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CommanderJohnson
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Ok, sorta weird question for everyone.

How do all of you that are older (25-30+), keep doing whatever it is you do? Don't you feel bored or insignificant being a very small, non-vital part of whatever group/organization you work for? Do you ever think that maybe your life is being wasted by doing tasks that probably wont be remember a year from now or a decade from now? Do you ever wonder what the point is, getting a paycheck, spending it, then doing the same pointless activities day after day? Do you ever think about it, and more importantly, how do you live with it?

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Guest Grayfox

umm let me see... the thing that keeps me on my toes is the fact that we could get robbed at any moment... driving around in a mobile urban assault vehicle with a few million in cash in the back tends to make a nice target for some meathead lookin to make a quick buck and buy himself a villa donw in ole mexico.

the paychecks are nice too. especially cause i work a second job just for fun. one job while the kid is in school, one job while hes in bed

time goes by pretty quick, so i tend not to think too much about my life... except for some reason my child is a mutant and has doubled in size in under a years time...

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Thankfully, I'm not just a cog in the works as it were. I love my job and am very rarely bored by the work. I work as a programmer and LAN admin for a waste water reclamation plant and if all 75 employees don't pull their weight, thousands of basements are going to become cess pools or the local riverways will be poisoned beyond recovery.

More importantly, my career is only a side job. My real job title is husband and father of (soon to be - Feburary) four. Without me, there is no hand for my wife to hold. Without me, there is no tickle monster to make my children squeal with delight. Without them, there is no reason for me.

On a grander scale, I recognize the divine parentage of humanity and more personally, I recognize that I am a child of God. As I love my children and want them to grow up wiser and happier than I am, I know that my Eternal Father loves me even more than I love my own children and wants even more for me.

It all sounds a bit arrogant but boil it down and you'll find it works well for just about everybody:

  1. Get someone to pay you for something you like to do.
  2. Recognize the importance of your role (whatever it may be) in your family.
  3. Recognize that you are the child of loving parents and that their greatest goal is for you to be truly happy.

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I appreciate all of the responses, and I still want to have additional responses to my first post so I can get a better perspective on life, but the responses, especially Tyrn's, brings up another dilemma:

If a major point of life is to raise and protect and make your family and kids happy, and a major point of their lives is to do the same with their family, is there really a point? It's just repetition through the generations with no real evolution of society, isn't it?

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Dredd,

You having a young life crisis there?

I am 37 years old, and when I was 21 I felt the exact same way you feel now.

What the devil am I doing here, why am I doing this mundane 8 to 5 job with nothing to show for it but boxes going out the door via UPS. I was a shipping department manager. HATED IT!!!

Then I went to work as a second source technician for an electronics company. Finding 2nd sources for all of their electronics components, creating drawing etc, BORING!!!

Finally said to heck with it and went to work the counter at an electronics distributor in Seattle, to say that it was a pain to work for the bosses nephew would be an understatement, I finally quit when I decided to go into the Army.

The US Army, what a life that was, I had an absolute BALL, got to be trusted with millions of dollars worth of military equipment. Was given responsibility like there was no tomorrow. And played harder then I ever have.

They not only fed me and clothed me, and gave me a great job, they PAYED me!! What a bunch of crazies!! I got payed to play with M-1 tanks, I got payed to work on radio and intercom systems, they payed me to go out in the field with these beasts and fire them, drive them, fix them and play with them. You wanna talk about boys with toys!! Oh man!!! I got to travel and lived in the Republic of Turkey for 18 months, to say it was fun would be a MAJOR understatement.

12 years after I got out, I sometimes wish I were back there.

Now, I am a professional salesperson, they pay me to talk on the phone and sell electronic parts. I am rather good at it, if I do say so myself.

You just need to find what you enjoy, and then work your butt off to be the best at it that you can be.

In the military, with that attitude, I got medals, and lots of them, in this job, I make money, LOTS of money. I made enough in 5 months to not only make up for the fact that I was unemployed for 6 months, with 0 income, I am gonna be able to buy my wife a new car next month, and have gotten my kids whole new wardrobes, and with a 6 year old and a 2 year old, it was necassary. They outgrow their clothes faster then I could imagine.

Find out what you like to do, become the best at it that you possibly can.

Work hard, play hard, love often, and be the best that you can be.

That is my philosophy on life!!

Good luck, because it only gets better.

My goal now is to make sure that the world is better place for my children then it was when I inherited it from the last generation.

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quote:

Originally posted by Dredd:

I appreciate all of the responses, and I still want to have additional responses to my first post so I can get a better perspective on life, but the responses, especially Tyrn's, brings up another dilemma:

If a major point of life is to raise and protect and make your family and kids happy, and a major point of their lives is to do the same with their family, is there really a point? It's just repetition through the generations with no real evolution of society, isn't it?

