That's a pretty fascinating point of view. Some people might object to such a "hippie" lifestyle but if everybody on earth lived that way we probably wouldn't have half the environmental problems and resource wars that we have now!
I totally agree with your philosophy that it can be more important to a person to have a quality of both environment and free time than how much money he makes (say in a poor environment with little free time and lots of stress and long hours work). I don't think I could live in a rural area (too booring for me, I really like big city hustle, bustle, concerts, sports, etc) but I prefer to work my decent professional job and declined years ago to enter the managerial track for your very reasons. I don't mind a 60-70 hour week every now and then when a project gets behind or a deadline approaches but I saw mid-level managers doing that week in and week out; not even taking all their already insufficient vacation!
I am curious, though, are you able to have satisfying relationships when living such a austere and isolated lifestyle (to put it more directly "are you able to entice the fairer sex to your abode for fun and frolic?"). That's probably the other main reason I do the corporate grind - I've got to have a woman to keep me happy so I have to have resources to keep HER happy!
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilJohnson
I am not a North Dakota resident but I do know a little bit about the rural versus big city divide when it comes to income. I am 25 so squarely in the middle of the 20's age bracket. Initially I went to college, or I should say pushed into it by my well meaning mother. I came to the realization that it was nothing but a big waste of time and money, at least for me. I hate big cities, I dislike even living near a big city, I would never buy a house in a city that had more than 50 people if I had to live in one. I always had a crazy notion to find a remote piece of the USA because I enjoy peace and quiet. There is almost nothing for a college grad in most rural areas I have been in. The only things I know of that pay good are over the road type jobs such as welding or truck driving. Neither of which require a college degree. So with that in mind I have learned to be content with less. I don't need much, a roof over my head and a full belly. Most money I ever made was 28,000 in a year but usually the average amount is half that. This year it'll be a quarter of that by the time it draws to a close.
I lived without plumbing for nearly three years and had ran electric appliances off my car battery later got two solar panels from my Uncle when he died. I look at what I have and then see how most of the world lives and I consider myself rich. I can make in one day doing easy work at 10 bucks an hour what some poor dude in India might break his back for in a week. People keep saying they are falling farther and farther behind, which is true. People did make more 40 years ago (I did some extensive research on the topic). However compared to 60-70 years ago people now have to work much less to maintain the life style that someone back in say the 1930s would have to work full time to have.
To me quality of life and free time is more important than spending money on lots of fancy things that you can't enjoy anyway because you're always working. I know plenty of people that live paycheck to paycheck that make 30, 40, and even 50 thousand dollars a year. When you come right down to it they own no more than I do. The bank owns everything.
I'll admit there are nice things about large cities and with out them there would be more people out in the country driving up land prices. Some people have to be entertained 24/7 I guess. I provide my own entertainment whether it is blowing up ant hills with bombs (shhh don't tell the feds) or sitting out in my yard at night with my telescope. A good imagination and some creativity goes a long way too.
My unique perspective though makes it a little hard to find people who value the same things I do. Most people my age seem to want a fast pace in your face lifestyle that is full of toys and entertainment. I get looked down on because I drive a 33 year old pickup that I have welded up more than a few times and own an old farm house that looks more like a shack than a home. But in the end I get the last laugh, about 80 percent of the time I get to do what ever I feel like doing. I never have to work at a job I hate because if I don't like it I can afford to quit. I never pull my hair out worrying about being able to pay my bills.
Little bit long winded of a post I'll admit but I figured a different point of view from someone in their twenties might be needed in this thread  |
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Counter-to-the-flow lifestyle choices: You're radical!
