I’ve just finished Affluenza by Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss, and it’s a fascinating read. I recommend you read it. It made me realise what it was I want to aim for in life. Although it’s mostly about Australian society, I still think non-Aussies can garner something from it.
I had a pretty good life growing up. I never went without, my parents haven’t split up, hell, they even job-shared when we were kids so they could spend equal time with us. I went to a private high school, even got to university, and am about to finish a science degree.
To put it in perspective, these things are not universal. Every kid in the world does not get access to schooling. Some kids don’t have parents. A lot of kids are going hungry. I live in a politically stable country that has never had a civil war. I have freedoms a lot of people don’t. I have a damn good life compared to what some have.A feeling has crept up on me in the last year as I’ve been looking for work. I’d rather do a job that pays less but is more satisfying than a job that pays more but isn’t as satisfying. I got a good education and I want to put that to use somehow. I shouldn’t waste this gift by throwing myself into the coporate world to be beaten into submission and strive for nothing but money.
But then, my parents have never really had work like that anyway. It’s been churches and church groups and not-for-profit organisations and such. I’ve met a lot of refugees because of the work mum’s done. Really puts your life in perspective when you hear what they’ve gone through.
I suppose that’s partly why I find the corporate world so disgusting. I find their drive for profits obnoxious, the hours of work unbearable and the stress unwarranted. I don’t want to subject myself to that kind of world. Besides, I hate suits and that really formal workwear. So uncomfortable. I’d rather put my energies into something that’s actually going to do some good to society. I want to be recognised for my work, but I don’t want to be famous. Does that make sense?
Hmm. I suppose it’s good I’ve come to this conclusion before I’ve done a decade or more of unsatisfying work. I’m also noticing I have only a small desire for stuff. My materialism has declined somewhat lately. Sure, I could list off plenty of things I ‘want’, but I probably won’t end up buying any of them simply because I’ve survived quite well without them. The things I need to survive are a place to live, food to eat, clean drinking water and a good family. Everything else is non-essential. Hell, I didn’t even have to pay for university. I deferred my fees til later. Sure, I now have a 25k HECS debt hanging over my head, but compared to what some people have to pay to go to university, I’ll take it. There are plenty of women in the world who aren’t allowed to go to uni. I consider myself lucky that I live in the country I do.
Which brings me to religion, sexuality and gender. (I suck at segues) We have the freedom to practice any religion we like in this country and not be discriminated against. In theory, at least. In practice, it’s different, as evidenced by the disdain by which non-Christian faiths are given. Islam especially has recieved a lot of bad press in recent years, not all of it justified. As for me, I’m a Kemetic Orthodox shemsu who’s flirting with discordianism and warrior spirituality. Such a wonderful combination. And I’m also transgendered and bisexual. I really am at the edge of society.
I might be unashamedly left-wing, but that doesn’t automatically make me a Labor supporter. I don’t like the way Rudd is portraying himself as Howard Lite™ in all aspects apart from the environment and IR as far as I can tell. I haven’t decided if I’m going to vote Labor or not. I’ve long since stopped believing election year promises, which makes deciding who to vote for more difficult. As much as I want Howard out, is Rudd going to end up being the lesser of two evils?
I’ve already mentioned where I stand as regards to climate change, so I won’t go into it again. I’m stuck in the middle. While I applaud the call to live more sustainably, I’m not convinced we should do so solely because of climate change. We should look after the environment though. This is the only planet we’ve got so we should take care of it. I’m just not convinced that our recent weather patterns are solely due to human-induced climate change. I’m a weird sort of greenie, I know. I’m weird in a lot of ways.
But I should stop this rant now and get on with job-hunting. Mum wants me to get one done today. Hmm. Lab job, see? Yeah. And so endeth my rant.