want to say it as clear as I can:
FUCK. THAT. SHIT.
The sheer number of experiances I could have is uncountable, and breathtaking. Yet I'm sitting here refreshing my inbox.
We live in loops, reliving a few days over and over, and we envision only a few paths laid out ahead of us.
We see the same things each day, respond the same way, we think the same thoughts, everyday a slight variation of the last,every moment smoothly following gently curves of societal norms.
We act like if we just get through today, tomorrow our dreams will come back to us.
And no, I don't have all the answers. I don't know how to jolt myself into seeing what each moment could become. But I do know one thing: The solution doesn't involve watering down my every little idea and creative impulse for the sake of someday easing my fit into a mold. It dosen't involve tempering my life to better fit someone's expectations. It dosen't involve constantly holding back for fear of shaking things up. This is very important, so I want to say it as clear as I can:
FUCK. THAT. SHIT.
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Hentai-Legacy wrote...
When did we forget our dreams? The infinite possibilites that each day should stagger the mind.The sheer number of experiances I could have is uncountable, and breathtaking. Yet I'm sitting here refreshing my inbox.
We live in loops, reliving a few days over and over, and we envision only a few paths laid out ahead of us.
We see the same things each day, respond the same way, we think the same thoughts, everyday a slight variation of the last,every moment smoothly following gently curves of societal norms.
We act like if we just get through today, tomorrow our dreams will come back to us.
And no, I don't have all the answers. I don't know how to jolt myself into seeing what each moment could become. But I do know one thing: The solution doesn't involve watering down my every little idea and creative impulse for the sake of someday easing my fit into a mold. It dosen't involve tempering my life to better fit someone's expectations. It dosen't involve constantly holding back for fear of shaking things up. This is very important, so I want to say it as clear as I can:
FUCK. THAT. SHIT.
Lol, XKCD.
EDIT: http://xkcd.com/137/
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I wouldn't say that obtaining an education and stable job stem from "conforming" to society's standards. These are just a part of the universal procedure that's taken in order to live comfortably. No matter what country you live in, you'll find it to be the same: to live comfortably, you're going to need money. To earn money, you're going to need a job. To land a job, you're generally expected to have completed your education. The societal norm may be that everyone should be able to live comfortably, but if you don't like that idea, then you are free to abandon it, just as Thoreau had done.
Pocru said it best:
If you find your lifestyle cyclic in nature and mundane, then seek out other activities. Volunteer for a cause you believe in, pick up a hobby, meet new people, become more involved with your community -- the list goes on. Your life is only mundane if you allow it to be. Those who live life simply "to exist" either don't set goals for themselves, or fail to work towards achieving such aspirations.
Pocru said it best:
Pocru wrote...
Now, it's certainly possible to break free of this cycle. However, to do so, you have to sacrifice luxury.If you find your lifestyle cyclic in nature and mundane, then seek out other activities. Volunteer for a cause you believe in, pick up a hobby, meet new people, become more involved with your community -- the list goes on. Your life is only mundane if you allow it to be. Those who live life simply "to exist" either don't set goals for themselves, or fail to work towards achieving such aspirations.
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Why do you want to "break free" and be different? What great adventure to you think the world holds for it? Society works by the compliance of the people in it, and it works to keep the human race going. It's really just all there is.
I can relate to your feelings, though. I very often feel horribly bored and think about what I could do to change my life, places I could go, things like that. But when I think about exactly what I would do, it comes down to doing everything I'm already doing, just somewhere else. I would go to another city, try to make a living at another job, and get by, same as anyone else. It wouldn't really be any more interesting for a very long time.
It might seem kind of sad, and like a very limited way of looking at things, but it's really just how it is.
We all just live this life.
Although, I have a friend who says this isn't sad or depressing at all, really. You work hard to live the normal life so that you can afford to go out and do things now and again that interest you, and looking forward to those things motivates you through the monotony of life.
