Goal: %100 Free Time

http://tortillasinbed.com/post/26229642463/free-time-is-my-goal

by ZanderEarth32 • 14 years ago

7 8 14 years ago

tortillasinbed.com

delluminatus• 14 years ago

The author wants:

time that isn’t owned by someone or something else beyond my control

Depending on how you look at it, no time is ever beyond your control (except arguably something like incarceration).

If you don't want to work one day, you don't have to work. What's that, you have a full-time job? You still don't have to work.

I think the real issue is that, if you have a full-time job, not working if you don't want to can have undesirable consequences. But I think these consequences are often overstated, or rather avoided to a degree that is not in line with their actual effects.

I also choose to keep my commitments and responsibilities low.

I'm not sure what to think about this either. Part of me says, good on you if you can manage it. But then, there is a difference between an external commitment and an internal commitment. You can have "commitments" as an employee or employer or boyfriend or husband, but unless you let these commitments decide your actions, you aren't really committed. I don't know if that makes sense.

Who has more time under his own control: the man who chooses to go to work to develop software every day because he finds it to be an efficient use of his time to acquire money, or the man who struggles to make a living wage off passive income because he's attached to a misdirected notion of "free time"?

naner• 14 years ago

I used to feel the same way, and now I feel that sentiment is pretty naive.

In our culture in the US responsibility is typically associated with adulthood. The more of it you have the more "grown up" you are. And you've probably heard phrases like: A boy becomes a man when a man is needed.

And there is a good reason for that. I've come to find that responsibility is essential for self-actualization as well as maturity. There is no success in relationships, in business, or in life without responsibility. By definition if you have no responsibilities, if nobody relies on you, then you don't matter. If you disappeared nothing would change and nobody would notice.

Also responsibility is found to be very psychologically rewarding. This part of the reason why people love having children and doing volunteer work. Being selfless is intrinsically fulfilling.

Now I share in the sentiment that there isn't much value in being responsible for stupid crap like paying bills or creating TPS reports. But being able to choose your responsibilities (a noble goal) is not the same as avoiding responsibilities (immature and selfish).

ZanderEarth323• 14 years ago

Author here. I realize I might have appeared 'immature' in my aversion to responsibility, but my natural fear of it comes from experience. Mainly from witnessing my dad be driven into the ground by responsibility by his business, his family and obligations. The same has happened to friends who have saddled themselves with so much, and so young. Kids, cars, houses, etc. None of these people are happy, and that is where my fear stems from.

To clarify, I am mainly looking to avoid responsibilities that can be easily avoided. I do still have responsibilities though. I work, have a steady relationship, a pet, friends and family, etc. so, so far I am doing well in avoiding unneeded responsibility, but still enjoy the small amount that I do have but am not looking to add any at this time.

tluyben23• 14 years ago

I think a lot of people have the idea that it would be great to be 'so rich' to have 100% free time. I haven't met many people who could handle that though. People need structure, pressure, responsibility. It's easy to misread this blog post as written by someone who is very young and naive. I don't think that was the idea, it just reads like that.

ZanderEarth323• 14 years ago

I understand that it does seem naive and misguided, especially since I often found myself bored when younger and free of responsibility. I'm realizing that I was trying to tackle too many points with this post, and none were delivered well. I wanted to emphasize the importance of reducing your responsibilities so that you still have free time. I also wanted to make note of the negative perception of having free time. Like its a symptom of failure or lack of success.

Thanks for the comment and reading.

tluyben23• 14 years ago

> I also wanted to make note of the negative perception of having free time

Yes I agree with you there. I'm not sure if it's something mostly American because only my American friends have that; if you say you took time off they look at you like you are slacker. Even asking what you did in the weekend; if you say 'nothing' it is met with quite a lot of negativity.

Goal: %100 Free Time

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