What is wrong with doing nothing with your life?

Define nothing.

There are millions of "civil" servants who do nothing, contribute nothing and are resigned to the fact that they will accomplish nothing in their lifetimes.

Pvt Sector wrote:

Define nothing.

There are millions of "civil" servants who do nothing, contribute nothing and are resigned to the fact that they will accomplish nothing in their lifetimes.

Dear Private Sector: Suck deez nutz. Your time is done.

All hail Peter Kropotkin.

There's nothing wrong with doing nothing with your life...but your user name suggests that it's the "key to happiness".

If nothing was the key to happiness, there would be plenty of happy people around. A lot of people do something to help turn the key of happiness. Read, run, garden, visit with friends, make new friends, have a pet, listen to the waves crashing on the shore, watch the sunset, listen to great music, enjoy a good cuppa coffee.

Now "relaxing" is doing something...it's above nothing. So if your idea is to live in another country where you think it's better to relax, then go.....because then you'll be doing "something" and that's the key to happiness.

Do it. If that's the fix you're wanting right now I'd do it. Then when you get restless, if you get restless, do something else. I think part of this key to happiness is to not plan too far ahead so that when you've changed a couple of years down the road you aren't failing any prior expectations you set.

In all likelihood you will wind up being productive/successful and more steady later on but you'll be a happier, more solid person who likes what they do.

Pvt Sector wrote:

Define nothing.

There are millions of "civil" servants who do nothing, contribute nothing and are resigned to the fact that they will accomplish nothing in their lifetimes.

Most workers, public or private, (lawyers, doctors, cops, executives) ultimately accomplish nothing noteworthy during their lifetimes (The public won't remember them. They won't be in history books. Their works will be obscure.). You will most likely be one of them.

the key to happiness wrote:

I am serious.

I am considering moving out of the country and living somewhere with less pressure to succeed in society. Is there anything wrong with living a life just laying low and relaxing?

If I were a vagabond, I'd have no responsibilities and nothing to really get upset about. My expectations would completely change and my life would just be traveling and seeing new things. Of course, I'd miss out on having a partner or woman in my life.

I just hate how society has standards for people and if you choose to live easy then you're considered a loser and get no respect.

Nobody really cares what you do or don't do with your so-called life.

I personally do not understand how doing nothing could be satisfying. I feel that anyone who tries that will become bored and start looking for things to do. If someone happens to be satisfied with a simple life without major achievements, then that's what they should do. The problem I have is with people who feel that they must be "successful" in terms of business/income/status because that's the only way to get anywhere in life. The OP would benefit from learning through experience, i.e. he'll try just being lazy and realize that life is boring, then start actually doing things. He might not have to make a lot of money to be successful by my definition, but I seriously doubt he'll be satisfied with a wholly unproductive life.

BTW, those pos's usually end up quitting the sport and finding something else to do. Hell, I even know one guy who quit because he didn't have talent. He now get's more respect from the people on our dorm floor for winning Pokemon tournaments than my roommate did for helping set 2 school records in relays on the swim team--AS A FROSH. While that bit about the recognition he gets pisses me off a little because it shows how little respect athletes get around here, he's happy with what he does and I call that success.

which country are you going to? how do you plan on paying for a place to live and for food? so you are going to move to some developing country or something and compete for low paying jobs with the natives? hahaahhaha, there is a reason everyone tries to get into the U.S., because making 5 dollars a day in a poor country is not enjoyable, you are a loser

I'd be interested to know which country you're considering too. As for "I understand people getting mad at people living off the taxpayer, but just cause you don't settle down somewhere doesn't mean you're going to live on welfare" - that's a fair point but in my opinion if you want to use public facilities on this adventure or any similar to it you should pay taxes otherwise you're just living off someone else.

I'd like to know what makes you dislike your life so much you considering this as a better option. My main issue with it is if you're a vagabond, what happens if you get sick? Have an accident? Break a leg?

"if you choose to live easy then you're considered a loser and get no respect" - depends on your definition of living easy. If you're not paying for things other people have to pay for, and you're using these things, you can see why people could have negative attitudes. By this I mean parks, public facilities, running water provided by gment

I'm not saying your idea is a bad one. I actually think you should try it and see how it works out. I just think you need to think it through.

the key to happiness wrote:

I am serious.

