How do you cope with the world that operates solely on making money (the business world, the majority of corporate life today), when you are someone who almost completely grew up on fantasy?
I find it extremely depressing. Everywhere I go, everyone I meet, at work, through family, whatever — money dictates their life. Everything they do is to make more money. And there are so many schemes to make money, I learn a new one almost every single day. Another scheme that I would have never thought of, that almost startles me when I learn about it. It gives me this impression that the world is incredibly cutthroat and void of strong character, high moral fiber, values of any kind outside of monetization.
I understand that money is power and this is why people want it. I understand that you need power in order to do what you want to do and give back to the people you care about. Theoretically I don't have a problem with this and see how this makes sense, besides, every action is driven by power in some way. But that doesn't make me feel any better when I see people who at first seemed very nice, turn out that they callously took advantage of others for money.
>>17242486
Everyone is selfish, learn to embrace it. I'd deal drugs from my parent's house if they allowed it, just to make money. Money lets you have everything you need, so you can focus on what you want.
That is why everyone wants it. I want to buy my own house. I want a car. I want to take a holiday every 3 months to a different country.
All of this needs money.
I don't have any problem with it because I understand everyone else is thinking how I am, some are just more determined to reach the goal faster - criminals and corrupt bankers and the likes
That's how I cope.
>>17242486
You grew up in a wealthy family, didn't you?
>>17242701
I can't bring myself to want to embrace it, or want to do things that takes advantage of others. I've lived in fantasy so much and for so long it's made me very numb to these things and bad at them.
>>17242703
Not at all. More like I never really wanted much in my life.
>>17242701
>>Everyone is selfish, learn to embrace it. I'd deal drugs from my parent's house if they allowed it, just to make money. Money lets you have everything you need, so you can focus on what you want.
>I'm selfish, therefore, everyone is
>>17242486
I dunno, I'm a > 25 y.o. NEET, still poor, and I'm feeling that pressure to make money. I think it's related to mass media, and to our social (irl or otherwise) environments. do you live in a big city?
I wish I could join a hippie community or something... but I love tech, so the contradiction is kinda difficult to assume.
>>17242733
I guess it's nice to see you want to live life in a natural way, but grow the fuck up dude. Look outside. There's people murdering each other for spare change. Get used to it
You can't expect to be anything useful if you want to live in some childhood fairy tale where everyone is a farmer or goat herder, and they all live happily together and the bears and wolves come for tea parties with the people
>>17242766
Yeah, everyone who is successful is selfish. You're a NEET because you don't have the desire to put yourself before anyone else. If you act like a doormat, you will live like one
>>17242773
>here's people murdering each other for spare change.
>Get used to it
>Yeah, everyone who is successful is selfish
of course, that even makes sense, they are trying to protect themselves from other "successful" people that want to steal from them as much as they stole from someone else.
thing is, is that a good path? I don't really think so.
oh, and I'm a NEET because I had some grave illness, and I've been depressed since then. plus, as you said, I have no motivation to extor- "put myself before anyone else"
>>17242809
It's the truth. If you don't want to be selfish and take the things you need, then don't complain if you don't get the things you want.
You can be perfectly happy with a humble life, it's just easier to be happy with a shit load of money, no matter how you earned it
>>17242486
I feel similarly OP. Apparently something hasn't clicked because I don't understand why people try so hard to make a lot of money when it will inevitably used for frivolities or a retirement they'll probably be too old to enjoy. Personally, I'd rather chase a high paying job that lets you work part time, but it doesn't seem there's many of those out there.
>>17242837
>then don't complain if you don't get the things you want.
That's not really what the thread's about though, it's about being disappointed with people.