I can relate to your feelings, though. I very often feel horribly bored and think about what I could do to change my life, places I could go, things like that. But when I think about exactly what I would do, it comes down to doing everything I'm already doing, just somewhere else. I would go to another city, try to make a living at another job, and get by, same as anyone else. It wouldn't really be any more interesting for a very long time.
It might seem kind of sad, and like a very limited way of looking at things, but it's really just how it is.
We all just live this life.
Although, I have a friend who says this isn't sad or depressing at all, really. You work hard to live the normal life so that you can afford to go out and do things now and again that interest you, and looking forward to those things motivates you through the monotony of life.
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You are focusing too much on the physical realm of conformity.
The eating,
The buying,
The working,
The learning,
THE FEEEEAAAARRRR!!!! (Sorry, MGS3)
The living.
Keep in mind that you are your own person, never forget your individuality, and never forget that you are the master of your own mind, which is all that matters.
Regardless of if you learned the same things or believed in the same ideals, you are yourself, have pride in your own sense of being.
The eating,
The buying,
The working,
The learning,
THE FEEEEAAAARRRR!!!! (Sorry, MGS3)
The living.
Keep in mind that you are your own person, never forget your individuality, and never forget that you are the master of your own mind, which is all that matters.
Regardless of if you learned the same things or believed in the same ideals, you are yourself, have pride in your own sense of being.
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Ill have to agree for I too think that a life of dull conformity is the only 'realistic' reality.
One thing ive also come to realise after watching George Formby's film "Off The Dole" is that nothing EVER changes, Infact ill go as far as to say that mankind hasnt made any real progress since ancient times. Sure people have discovered many new and wonderful things but the system in which people live and have lived is basically the same.
If I was a Roman citizen, Knew Latin and went back to Roman times im pretty certain that after some minor adjustments it'd feel just the same back then as I do right now living in modern times. (Maybe it'd even be slightly better, Who knows?)
Lots of people say that we've all never had it so good, In some ways their right but do you guys feel satisfied? I dont! (How do I fix it? Fucked if I know! Maybe ill send a letter to Jim'll)
One thing ive also come to realise after watching George Formby's film "Off The Dole" is that nothing EVER changes, Infact ill go as far as to say that mankind hasnt made any real progress since ancient times. Sure people have discovered many new and wonderful things but the system in which people live and have lived is basically the same.
If I was a Roman citizen, Knew Latin and went back to Roman times im pretty certain that after some minor adjustments it'd feel just the same back then as I do right now living in modern times. (Maybe it'd even be slightly better, Who knows?)
Lots of people say that we've all never had it so good, In some ways their right but do you guys feel satisfied? I dont! (How do I fix it? Fucked if I know! Maybe ill send a letter to Jim'll)
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mibuchiha
Fakku Elder
Ah, yes, life is boring. Grow up, get a job, work, eat, sleep, work again, die. Not the best cycle to be in, but well, money is that important in the society.
But then again, why not just change the way we look at it? take an academician for example. he can think of the research he's doing as nothing more than a way to gain more credits, but he can also see it as something he actually enjoys, something he does to satisfy his curiosity. he can not give a damn to whatever new discoveries, and he can also jump out of excitement the moment he hears about them. if he looks at it positively. then he can certainly enjoy his life as an academician, and not mourn over his life of dull conformity.
But then again, why not just change the way we look at it? take an academician for example. he can think of the research he's doing as nothing more than a way to gain more credits, but he can also see it as something he actually enjoys, something he does to satisfy his curiosity. he can not give a damn to whatever new discoveries, and he can also jump out of excitement the moment he hears about them. if he looks at it positively. then he can certainly enjoy his life as an academician, and not mourn over his life of dull conformity.
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Ugh, reading this thread makes me hope that a world war breaks out soon. The only way to get away from a dull reality is to get as far away from it as you can and do something to change your life drastically. Book a trip to China, go up to some government building and yell "I am a spy! I'm here to find out about your oil plans" Watch how interesting your life gets afterwords. Or you could just try to enjoy you dull and comfortable reality, since many in poorer countries would give everything they have to switch lives with ya.