I am considering moving out of the country and living somewhere with less pressure to succeed in society. Is there anything wrong with living a life just laying low and relaxing?

If I were a vagabond, I'd have no responsibilities and nothing to really get upset about. My expectations would completely change and my life would just be traveling and seeing new things. Of course, I'd miss out on having a partner or woman in my life.

I just hate how society has standards for people and if you choose to live easy then you're considered a loser and get no respect.

I GREATLY respect your ability to really think about what it is you want. Oddly enough, most people do NOT do that at all, and the ones who CAN do that are better prepared to BE happy than those who never do, so good show there brother.

You've got some challenges though.

1) Money. Unless you steal or are a drag on society (beggar, proportionally high user of taxpayer money), you need money.

2) A reason to be in another country. Not sure what country you'd like to go CHILL in, but most of the best ones allow you to stay for an extended length of time only if you are employed.

Some positives:

1) Decide to do most of your relaxing in the United States (assuming you're a US citizen), and I think you'll be more successful. You can live on the cheap in parts of the US and still be safe and healthy.

2) Unless you are independently wealthy, you WILL have to work -- at least here and there. With no kids, no dependents, not even a dog, you can take any service job in any town, work for a few weeks, save the money, and then move on to explore other areas. You can stay in hotels that rent by the week while you're working, and when you've got enough to be job-free for a while, move on to the next place, explore a bit and then go back to work when you need to. My wife has a cousin who does this. He's a professor, but he'll work only a semester maybe only every couple of years. While working he saves just about everything, and then when the semester is over, he becomes backpacking man. He travels to China, Europe, all over and backpacks for months at a time in the deep wilderness. Just his calling.

You can make it work if you really really want to. Don't let society dictate what you do...I agree with you there. Cookie cutter lives and keeping up with the Joneses is no way to live. For me, I always wanted a family and a dog and a house, but I'm not one who wants to work forever, so I've banked as much as I can so that I can retire before 60, and possibly even as early as 55. That's just my compromise when also wanting a family. With NO family, you are about as free as you could possibly be. Make your life what you want it to be brother, and offer no apologies.

Flagpole wrote:

My wife has a cousin who does this. He's a professor, but he'll work only a semester maybe only every couple of years. While working he saves just about everything, and then when the semester is over, he becomes backpacking man. He travels to China, Europe, all over and backpacks for months at a time in the deep wilderness. Just his calling.

That's awesome. I know guys who do ski patrol in the winter and mountain guiding in the summer. It seems like a pretty badass way to make a living.

Dude, whatever you do, don't sell out. If there is something you want to pursue then go for it. Don't sit around wondering about it. There is a lot of life to be lived out there is you choose to look for it. Go for it.

the key to happiness wrote:

I am serious.

I am considering moving out of the country and living somewhere with less pressure to succeed in society. Is there anything wrong with living a life just laying low and relaxing?

If I were a vagabond, I'd have no responsibilities and nothing to really get upset about. My expectations would completely change and my life would just be traveling and seeing new things. Of course, I'd miss out on having a partner or woman in my life.

I just hate how society has standards for people and if you choose to live easy then you're considered a loser and get no respect.

Welcome to the modern age, my friend. At the end of the day all you really need to be happy with is yourself. That said, just don't do anything to piss me off and I won't mind you.

Pretty simple really.

As a matter of fact, people worked much less in the pre-modern era. There were drawbacks.

If your goal in life is to be a failure,

how do you know when you've succeeded?

how are people who make over $100K who do not even read the bills that they vote for or against considered "servants"?

I have to agree with Beautysmom.

Moving to another country takes a certain amount of faith and courage and I wouldn't consider that doing nothing.

Doing nothing would be:

Working nightshift as a security guard in a company that no one would rob and then going home to your moms and sleeping during the whole day and waking up when the sun goes down and repeat for 5 days a week and then sleeping all weekend.

Okay, I like that definition of nothing.

So say I just spent 5 hours straight playing Halo 3 on Xbox Live, which by many would be considered nothing or a waste of time... I do get utility from it, but I'd like to get some other opinions.

Take it from me, you can achieve nothing in life and still be president. Work, success and accomplishments are not much valued these days.....