Does everyone center their lives around working and never resting?

[Chris Smith]

I was wondering why I'm frustrated all the time and I think I figured out why. Everyone I know never slows down. Everyone either works, drinks a lot, or surfs facebook all the time. We could have much more free time, but choose not to.

As somebody said, "The major problem in our society is our need to constantly do, make, or build something... What is wrong with sitting on our asses all day talking to each other? Can't we just throw a hackey-sack around while drinking sixty-four degree beer for sixteen hours straight? There is nothing wrong with being lazy if you are doing it with someone else. But, current societal standards don't allow for that unless your bank account is bigger than George Wendt's liver."

As the author Charles Bukowski said in Factotum, “It was true that I didn’t have much ambition, but there ought to be a place for people without ambition, I mean a better place than the one usually reserved. How in the hell could a man enjoy being awakened at 6:30 a.m. by an alarm clock, leap out of bed, dress, force-feed, shit, piss, brush teeth and hair, and fight traffic to get to a place where essentially you made lots of money for somebody else and were asked to be grateful for the opportunity to do so?”

[CAB]

Yes, now get back to work or we'll replace you with another half drunk serf who will be grateful for the opportunity.

[Naguru]

Yes. I only know about it from my immediate circles. I have not verified the prevailing situations in other parts of the country or world. Consider whether it is feasible to do it from philosophical angle. Then only you can realize the magnitude of this problem. It is huge and a challenging task to take such a survey.

[Mike]

This is actually something I think about a lot myself. I work on a 20 hour contract to allow myself to have free time but it comes with one consequence - I have half the income of a full time worker meaning I hardly get by. But my mental health is amazing and I prefer it that way.

However as people generate responsibility I.e. mortgage or children, they have to work in order to be alive. It's almost the ultimate sacrifice for having family!

[Shih Tzu]

I used to work 14 hour days, not because I had to, but because I loved my job. I was as happy there as I was at home. I still made time for play and relaxation. I don't know what you're complaining about. Low energy? Lazy? Uninspired? I don't get it.

[Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

(1) The center is in the middle, therefore one centers UPON something, not around it.

(2) It probably isn't for philosophical reasons, it is mostly for sociological and psychological reasons. Try the sociology and psychology forums for insight into human behavior.

[whoyeah]

Okay the funniest thing I can think of to share with you is a cartoon I saw somebody watching. A poor kid finally got to go to a huge theme park and at the entrance was a long list of do's and don'ts. At the bottom was this, AND NO QUITE MOMENTS OF CONTEMPLATION!

[Jesere]

no
there are those of us who have a Balanced Life