You're close but at the same time missing the point by miles, don't feel bad about that as it's often the obvious things that can take a lifetime to notice. The point of life was once described like this

quote:

. . . and men are that they might have joy.

The point, for right here and right now, is to be happy. It sounds too easy doesn't it? As to the evolution of society, if every person were truly happy with their lives would our society have nearly the problems we do with anger and violence? Happiness, real happiness and not just whiling away life with bigger and newer toys, is a good indicator whether we're living the life we want to live or whehter we're just going through the motions.

To be perfectly honest though, if life were ONLY an endless cycle beginning with birth and ending with death as you decribed then you are right that it would be entirely pointless. Thankfully, life doesn't begin with birth nor does it end with death. I hinted at this in the first post (paragraph three and it's related summary).

Our lives began as children of God long before we were born. We lived with Him and were quite happy. As our Father, God wants us to be like Him so He taught us all he could. There came a time when we needed to learn from our own experiences though and so we were born here. Our lives here are, as you noted, cycles of being protected and loved and then protecting and loving. Because we all do stupid things that bring sorrow and misery instead of happiness, God provided a Savior, Jesus Christ, so we could be forgiven on the condition that we learn from our mistakes and do what we can to correct them. If we follow that fairly simple plan, after death we will continue to learn from and become like God.

You can find more details about this here or fire away more questions here. Whether you chose to believe it is, of course, up to you but I will tell you this Dredd: I know that this is the real point in living life.

Tyran Ormond AKA Tyrn

[ 09-02-2002, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: Tyrn ]

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Some find their meaning in religion, see Tyrn above, others find it with their family, others find it with the work they do.

To some people, all that matters is that they are alive and that they should enjoy however and whatever they are doing.

Enjoy life Dredd, that's the bottom line, you're here, make of it whatever you can. You live in the US, the opportunity to whatever you want are here. Shoot, learn to program if you like computers, drive a bus if you like to drive, drive a big rig, or if you like to cook, become the best chef in town.

Whatever it is that you enjoy doing, learn to be the best at it, and the money will come. Money is not the end all of course, but it sure makes life easier!! LOL

Anyway, be it religion, family, work, or a combination of all 3, you just need to decide what is right for you.

What is right for any of us, is not necesarily what is right for you. You have to find that path on your own. But, and this a big but, if you hate what you are doing, you're on the wrong path!!!

Unless of course it is something you have to do to get to where you want to go.

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First of all Dredd, reading your post made me feel a pit in my chest. So I throw you a Big Hugg!

I didn't start a career path til I was 26. I am 32 now. Until then I was like Lydia in Beetle Juice, just very dark and depressed. I had a ton of pointless jobs. The one I loved couldn't pay my bills. blah blah blah.

Then I got into the financial industry. I work for a Transfer Agent, they do the Customer Service and Individual Account up-keep for huge mutual fund companys. I loved it! I started in 96, I had just ended a bad relationship and I was on a role burning up the ladder. I was moving up every 6 months.

Then I met a guy, got married and worked all the time. When I got pregnant with my first, my whole world changed. My son, who was born on my 30th Birthday and he changed my whole world. I had my daughter last December and she now adds a spring to my step. Even though I sense she will be very high maintenance.

I got up to a managment position, but have since stepped down to a project position. To me the job just isn't as important as my kids, but it is necessary to live the life I want for us. The project position also changes daily, which helps keep me interested.

I have to admit I have been in a rut for a while. So I got rid of the bum causing it, and me and the kids are gearing up for a hell of a life!

I used to wonder what it was all for, why I had to get up each day and do the same thing over and over. Now I know. It is to get these two little souls I was blessed with ready for their own journey. Now I just pray for them that it is happy and long.

So whether it be work or family or whatever. The day you find your purpose (and you will) it is all water under the bridge.

Take care!

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Guest Grayfox

eventually youll find it. hehe i trip out every morning when im making my son his lunch for school. i sit and think to myself "wow i cant believe im doing this... this is great!"

it makes me feel like im living for something now. now my main duty, is to raise him to be a respectable member of society, and not some knucklehead. sometimes i wonder if im doing it right, or if i screw up will he turn into some mass murderer, but my dad told me to chill and that im doing fine...

family helps keep you sane when your children tend to drive you insane but i wouldnt trade it for anything in the world. i wouldnt change his mother abandoning us either... cause after she took off, i found out the kind of person she really was... ever hear the saying that your spouse will turn into mr/mrs hyde right after you say "i do"??? well that was her...

but i have purpose now. im sucking it up and driving on, hes in the bath now as im posting this hehe... sometimes it still amazes me that im sculpting a life, and getting it ready to enter society... and to me its worth it.

