Stop and think a little.

Posted by Atlas on April 14, 2012, 5:33 a.m.

So, there i was, ordering myself some fries at some local fast food shack when one of my friends asked me: "What do you want out of life?"

I had to stop for a while here, and think, and think, and think. Right then and there, I wanted to buy a burger, but then i thought some more, and said to myself; but in ten minutes, i will have forgotten this food, and i will not crave this taste.

Hours later, I was still trying to think, and to answer this question.

I thought that I must have been, all of these years, all of my study, working towards a clear ideal; there wasn't anything that came clear to mind. maybe i was thinking too hard. All i knew is that i wanted people to like me.

Later that night, while studying, i thought to myself.

I want to be important to humanity, to make an impact, to, later, have a wife, and to have a steady job in research. Of course, if I was to keep talking about what I want, I'd end up looking like a whiny little bitch. It was later that i thought to myself, what does everyone else want out of life?

I asked a few people, and most of them were counter-intuitive with their answers, wanting things that they were actively working against.

For some reason, most people think I'm crazy, or not quite sane. When someone hears that i like science, rather than sports, they find it to be a shock. I then think to myself; Sports contributes nothing, it takes money from a wide band of the population and condenses it into a small area, between a small selection of people.

Sports contributes to debt, and many people have had ruined lives, due to gambling.

Of course, most people want something big, and exciting. Something you can throw, something you can label, brand, copy and buy. Something you can sell, and something you can be sold; Sports. What's interesting though, is that most of the sport enthusiasts i know are obese, or out of shape. Maybe it's better to watch someone else succeed, than it is to succeed yourself. Or maybe it's easier to just pretend that you're them. Sure, that's one way you can sleep at night. To tell yourself; I am great, and adored by the nation. Only, that makes you more depressed when you wake in the morning.

In-fact, this is something I've been thinking about for a while. most people view their lives as boring compared to the rest of society, who, incidentally, also have nothing to do. because of this connection we make, between the rest of society, and a bustling freeway of things to do, we feel unsatisfied with our lives. Are people actually happy with their lives, or do they just pretend to be?

OK, that went a little off track, but there are some things to think about.

1: What do you want to do with your life? what are your ultimate goals? are you working towards, or against them at the moment?

2: Do you want to be important, do you want to be that guy in the headlines?

3:Why do you buy good food when it has no long term satisfaction?

4: How do you see society? is it better, or worse than you are?

5: What effect does the success of others, in no way linked to you, have on you, and does it make you feel better? What if they put it in movie, or or the form of a media for you to watch?

In-fact, fuck thinking, post any of them here, or maybe just 1, 2 and 4, it's always interesting to see.

Oh, and I'm going to have to make a couple of student films soon, on no budget, and I'm open to any story ideas you guys might have.

Comments

Acid 12 years, 5 months ago

I don't want to be rich or famous.

I just want to make my wife and future children happy.

JuurianChi 12 years, 5 months ago

I want to be rich and famous "and" make my wife (and if we decide to have any) kids happy.

And to be on first name terms with Matt Bennett.

Quote:
What effect does the success of others, in no way linked to you, have on you, and does it make you feel better? What if they put it in movie, or or the form of a media for you to watch?
It tells me that I'm not working hard enough, so I try harder.

Because I want to invoke feelings of regret in others when they watch a movie about me or read about something cool I did.

iDunno why.

Cesque 12 years, 5 months ago

I have a steady job in research… acquired roughly at the same time as the realisation that what I want from life is enough free time and motivation to create something I find beautiful or interesting or at least tolerable before any major parts of my screwed-over-by-genetics organism decide to finally give up. The two don't go together very well.

Here's something you may find relevant. Or depressing. Or both.

P.S. Change your blog font or otherwise do something that doesn't add scrollbars to the comments. They're rather annoying.

DesertFox 12 years, 5 months ago

1) I want to fly an airplane. Of my current goals, that is the closest and most likely goal. I have many other goals, some of which are quite silly. One should always have goals.

2) Not really, although it is nice to be recognized (both in terms of people realizing the value of your work, and being 'hey I know you you're that guy!')

3) Good food actually has better long-term satisfaction than most things. If you go to a good restaurant, drop $25 on a quality steak, you're going to be a lot more satisfied and remember it more fondly than if you dropped $100 on some non-consumable item that you end up never using. Think about it. Also, good food doesn't have to be expensive, if you know how to cook.

4) Society is neither better off nor worse than I. Individual people in that society are, however. I am currently in the middle-to-low end of the spectrum, but have very good prospects in the very immediate future.

5) The personal successes of others that in no way affect me matter nothing to me. That doesn't mean I'm not happy for them, though. However, if it involves scientific or technological advancement, valid artistic expression, or (god forbid) politics and government, it does affect me, and so it does matter to me.

Seleney 12 years, 5 months ago

Quote:
i like science, rather than sports
I am definitely the same way.

1. My goals are currently to achieve a job I enjoy or even am passionate about, to be there when others need me, and to find someone I would enjoy spending my life with. Honestly, I don't care where those things put me; I could be happy living anywhere in almost any (survivable) financial state.

2. Honestly, making a contribution to zoo management would be awesome, but I know that I already impact society just by existing so if I don't I am not sure it would bother me.

4. hmmm, honestly I think society is worse off than me. Maybe I don't have all of my crap in order, but at least I do have a few important things that I will never let go south. For starters, I have a respect and understanding for others that is quite profound at moments, something society as a whole tends to lack. Secondly, I try to have respect for myself, or at least for what I mean to others. This means I try to never do anything self-destructive because is is never just me that would be hurt. Besides, some of the things society leads girls to do so they can 'look good' are just dumb. (Have a little self-respect; the people who actually care about your waist size are only see you as a tool- sorry pet peeve)

Edit:What type of film? If you are on a campus, I may have an idea or two that would work low budget if you can get the actors :P

Toast 12 years, 5 months ago

If 64digits ever gets round to music and art submission pages, it should have videos/films too. Just a thought for whoever is or isn't doing V4.

MMOnologueguy 12 years, 5 months ago

I want to be free enough to be capable of working all this stuff out in the first place. I'm not working towards it and you could probably say I'm actively working against it, but anyone who knows me can tell that.

Alert Games 12 years, 5 months ago

I want to be innovative, have wife and kids, steady work, have fun

Rob 12 years, 5 months ago

I'm not going to say what I want, but I think you all already know.

Iasper 12 years, 5 months ago

I want to have a wife and kids like others, and be happy. I don't need to be rich or famous or anything (although I wouldn't mind it) to be happy, if I can do what I like the most I don't need anything else.