“I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need. We’re the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War’s a spiritual war… our Great Depression is our lives. We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won’t. And we’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very pissed off.” – Tyler Durden, Fight Club.
I’ll be the first to say I wasn’t a fan of this movie at all. It was all rather lame for me. This quote is about the only bit of gold down in that empty vane. However, these words are very true. I’m at the point that I don’t know what I want to do with my life and I’m falling down. It’s not a disaster but it leaves me confused day in and day out. I’ll take control sometime, right now I seem content in my misery. I’m slowly working on it but I just can’t seem to breathe.
I won’t get into the anti-capitalism vibe from the quote. I don’t think materialism is a horrid thing but it does leave us with the troubles listed at the end of the quote. It’s our own choice and it’s all about moderation. I see the truth in the statement and I’m not blind to it. That’s why I don’t give a shit about money nor a job. They’re only tools to get me where I need to go. It’s the destination and how to get there that is giving me a problem.
Let’s talk about money. This goes hand in hand – actually it’s a spinoff. I’m using a thread I read for this post. Anyways, someone asks why money can’t buy happiness because he or she thinks that is bullshit.
Everyone’s definition of happiness will differ. I think of it as merely a tool to achieve happiness. It can also be viewed as insulation from misery. Money makes life easier and that does give one a level of satisfaction. I’ll gladly admit to that. My true happiness though? Can’t be bought. Sure I’ll enjoy money, who wouldn’t? It’s the love of money that gets some folks in trouble. They find themselves without true friends or loved ones. A human is social, even the loners like me. We can go our own ways but we’ll be miserable or never satisfied which may not be mutually exclusive. There are some that live for money and perhaps the saying is true. I don’t really care. I know what I want. Happiness is a long ways off for me at the moment.