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I am now 27 and have done the 9-5 work a day route and went through a bad patch when I was about 25 feeling very depressed about where I was going in life and the like. But a lot of that has changed now I now work for myself and although money is tight at the moment(IT contracts are not easy to get at the moment) I am happy at what I do and enjoy the freedom working for myself gives me. My kids are my greatest uplifter(our eldest just started Montessori) but other than that I've got into motorcycling and its great.

My last aim in life is hopefully emigrate to the USA and the search continues for a job over there(heres hoping)

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Wow everyone is so deep here.

I am still 25 and doing meaningless job, and even tho i get that "Where is my life going.." thought now and then, i enjoy my life for now. Most married guys at work tell me to enjoy single life couse one day i may remember this days with joy, and so i have fun while i can, hopefully it will change one day and untill then who knows...

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well I don't know about the rest of you but I grow weary of the "CAREER" lifestyle especially when it is no different than alot of other life styles...

To put it in perspective after high school I spent

15 years in construction doing what everybody else wanted me to which includes doing liscenced tradesman jobs (carpentry, electrical etc..) And when I was done I had never made more than 10.00$

an hour (some career pay eh). So then I go to college and get an education in Woodworking Technology and so far I've not been able to make any more than 13.00$ am hour and that's 10 years after the fact...

The bottom line that I feel is that the difference between a career and work is an extra

10+ K a year (25-35k a year)other than that it's just work and I'm better off just enjoying what I do outside of work and the only thing that keeps me going is the bills coming in that have to be paid..

Enough wining already

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quote:

Originally posted by EAGLE:

Wow everyone is so deep here.

That's the best thing about this community. I'm LDS (a Mormon to the unwashed ) and we tend to be the favorite whipping boy for many a forum and newsgroup. This place is very different though, everyone tries to be respectful (not tolerant) of each other and so people are much more willing to really express what's going on inside their hearts and minds as long as it does not involve wishing for a new cloaking Questar or some such.

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Hmm Im a LDS too.

As for your original post dredd, I think that you can see by the replies that almost everyone goes through the same thing. And the cool thing is everyone will deal with it in a different way.

Alot of joy is found with your friends and family.

In the end what people tell you here might give you some comfort but you will have to find your path, what does it for you.

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I used to hate my old jobs that I had before this one.

I 'used' to think that I enjoyed it, but how can you when you dont look forward to go there each day, and live for the clock to say home time.

My life got turned around when I got so sick of being bored and depressed, so I got all my money, quit my job, and traveled across the USA for a few months, meeting all the penpals I had met before. Lots of fun!

Now Ive moved here to the USA, and work full time as a programmer, and for the first time ever, I prefer being at work than being at home! only because I love my job.

Yeah its easy to loose sight of what you want out of life when you hate your job.

Mind you, Im 28 years old, and I still dont know what I want from life, or where i want it to go.

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I've owned my own business for almost 6 years now.

I got a year and a half into college, while I worked a part time job at a local computer store. I was miserable. One day my parents looked at me and said "You look really unhappy with where you are going." Do you want to do this for a living? Do you think you can? I said yes and four of us started up Pace Computers, Inc. The rest is history. Some days it's stressed hell and some days it's bliss, but no matter what happens we are the captains of our own corporate ship. Much better than being a lackey of the corporate world. Maybe someday I'll do something else, maybe not. But I've learned a lot in the last few years. Succeed or fail, at the end of my life I'll know I tried to reach all my dreams.

And a faith in Jesus is what ties it all together. All the stuff in the world, relationships, family... they all let you down hard at some point. Everything in this world passes away eventually, no matter how secure it looks. God is the only one who won't. He's the rock that all the other dreams in life build off of.

That's my perspective.

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I find it fascinating that so many commanders have stated that their religion helps them get a handle on life.

For some reason it surprises me and I am not sure why. Myself, I am about as agnostic as they come. Why do your religions help you so much?

I am asking a serious question here, because I really do not understand how or why religion is so important to some people.

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quote:

because I really do not understand how or why religion is so important to some people.


Religion is a word and a state of mind. I could be Christ-like...live a good life morally and ethically and religion doesn't come to play in it.

In the end it still comes down to you the individual...people can say what you said above towards a number of different things...

Religion is important to some people, because those some people have chosen to believe in (their chosen faith) and anything that someone believes in...cares about etc...is important to them.

Another person now might not like the idea of having children...doesn't like kids...and can't understand why people's kids are so important to them...can't know until you've been there.

