Can’t Have It Both Ways

Let’s take a lawyer who makes six figures.

His lifestyle matches his income so he has a nice condo, a nice car, and expensive tastes.

The monthly upkeep is hefty.

He has a 401k but is overworked and gets at most one month of vacation a year that he takes in one week increments.

Since he is tired, he’ll probably pick a nice beach resort or comfortable European city.

His girlfriends are also successful and they expect him to stay successful.

Taking random several month breaks to travel or relax is unacceptable.

You don’t go to law school and work hard to move up in the firm to save money for a few years and then quit.

Let’s take a bartender or some sort of freelancer.

He has low upkeep because he has few wants.

His main expense is rent.

When he’s tired of his job or his city, he takes off for a month or two at a time, picking up work when he can.

He’s free and sees more of the world but money is always a problem and he always has to hustle.

He hates his shitty apartment, his disrespectful roommates, and public transportation.

And there’s always that nagging feeling in the back of his head that he should have higher status or be more successful.

When his girlfriends get mad, they tell him he’s a loser bum.

Where’s the middle ground?

How about a 30 hour work-week that doesn’t involve working for a restaurant or club that pays well and lets you comfortably take two months off a year.

Why can’t that be the American dream of owning a McShack, drowning in debt, and spending hours commuting to and from a mediocre job you’d quit if you can?

Even for the people who enjoy their jobs, they are still spending a third of their waking life in an office building trading their labor for an income less than it’s making someone else.

I’m sure a lot of those hours can be better spent doing something else.

Either be wage monkey defined by your valuable crap or watch every cent and pray you don’t get sick.

Some dream.

Until next time.

Your man,

-Elijah “The Realist”