Money and social status are the core things in western culture. Not everyone agrees with that thats why there are countercultures, hippies that OP already mentioned, even 4chan to some extent is one. So I wouldn't say that EVERYONE is obsessed with money,
>>17243554
never been to /biz/ i see
too bad it's badly infested with coinshills as of late
>>17242486
People who say this shit are the same people who grew up rich. You've never worked a day in your life, had to starve while your crackhead mother spends all of her money on drugs and doesn't buy you food, get laughed at in middle school because your clothes are cheap and you never had to save up money for a vehicle and had to walk/take public transportation everywhere. Shit pisses me off. Stop being so fucking naive kid
Unfortunately, the world revolves around money. People need food, shelter, clothing, need to fix things and replace things. While it's possible to do absolutely everything you need for yourself, that is exceedingly difficult and exceedingly time-consuming, and frankly most people don't want to do that. Since they don't want to spend all of their time doing the services they need for themselves, they have to hire someone else to do it, which requires money unless you want to be a total jackass who doesn't pay people for their work and demands everything for free. And when you do that, you are making person you want free work from pay the financial price for the knowledge and time and materials. You are making someone else take the fall.
And money does lead to happiness, to an extent. People are unhappy when they do not have the things they need. Having the money to live comfortably does make people happy, because it greatly reduces the stress of having to scrape together pennies to make ends meet. Money has diminishing happiness returns once you pass that point. But the ability to live safely and comfortably and securely is vital to happiness, and that is what money can buy,
>>17243554
yeah but the countries that dont follow this culture are shitty, or at least most of them are, and money is replaced with other bull shit like religion.
>>17242486
Learn a historical art and hit all the Renaissance Faire's and SCA events across the country for your living. You will never be wealthy, but I think you live on a campground with other history/fantasy-infatuated people for the weeks the Faire goes on, spend your time talking craft and history with potential clients, and live a life free from the corporate grind in pantaloons and poofy shirts
I'd suggest an instrument like a hammer dulcimer or hurdy gurdy so you can play for money at the Faire and sell cd's too.
>>17244551
Some addendums:
Along with the money to make yourself secure and comfortable, a lot of people want the money to make other people secure and comfortable. They want to provide for their families, their kids, their friends. They want to alleviate the financial burdens that other people face. Imagine paying a hospital bill for somebody who can't afford it, or paying off someone's student loans when they're jobless and desperate, how happy they would be. But the more people you try to financially support, the more money that requires.
I also do know a person who believed that a lot of money would be the key to their happiness. They grew up poor, without enough food, and worked exceedingly hard to pull themselves out of that. The whole family, in fact, worked hard to pull themselves out of that, and now all the kids are securely upper middle class. But one of them in particular grew ridiculously rich. Rich enough to pay for the whole family's student loans. Rich enough to go on lavish trips and expensive restaurants and all those things. And while he was happier that he was when he was poor, definitely, he wasn't totally happy. So he tried to get even more money, thinking that would help. It didn't. He's only just now realizing that infinite money does not bring infinite happiness, and that he has to change his life to revolve it less around money. He has more than enough to be happy, now he can stop and focus on other things.
I don't want his life, but I do envy his ability to just throw money at things and fix problems for basically everyone he knows. Your business is going bankrupt? BAM, fixed. Your house needs repair? BAM, fixed. You have extensive medical bills? BAM, fixed. No problem too large or expensive. Anything can be fixed.
>>17244543
You're completely wrong. I have had to work, my father did make eating on a daily basis difficult with his drug and alcohol addictions, I've always worn terribly cheap clothes and I've only ever taken public transport. I was never made fun of though.
You underestimate what having a Christian mother and grandparents can do to a poor family, value in the household gets placed on simple things rather than money and material improvement.
If the material world is your major concern, then yeah, you're screwed.
But once you figure that out, possibilities open up.
>>17242486
Babby's first existential crisis.
>>17242837
> it's just easier to be happy with a shit load of money
I kind of feel like past a certain point a shit load of money is more trouble than it's worth.
Because money does buy happiness.
People who say that money can't buy happens are either:
>people who never had enough money to begin
>don't know how to spend it
or
>don't want you to have any
>>17245819
>mo' money, mo' problems
CREAM NIGGA. Cash rules everything around me. Get the money.
Who cares what other people do bro. Just live your life the way you want to and if you don't like how someone is living theirs then ignore it. Ignorance truly is bliss.
Everything in this world revolves around currency. You can like it or dislike it. Before currency services were bartered, still currency. Equal value trade for services rendered. Bottom line is, if someone does not have anything of value to contribute they are seen as worthless, if someone has no useable skills, they are useless to society.
