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Do you think a person can make a mistake in life today, or just run into a bump in the road, and still rebound to be a fulfilled, financially stable, and productive citizen? I'm not referring to something like a murder, rape, or a serious felony, but just run of the mill problems and issues that would have had little longlasting impact on a life twenty or thirty years ago, but can now be life-shattering events for many people.
Assume you are a college kid doing well in school and appear to have good prospects. Let's say things get out of hand at a bar and you get charged with simple assault or you drive home drunk and get a DUI. Thirty or forty years ago, these crimes wouldn't likely have had as severe of penalties as they do today, if you were arrested in the first place. Nowadays, with the ubiquity of cheap and convenient background checks, a person can be trying to explain a relatively minor one time offense from their youth for the rest of their lives. Would you say this person may be able to rebound and get back to "normal?"
It's possible a person chose a poor major in college, or what seemed like a good choice at one time got crushed by the economy. For instance, finance used to be an excellent field to major in, but now experienced financial professionals who were laid off are scooping up what few openings there are, leaving many of the new grads at Starbucks. Let's say the person tries to find something in their original field of study for a few years and it doesn't work out, so they go back to school and retrain in something assumed to be more employable. Of course, the people who have degrees in the proverbial "underwater basket weaving" may have always struggled, but many young people who are educated in what used to be employable and lucrative fields are now on the sidelines with deteriorating knowledge and skillsets. Are these people going to be damaged goods and unable to get on track professionally even if they get into the labor market with two degrees (one in a better field than the other) by late 20s - early 30s?
Maybe later in life (age ~35), a person changes jobs and realizes they made a mistake. After attempting to make the job work for a year or so, they are either fired or voluntarily quit, but due to the bad economy, have a six to twelve month gap before they find meaningful work. Due to the gap, many employers pass on the otherwise good candidate, and when the person does get a job, it is either out-of-field and/or for significantly less pay than the prior job. In a better economy, companies may have been much more willing to hire this person, but now this person's career is off-track. A six to twelve month gap isn't that much in the stage of life and the person is still relatively young, but today it seems impossible to recover from any professional misstep.
These are but a few problems a person may face. Divorce, illness, financial problems, a failed business venture, a misguided move, really anything can extinguish hopes these days. In my view, our society has gotten to the point where any small blemish or misstep on a person's record can ensure they never fully recover. A person can never really bury their past today. There's no running away from even seemingly minor problems when everything is documented, logged, and easily retrievable. A rude or out of place comment among coworkers over a few drinks in the past that may have been forgotten about and couldn't be proven not long ago has taken the form today of a nasty Facebook status that is broadcast to numerous people, can be saved, and cannot be repudiated. Must we really be perfect to succeed in today's world?
Interesting question, and one I worry about for the younger generation, given the near-universality of living one's life online, with little privacy to begin with and the prospect of everything you've ever done being remembered, in the Wayback Machine if nowhere else, forever. I'm so glad there was no Facebook when I was young-- I'd probably have spent the last 40 years living in homeless shelters and dumpster diving, because I had my share of off-the-grid fun.
There are, at least for now, some protections from public disclosure for juvenile offenses-- but in most states, once you're 17, you're an adult for criminal purposes, and your record stays public-- and it's very hard, and often quite expensive, to get anything expunged. BTW-- the possibility of a criminal record is the NUMBER ONE REASON why, if you or a loved one is charged with anything worse than a traffic ticket, you hire a damn good criminal defense attorney and let this person know that you need your record to be as clean as possible.
However, no one is perfect, and no one is going to be perfect, and employers are still going to need people, at least until robots replace us all.
You asking question that is wrong in its nature. Concerns that you mention, should, actually, not be of any concern to one that really cares about its progression through this world, as they are things of no consequence or importance - money, position, titles, or success in the meaning world normally determines it.
Though to answer your question - yes, anything is possible. You are a being of thought and intelligence, no matter how dulled it may be. Your thinking brought you to your current question. Your thinking brought you to situations, you might be regretting now. only YOUR thinking may change you on your path to conscious immortality.
But keep in mind only one thing - do not concern yourself with things that matter not and are of no true value indeed. But, simply, live your life moment by moment, listening to the voice of conscience. That is your one and only true guidance, that will give you answer to the main question - what do, and not what to do.
Be well, and let The Light be with you.
Everyone falls down. I don't know anyone that has not made mistakes. To be successful you have to get back up again and keep going.... Keep trying.
Get around people who are successful and listen to what they have to say. You may not always agree but you will learn a lot. Get away from debbie downers and disgruntled people. Each have their own language.
It takes just "one" good idea that can turn you life around.
You asking question that is wrong in its nature. Concerns that you mention, should, actually, not be of any concern to one that really cares about its progression through this world, as they are things of no consequence or importance - money, position, titles, or success in the meaning world normally determines it.
Though to answer your question - yes, anything is possible. You are a being of thought and intelligence, no matter how dulled it may be. Your thinking brought you to your current question. Your thinking brought you to situations, you might be regretting now. only YOUR thinking may change you on your path to conscious immortality.
But keep in mind only one thing - do not concern yourself with things that matter not and are of no true value indeed. But, simply, live your life moment by moment, listening to the voice of conscience. That is your one and only true guidance, that will give you answer to the main question - what do, and not what to do.
Be well, and let The Light be with you.
I think Yoda joined this thread! (All kidding aside---I really LOVE what you wrote.)
Emigrations, I may be wrong but, although you talk in generalities, I have the impression that you've made some sort of mistake in your life which you are afraid you'll never be able to recover from.
One might gather that the intent of this thread (and forum) is to conduct these 'life discussions' totally void of any reference to God -- and yet, still call them "Great Debates" (?). The truth is that one cannot avoid making poor choices and often serious mistakes in this life. One does not have to look far to clearly see that the world, in general, doesn't care, even when 'mistakes' are made public. (This, of course, does not mean that there are no consequences!).
But, beyond this life (which is really a very temporary thing), God has made provisions to help you 'rebound' from even the most egregious 'mistakes' and poor choices (... including "murder, rape and serious felonies"). That's a far bigger issue than 'what the world thinks or says.'
One might gather that the intent of this thread (and forum) is to conduct these 'life discussions' totally void of any reference to God -- and yet, still call them "Great Debates" (?). The truth is that one cannot avoid making poor choices and often serious mistakes in this life. One does not have to look far to clearly see that the world, in general, doesn't care, even when 'mistakes' are made public. (This, of course, does not mean that there are no consequences!).
But, beyond this life (which is really a very temporary thing), God has made provisions to help you 'rebound' from even the most egregious 'mistakes' and poor choices (... including "murder, rape and serious felonies"). That's a far bigger issue than 'what the world thinks or says.'
You are right on one count. One cannot avoid making poor choices and mistakes.
I believe that each mistake, tragedy, or poor choice narrows our options. When we are young and just starting out, the world is full of possibilities. Those possibilities become fewer with each mistake made. And the later in life poor choices, tragedies, and mistakes are made, the less time there is to recover.
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