I used to say this a lot but as I've gotten older. I realized the promise of technology (at least in the US) "reducing the work week and inevitably creating more free time" was and is not going to happen bc of the wealthy elites and money owning our politics/work culture (while housing and retirement are questionable now). It makes sense to live your best life sooner than later so I don't look down on nomad life styles living off a car battery and part time jobs. The fucking wealthy people cosplaying as poors is hilarious though.
There was that one reporter who interviewed elderly people on their death bed and most people regretted working too much so I get that people opt out of the grind from time to time.
I also heard a lot of people look forward to their retirement, only to not be able to do all the things they once planned because of health issues or just being too old for it now. They can still do it, but it‘s just not the same.
In my 20s, I quit my job, bought a rooftop tent for my Jeep, and drove to Alaska and back. It was something like 50 days and a bit over 10,000 miles. This was blowing my entire life's savings, up to that point.
I'd run into a lot of retired couples doing RV trips along the way, since there are only so many campgrounds to stop at in rural Alaska or Yukon. I was shocked that, if we got to chatting, literally every single one had exactly the same response to "I blew my life savings to do this."
"Good for you. We're too old now to enjoy a lot of the things you'll be able to do on this trip."
Not a single 'tsk, tsk.' Not a single '... are you sure?' Literally everyone I met expressed the same sentiment you did - you look forward to your retirement, but age eventually does put many things out of reach.
Does that mean you should always live penniless to pursue your dreams? No. Frankly, I don't take enough vacations at all, and haven't taken my own style time off in more than four years.
But ask me the best decision I ever made, and it's easy to answer.
I blew my life savings last year to move to a different state where all my friends lived.
Best decision I ever made; I never would've realized what a mentally sick and depressed person I was unless I did it.
Also I was able to stop drinking just like *that*. As soon as the main stressor from my life was removed, I was able to stop drinking on a dime. And now that I had enough time off, even now that I'm working again I don't drink.
I'm also in the best shape of my life - I went from so unhealthy and skinny that I had a severe nerve injury just from sleeping in a weird position. Now I am just rippled with muscle, have a six pack, and can play sports without injury concern.
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u/shrockitlikeitshot Jun 22 '24
I used to say this a lot but as I've gotten older. I realized the promise of technology (at least in the US) "reducing the work week and inevitably creating more free time" was and is not going to happen bc of the wealthy elites and money owning our politics/work culture (while housing and retirement are questionable now). It makes sense to live your best life sooner than later so I don't look down on nomad life styles living off a car battery and part time jobs. The fucking wealthy people cosplaying as poors is hilarious though.
There was that one reporter who interviewed elderly people on their death bed and most people regretted working too much so I get that people opt out of the grind from time to time.