Or walked a mile in someone elses shoes.

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Guest Grayfox

i would define my religious stance as odd. im not agnostic, i believe in god and jesus... its just that i dont believe in the church.

please understand that it is my belief, and i will not stand for anyone flaming me because of it, nor would i like to see this thread turn into a huge religion frag fest.

please if you are going to post further about religion, be nice. no flaming, or badmouthing, or none of the "my religion is better than yours" crap.

thx in advance.

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First, I appreciate the large number of responses which are very helpful in making me consider my life and it's journey.

I guess I should fill in some background info about my own life and plans. Maybe it'll prompt some more people to talk about their lives and give more feedback.

I'm just about to graduate high school at the end of this school year, and i'm planning on joining the Air Force ROTC in college, and then being a pilot and maybe getting into politics if/when I get out of the military.

What brought me to the rather firm belief (at this time) of the Air Force is the lack of other "meaningful" alternatives. I have some sort of internal belief that I am a great person and have a purpose to do great things in the world, but upon this revelation, I realized there are absolutely no career paths that really offer that ability except a. The military (huge organization, protecting people and freedom and various intrinsic ideals I believe in) and b. The priesthood/religious life (that definitely isn't my calling since i'd eventually lose my mind).

Now i'm wondering how everyone else deals with it. I assume/assumed that everyone believes (at some point) along the same lines, that they have a very great potential and power, but how can that be expressed through being minute part of a massive organization such as everyday jobs? I find the concept of raising kids, although a good thing, circular. How does reproducing and raising a child to be part of a meaningless society/job accomplish anything except resigning to adding a CHANCE that the child can grow up to do great things instead of the parent doing great things himself/herself? (ie. If everyone's goal is to raise good kids, then why will society ever imrpove if the ultimate goal is just repetition of reproduction?)

My religious beliefs may have something to do with my views. I have attended a Catholic school (although I am not Catholic), and am required to complete yearly religion classes. My religious affiliation is as Grayfox's, Christian, but not under an organized religion (since I believe strongly in individual freedom and that church organizations are just a manifestation/manipulation of power...IMHO).

I believe that humans, as a whole, are much greater than any other being that we know of and have a very great potential and purpose. I feel that because of this, we should all be able to do great things, and that somehow, society is stopping us through the meaninglessness of roles in society and the huge amount of power that is held by some individuals to control the rest of us (subtly of course, such as large corporations, church organizations, the government). Only reason why I want to join the Air Force and be part of that government is because:

1. I'd rather be part of the "powerful" ones than the "powerless" ones (especially since the "powerful" ones are kept alive since they fly $1 billion planes and maintain the system).

2. Because I would actually be serving ideals that I believe in by defending the country, which many do not do.

3. The pay is good for officers.

So, I have strong beliefs about life, but not really any answers. I know what i'm planning on doing, but i'm trying to figure out a number of things:

1. If what i'm planning on doing is the only path that is coherent/not contradictory with my beliefs.

2. If what i'm planning is the right thing to do.

3. If there is some flaw in my beliefs about the greatness of humanity.

4. If there is some flaw in my idea about society stopping individuals from reaching their ultimate potential.

5. If there is some flaw empirical flaw (proven to you all through your life experiences) in my belief that I am destined to do great things and be a significant part of the world.

6. Is there some flaw in my belief that having kids (although I also want to), and focusing on them, is just circular (as explained earlier)

7. If my beliefs about the greatness of humans/humanity are not false, how do you live with/come to grips with, the ultimate insignificance of your current life/job?

8. Is serving the country a greater good?

In response to Jaguar, religion helps me to know that there is something greater. I feel that there has to be a God because of the impossibility of explaining the step before the "big bang" AND the impossibility of explaining the greatness of humanity. It helps me to solidify the greatness of humanity, and helps me to feel safe in knowing that even if I die in this life, there is always the possibility for something afterwards. Thinking about it more, I guess religion helps me so much by being a safety blanket and a good explanation for it all AND a very good moral compass. It helps me to discount the concept of hedonism (supreme focus on pleasure) which many people seem to follow (that runs contradictory to my personal belief that humans have some greater purpose), it explains why we are here, and it lets me not take life too seriously (since I can then live in the reality/illusion (whichever you prefer), that I shouldn't take life too seriously, since there will be something afterwards). Maybe there isn't a God, and sure maybe when we die there is total nothingness, but i'd rather have the benefits of believing during life and then be wrong when I die than think that this is all there is and then die and be wrong.

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quote:

Originally posted by Grayfox:

please if you are going to post further about religion, be nice. no flaming, or badmouthing, or none of the "my religion is better than yours" crap.

