Prepared for the Future...

Do you feel that our whole system is always Preparing for the future, but never for the present.

That from Preschool we are taught to get ready for Elementary school, from Elementary to Middle to High School. Then we are sent to College or Uni to get prepared for a Job. Yet once we get that job we are pushed with quotas and when we accomplish that they put more work on us. We work and work and work for a good retirement. To have money to do stuff, in the future. Yet when we are there, our bodies are brittle, sick, and don't perform the best.

We are always taught to prepare for the future, and never the present. Never to stop and smell the roses, to live while your young. I'm not saying I'm against planning ahead, but you have to be able to live in the present and make the most of it, or else you'll live your whole life, without truly living.

Another example of this is to live for that Vacation in a few years, a few months. Yes you'll have a lot of fun during that week or so, but when you get back, you'll still be living the same old boring life.

Anyways tell me what you think.

no i don't think that.

i think you're an idiot

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Originally Posted by Stephen

i think you're an idiot

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You think I'm an idiot because I wish not to waste my precious life, the only one I will get working and being unhappy my whole life?

Well to each their own, I'll be living a simple happy life. Enjoy yours.

there's an old story along these lines... sort of... well this thread reminded me of it

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An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.

The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.

The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”
“But what then?” Asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!”
“Millions – then what?”

The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

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in a similar vein, and to unfortunately bring this back around to capitalist ideals, yours is a very marxist standpoint and echoes that of many who have written on the subject of a so-called hidden curriculum within education systems whereby children are essentially 'prepared' to be workers. to learn more I suggest taking some time to read bowles&gintis' Schooling in Capitalist America!

but yes
it's very important to simply live in the moment and I try to do so wherever feasible.

What about truly living in the moment AND preparing for the future at the same time??

I see your point about the retirement part but when you're young you need to prepare for the future so that you can actually be successful because with nothing from a young age, how are you going to be successful?

I don't think what you're trying to say links in any way to education and I think the rest of it has been worded horribly, you can't prepare for the present

I don't really know what you're trying to get across tbh but I do think we're always longing for more but I guess it's in our nature, we all think they'll come a time in our lives where we're just exactly where we want to be and everything will be better

but i guess u gotta just

enjoy the journey

No I do not think this