I don't want to participate in this madness!

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I've developed this impression that this facet of capitalism is some sort of collective malaise that everyone automatically ends up in and no one even admits it. Just as an example: how ridiculously inefficient job interviews are. "Oh, I am so great, I love myself! Employ me and you will feel sexy!" (A CV might well be as ridiculous...) Do employers seriously make their decisions based on simple, templated answers... the same ones mostly used by everyone?

Even thinking about this drives me insane. And I, personally, have very little motivation to have a job; for most people it's money, but I couldn't care less about that - I don't want to participate in this useless, forced materialistic nonsense. All I care about is free (merely reading... people seem to forget libraries' real purpose) and the few things I would want are unattainable through currency (well, if friends were traded on the market... that would make me slightly more motivated!)

The only things I'd need are necessities for survival (and, well, a connection to the net, but that's becoming cheap enough lately - about three hours' work for a monthly subscription) - and, from a philosophical point of view I think it's kind of fascist of society to require jobs for basic survival. If I wanted to buy a zillion pairs of shoes like some people want to do, then sure, I'd be motivated. If I wanted three cars and hookers every weekend then sure, I'd get a job. But outside of this nonsense I think it's insane of society to impose such capitalism on its populace!

(Dare I ask... does anyone agree?)

How do you pay your rent?

The interview process is terrifying. I've found that if I can find a way to present my actual strengths, I can be more confident and sometimes that even sells past my obvious and nearly disabling anxiety.
I've had some stunningly horrible interviews that still landed me jobs because I was recommended by someone dependable. So if you're decent enough to merit a recommendation, try to get one of those. Employers are never sorry they hire me, I'm just a TERRIBLE interview.
A new hire is an investment. Recognize that. Assure them that you are a good investment. You will do the job well. You will get along with your co-workers. You will not flake out and leave unexpectedly. Sometimes you don't have to be flashy and super confident, you just have to be reassuringly capable.

I do have to work, but I thank myself every day that I was never in a relationship and so do not have any kids. It would be a bad thing to lose my job but because I am not a family man, it would not be a disaster. So stay by yourself and don't have the kids (Its not like the world needs any more people anyway) and you do not need to work so much. If you can live without a car too, that will cut a lot of expense, though not possible in most of the USA.

Since society is not on either the barter system or forced labor and government rationed goods and services, people have to work to earn money to pay for what they need to live. That isn't wrong because working not only provides you with income, your work provides others with goods and services. If no one worked, we wouldn't have anything to buy or sell, no medical services, scant food except what we could grow or hunt ourselves, etc. Unless you are disabled you will have to work to buy your food and pay your bills. There is nothing wrong with this.

How would you prefer society functioned? Bear in mind that working provides people not only with money but also with goods and services.

_________________
I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.

The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com

OP, it's really your own choice whether you work or not. Nobody is forcing you to work. On the other hand, people may well withhold goods, services, shelter, food, freedom of movement if you're unable to pay.
For your information services such as libraries, healthcare, refuse collection, public toilets, etc are not free. They are paid for by people who work! And how many of your friends would really remain friends with you for very long if you were never able to do anything with them that might require financial outlay?

I understand how you feel. I see people slaving away at jobs they don't like just so they can eat and not be homeless. It just seems like a lifetime of misery until you are finally old enough to retire and hope you can live on your tiny social security check.

I only worked about a total of 7 weeks in my life, hated it, and wouldn't even know how to find a job if I even wanted one. The two I had were pretty much given to me. I didn't do an interview or even fill out an application.

I get it. I'm at a point now where it occurs to me that while I should acquire cash, being a wage slave is no longer acceptable. I'm through looking for the kinds of job where you wake up in the morning to prep for work; work all day; do the evening chores, then an hour or two free time till bed so you can wake up the next day and do it all again. You make enough to get by, but not enough to get rich. That benefit presumably goes to the boss. So life gets wasted.

I'm all for contributing, but there's got to be a better way.

(Just one minor point: sure, libraries are funded through taxes, but there is virtually no cost to reading books. Learning is free. What taxes mostly fund these days are cafes, computers, and staff to deal with them... it doesn't cost anything for a person to take out a book, read it and then return it. Capitalism has always tried to monopolize information, but it will never succeed.)

Anyways I don't care much for this society either......and instead of just assuming you're just mad cause you don't wanna work like it seems some have I will assume your real issue is with the structure of society. I mean obviously even if you cut yourself off from society you would still have to 'work.' you might have to hunt and fish and grow your own fruits/vegtables and of course obviously sitting around all day would not work.

So yeah I have no issue with 'work' its just a matter of why should you have to play a stupid game just to make living wages? why should you work your ass off for sh*tty pay......not that its really relevant as my psychological issues are kind of getting in the way of my ability to even have a job. So I can understand your frustration, and I haven't found a solution myself yet either. Being cut off from society and self sufficient sounds great but I have no way to go about doing that right now.