We are human beings, not human doings 🫶 really enjoyed reading this as a fellow multi-hyphenate who is equally exhausted by anyone asking me “what I do” when they first meet me. I don’t want to “do”, dammit, I want to “be”! Thanks for sharing x
Yep. For me, my aspirations were rockstar, astronaut, artist, accountant (a bit rogue, I know…), psychologist, Electronic music producer, chef, baker, copywriter, novelist and philosopher.
One of the big issues I’ve noticed surrounding the existential crisis is the less discussed consequences of social media. We’re able to watch vlogs of people in our dream jobs—who are still unhappy! We’re dwarfed by the insane talent of others, gazing at child prodigies of every kind. And, to top it off, we get a slight dopamine kick by watching others do cool stuff. We trick ourselves into rationalising we don’t have the talent, so we quit and move on.
We also overthink everything.
There’s one beautiful interview I once saw from a member of the Hadza tribe. (My brother and I refer to it all the time.) When asked the meaning of life, the laugh in disbelief. Isn’t it obvious?
Yes to all of this 🙌🏻 also with social media, at least for me, as soon as a see someone doing what I want to do, I’m like-well no point in doing this anymore because this person is already doing it so there’s no rooms for me. I have to work really hard to override the thought process.
I’ve seen that interview! and I think it plays into the too many options thing as well. With less to do an more of your life focused on a single, simple objective finding meaning, purpose and happiness becomes a lot easier
“I’ve always wondered what’s wrong with me. Everyone around me seems to be content with picking a career path and sticking to it, or at least staying at the same job for any meaningful amount of time.”
As someone who’s been a taxi driver, soldier, academic advisor, public services library associate, helped oversee graduate recruitment at a university, and nonprofit consultant to name a few, I get it. However, I would say that nothing is wrong with you…or me. We see and approach things differently.
I very much enjoyed your piece, especially the Will Ferrell gif 😂!
I've never followed the traditional 9-5 work path and, like you, it made me feel shitty for many years. Why couldn't I get this right like so many other seemed to be able to do? But I think people like us are the canaries in the coal mine; we know this isn't the way we're supposed to live: sick, sedentary, chasing the next dollar. It's important that we do what you've done here: speak up about how wrong all of this is, remind other people that it's not the only way.
You nailed it here. Being the canary in the coal mine is so uncomfortable. Being an agent of change is hard and not glamorous. But you can’t un-know what you know. We got put into a system that served a purpose for a time, but that time has expired. Best we can do is lead the charge and help others to see the light as well
yeah this is the one!!! i have uttered such similar words for so many years. one of my greatest “fears” is wasted time. that i’ll wake up one day when i’m 65 or so and feel as though i spent all my time doing the “wrong” things so i often place an unrelenting pressure on myself to do the “right thing” whatever the fuck that even means.
i too have craved a previous lifetime. after watching 1883 and 1923 (lol) i was so fascinated with your day being a means of survival. how could my OCD, anxiety and slight bi-polar have the chance to run rampant when all i had to do was focus on survival?
our society is a breeding ground for mental illness, and often feels like a russian doll that’s never really actually solved or understood. i’ve dropped all social media, got a light phone and trying to remove myself from the hamster wheel. or at least have less choices to make, and less things to see.
This is exactly how I feel everyday and I am not sure how much longer I can pretend to do this before I go clinically insane. It feels absolutely hopeless because it’s such a large scale societal change that needs to happen and there seems to be no place to go to. I know people live off grid and ways around the system but the decline of my mental health has gotten me so unmotivated. Not sure what to do anymore
We are human beings, not human doings 🫶 really enjoyed reading this as a fellow multi-hyphenate who is equally exhausted by anyone asking me “what I do” when they first meet me. I don’t want to “do”, dammit, I want to “be”! Thanks for sharing x
Yep. For me, my aspirations were rockstar, astronaut, artist, accountant (a bit rogue, I know…), psychologist, Electronic music producer, chef, baker, copywriter, novelist and philosopher.
One of the big issues I’ve noticed surrounding the existential crisis is the less discussed consequences of social media. We’re able to watch vlogs of people in our dream jobs—who are still unhappy! We’re dwarfed by the insane talent of others, gazing at child prodigies of every kind. And, to top it off, we get a slight dopamine kick by watching others do cool stuff. We trick ourselves into rationalising we don’t have the talent, so we quit and move on.
We also overthink everything.
There’s one beautiful interview I once saw from a member of the Hadza tribe. (My brother and I refer to it all the time.) When asked the meaning of life, the laugh in disbelief. Isn’t it obvious?
“Baboons and honey, of course.”
Yes to all of this 🙌🏻 also with social media, at least for me, as soon as a see someone doing what I want to do, I’m like-well no point in doing this anymore because this person is already doing it so there’s no rooms for me. I have to work really hard to override the thought process.
I’ve seen that interview! and I think it plays into the too many options thing as well. With less to do an more of your life focused on a single, simple objective finding meaning, purpose and happiness becomes a lot easier
“I’ve always wondered what’s wrong with me. Everyone around me seems to be content with picking a career path and sticking to it, or at least staying at the same job for any meaningful amount of time.”
As someone who’s been a taxi driver, soldier, academic advisor, public services library associate, helped oversee graduate recruitment at a university, and nonprofit consultant to name a few, I get it. However, I would say that nothing is wrong with you…or me. We see and approach things differently.
I very much enjoyed your piece, especially the Will Ferrell gif 😂!
I've never followed the traditional 9-5 work path and, like you, it made me feel shitty for many years. Why couldn't I get this right like so many other seemed to be able to do? But I think people like us are the canaries in the coal mine; we know this isn't the way we're supposed to live: sick, sedentary, chasing the next dollar. It's important that we do what you've done here: speak up about how wrong all of this is, remind other people that it's not the only way.
You nailed it here. Being the canary in the coal mine is so uncomfortable. Being an agent of change is hard and not glamorous. But you can’t un-know what you know. We got put into a system that served a purpose for a time, but that time has expired. Best we can do is lead the charge and help others to see the light as well
yeah this is the one!!! i have uttered such similar words for so many years. one of my greatest “fears” is wasted time. that i’ll wake up one day when i’m 65 or so and feel as though i spent all my time doing the “wrong” things so i often place an unrelenting pressure on myself to do the “right thing” whatever the fuck that even means.
i too have craved a previous lifetime. after watching 1883 and 1923 (lol) i was so fascinated with your day being a means of survival. how could my OCD, anxiety and slight bi-polar have the chance to run rampant when all i had to do was focus on survival?
our society is a breeding ground for mental illness, and often feels like a russian doll that’s never really actually solved or understood. i’ve dropped all social media, got a light phone and trying to remove myself from the hamster wheel. or at least have less choices to make, and less things to see.
we got this!
I felt every word of this ❤️
Thanks Max ❤️
This is exactly how I feel everyday and I am not sure how much longer I can pretend to do this before I go clinically insane. It feels absolutely hopeless because it’s such a large scale societal change that needs to happen and there seems to be no place to go to. I know people live off grid and ways around the system but the decline of my mental health has gotten me so unmotivated. Not sure what to do anymore
Oof. I FEEL you
at this point, the only available career options for me are: tavern bard or oracle (but only upon booking)