We don't tolerate anything more flame-like than respectful disagreement around here.

But on your statement about not believing the church, all churches have one flaw that they share: People, people make mistakes. Anyone who claims differently needs a reality check but that's another long post and I'm not up to it.

As to Jaguar's question:

quote:

Originally posted by Jaguar:

I find it fascinating that so many commanders have stated that their religion helps them get a handle on life.

For some reason it surprises me and I am not sure why. Myself, I am about as agnostic as they come. Why do your religions help you so much?

I am asking a serious question here, because I really do not understand how or why religion is so important to some people.

For me, religion explains so many of the behind the scenes things that happen every day.

Examples: Why did I look at that Ford's front tire as he pulled into the lane next to me and think "His tire's going to blow" and so slowed down only to watch his tire blow out and the truck swerve into the emergency lane right through the space my care would have occupied?

Or why does it make me so happy to help someone out? Or why do I feel like I've known the person I just met for years instead of just a moment or two?

The list goes on and on and on but religion explains to me how and sometimes why these things can happen (the above are all true experiences from the past month). It is very comforting to know that when it seems that there is nowhere else to turn that God is just a prayer away. It's even better knowing He's also just a prayer away when I want to say "Thanks" because that Ford didn't hit me.

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quote:

please understand that it is my belief, and i will not stand for anyone flaming me because of it, nor would i like to see this thread turn into a huge religion frag fest

-Grayfox

you respect people that post here?

I am certain that what you posted above does not matter to anyone here. It is all in the mind.

I'm a police officer...or rather I do a job which entails enforcement of laws which are broken breached every day. Some more serious than others...murder/rape/assault/traffic offence

I should be a rough and tough person right?

But then there's those days I miss my brother and I just can't leave the house to go to work. Can't do it.

I am an emotional person. And its what I like in this job...you get to see so much of the human story. Or our journey as our lives play out.

Do not be Presumptuous.

Dredd there somedays when you just don't feel like getting out of bed...of course in military organizations or para military...you gotta get out..if just to go to the doctor and get some "leave" then back to bed!

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I'm surprised that there hasn't been a thread like this before in the forum. Then again, it's not the easiest topic to discuss. Anyway...

My spiritual beliefs have changed a lot in past years, including a period of time during which I didn't have any.

These days, I believe in reincarnation. Not in the traditional sense of past lives and such, but the idea of constant reincarnation: an iterative process that occurs both during and after our lifetimes. The matter that formed our bodies in the distant past is long gone, replaced by new matter, and yet we have a conscious connection with the experiences we had in the bodies that we have shed, which have since become the 'building blocks' for new life.

From this point of view, life is a synergy of nature's matter, both self-identified (as an individual) and connected with the common synergy of nature, which motivates us to interact with other people, sharing and joining our synergies, hence the sadness that comes from being lonely or solitary.

When conventional death occurs, the individual synergy ends, and the matter spreads out to form new synergies. Therefore, as self-contained forms of life, we're dying all the time, but as part of the common synergy of nature, we live forever in some form or another.

From this point of view, the purpose of life in a spiritual sense is to nurture the common synergy, and ensure that it grows healthy. In my opinion, the question of who or what created nature is irrelevant. What matters is that nature continues in a positive direction.

From an interpersonal point of view, this includes developing a full appreciation of one's friendships, which tend to be overlooked to some extent as one is distracted by 'bigger' things...

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All I can say is wow! I mean all that reaction to a fundemental query of adolescent angst. I mean Dredd is 18y/o!! I'm suprised people his age can stop masturbating long enough to think those thoughts. It is a real tribute to Dredd that he has the maturity to delve into such a heavy subject. However as adults we should recognize his feelings for what they are and not over react by prosthelizing eachother and being disrespectful of others beliefs

Jag certainly has a right to his beliefs even though as a Christian I disagree with him. TOLERANCE!! thats a big word that is often overlooked.

Getting back to Dredd , son you seem intelligent and you appear commited to some important values. As you live your life , your way,you will make mistakes. Some of them will teach you some very harsh lessons and some of which will force you to change how you view the world.

Some of us older farts can attest to this. You'll fall in love and at some time lose love. Your heart will break and you will wonder how you can go on. But you will. You wil come to terms with your own mortality in ways that you think you can't survive (My father died two years ago and I'm still not over it) and you will experience joy that you can now only imagine ( birth of a child, or a religoius awakening)But whatever path you choose just keep walking kid. The game ain't over as long as you are on your feet.One day you will be on the other end of this converation and you'll better understand just what it entails to make the journey. Good luck and Godspeed

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