Why would you want to dig around in people's mouths and rip their teeth out?

>>7727163
because they work short hours and make good money so I always figured Id just use my free time and excess money to pursue what I actually enjoy

and i found it preferable to being a doctor

now I'm getting this weird feeling that I might make a huge commitment (of both time and money) to something Im not sure I really want to do

furthermore, if I don't really want to do it, will I even survive in dental school? theres no doubt its cutthroat and some passionate jewish kid who's smarter than me will just outperform me and leave me in the dust

>>7727176

There are "What Color is Your Parachute Books" that help you to determine the correct jobs for your personality but in general these kind of tests and guides are not going to be of much use. Our degenerate modern thinking is that somehow you will find some path that will be your true calling that is in line with your true self and will guide you to personal fulfillment through work.

In reality, that's probably all bullshit. Your ancestors spread shit in wheat fields everyday to survive and still managed to live lives fulfilling enough to motivate them to carry on and procreate.

What you select as a way to make money will ultimately not matter as much as the thing that drives you to exist. For some that is religion, others national identity and others family and community. Rather than obsessing over the career that, by itself, will never truly fulfill you and look for a real reason to exist.

Here's a few positive things about dentistry:

>heres no doubt its cutthroat and some passionate jewish kid who's smarter than me will just outperform me and leave me in the dust

Dentists make a lot of money because few people can and want to do it. If you can make it through a decent dental school, you will probably be fine.

> Lack of meaning

A dentist provides a real service to his community. People will always have fucked up teeth and be thankful for those who can alleviate that problem. Rather than think about what's in it for you, think about what kind of service you will be offering to those around you. As a dentist it will certainly be greater than the guy who writes code for some small part of some dumb silicon valley start up that couldn't exist without massive VC.

To start to break yourself out of the modern "finding my true self through career mentality" read all the posts under the narcissism tab at thelastpsychiatrist.com.

>>7727330

Good post, but I'd be careful of The Last Psychiatrist. He's intelligent and makes a lot of pointed and painfully accurate criticism on occasion but he drapes his paradigm over everything under the sun. I used to be a big fan of him and I still enjoy his insights but his philosophy is excessively self-flagellating.

>>7727330
thats a pretty interesting and logical way of looking at it

thanks man

>>7727155
dude you don't really use biology as a dentist

>>7727155

welcome to life kid enjoy the next eternity of confusion and turmoil while being surrounded by apparent certainty and confidence. tale solace in the idea that absolutely nobody knows what theyre doing or whats going on, and if anyone tries to make you think otherwise, that person is an idiot of the most pitiable order.

>sudden loss of direction

follow your heart (look deep inside)//never stop reading lit, the older the better