Time is the only currency that matters

[Athenian200]

Fuck common measures...

Oh.

Well, that could work. All I have to do is get a few other people to do so, and then there will be people who consider me valuable. This would be especially helpful if one of those people happened to be an employer who valued skills over documented experience.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

You are as good as you think you are.

Unless you're lying to yourself.

And I think you are. Let the person inside you, (that is happy to be you) out.

 

[Jaguar]

You can tell me I'm full of bullshit and rubbish if you like, but it won't accomplish anything unless I come to understand why my experiences and information are incorrect.

I have no intention of doing that when my goal is to get your head out of your butt.
Are you telling me you have gone through the want ads, applied for everything, and they all told you to screw off?
Why don't you go work in a library or something, until you find what you really want.
What about bookstores?
Let me guess, they won't hire you either.

What size city are you in?
How old are you?
What are your biggest interests?

By the way, what parent screwed your head up?
It's GLARING at me.

 

[Athenian200]

Let the person inside you, (that is happy to be you) out.

Hmm... well, the person inside me is actually indifferent about being me. I don't see it as good or bad. I could have been born into better situations, and worse situations. So being me is kind of... average. Except for my ironic detachment, I guess.

I only think my life sucks because I can't accomplish a goal I set for myself, honestly.

I have no intention of doing that when my goal is to get your head out of your butt.

Oh.

Are you telling me you have gone through the want ads, applied for everything, and they all told you to screw off?

Well, I haven't applied for everything... but I have applied for 20 minimum wage jobs in my area, and there's not a whole lot left to try in my immediate area. I suppose I could try another area, but I'm afraid of not making it to work on time if I do that.

...

That's pretty dumb, come to think of it. Worrying about being late to a job I don't even have?

Why don't you go work in a library or something, until you find what you really want.
What about bookstores?
Let me guess, they won't hire you either.

Actually, I didn't apply for those jobs because they weren't minimum wage, and several them said they wanted 2 years experience. Sounds a little out of my league.

Unless your point is that I should attempt to apply to jobs regardless of whether I have the qualifications?

What size city are you in?

It's pretty big, I guess, but I've really only been looking in my immediate neighborhood. Also, a lot of job listings are for neighboring cities I know I have no way of getting to for the interview, let alone for the work. Heck, there a lot of jobs I could get just for having a car (which I don't)! Sigh.

Maybe I should try to get my license...

How old are you?

21.

What are your biggest interests?

Well, I'm interested in computers, people, and businesses, particularly large businesses. I would ideally like to do some kind of work on computers in an office, maybe data entry or something. But I think I'll have to work my way up to that.

By the way, what parent screwed your head up?
It's GLARING at me.

Both of them.

My mother gave me the idea that the world is a place where no one can get ahead unless they have some kind of unfair advantage. However, she thinks I'm valuable. My father gave me the idea that I'm completely useless and stupid, but thinks the world is fair and that everyone can succeed in it... except me.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Hmm... well, the person inside me is actually indifferent about being me. I don't see it as good or bad. I could have been born into better situations, and worse situations. So being me is kind of... average. Except for my ironic detachment, I guess.

Do you just want to go through life being apathetic towards yourself?

 

[Ginkgo]

Do you just want to go through life being apathetic towards yourself?

I think Athenian should be grateful that he has life and roll with it. If you were grateful that you were given a car, would you drive it? If you were grateful that you were given money, would you spend it? The trick is, in the instance of life, you are grateful to and for yourself. This concept is counter intuitive and cliche, I know.

But then again, one can't be helped if they lack the will to help oneself. [Insert more Dr. Phil crap here].

 

[Jaguar]

Actually, I didn't apply for those jobs because they weren't minimum wage, and several them said they wanted 2 years experience. Sounds a little out of my league.

Unless your point is that I should attempt to apply to jobs regardless of whether I have the qualifications?

Nothing is out of your league if you have the right state of mind.
The problem isn't really qualifications anyway.
It's the neon sign blinking on your forehead:

I HAVE LOW SELF ESTEEM.

Kill it. Before it kills you.
The only way you will get where you want to go is starting from inside yourself.
You need a major overhaul.

My mother gave me the idea that the world is a place where no one can get ahead unless they have some kind of unfair advantage. However, she thinks I'm valuable. My father gave me the idea that I'm completely useless and stupid, but thinks the world is fair and that everyone can succeed in it... except me.

I figured as much. Do you live with them?
That environment is toxic.

 

[Athenian200]

Do you just want to go through life being apathetic towards yourself?

It doesn't really matter to me. What matters to me is getting through it and making some kind of positive difference, regardless of how I feel about myself.

Hmm... you know, I guess I'll just have to come up with something.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

It doesn't really matter to me. What matters to me is getting through it and making some kind of positive difference, regardless of how I feel about myself.

Hmm... you know, I guess I'll just have to come up with something.

I surely hope you do!

 

[Ginkgo]

It doesn't really matter to me. What matters to me is getting through it and making some kind of positive difference, regardless of how I feel about myself.

Hmm... you know, I guess I'll just have to come up with something.

A solitary altruist swiftly becomes a nihilist.

 

[Athenian200]

Nothing is out of your league if you have the right state of mind.
The problem isn't really qualifications anyway.
It's the neon sign blinking on your forehead:

I HAVE LOW SELF ESTEEM.

Kill it. Before it kills you.
The only way you will get where you want to go is starting from inside yourself.
You need a major overhaul.

Well, I have low self-esteem precisely because I haven't achieved much of anything.

Actually, I did get a boost to it when I got my High School diploma, so it's a bit higher than it was in high school. If nothing else, I can call myself a high school graduate who got mostly As. That's something I'm proud of, but it's the only thing.

It seems that I need to achieve something if I want to have any self-esteem. I was actually thinking about learning Spanish. That's a valuable skill, and not everyone bothers to learn it. In fact, I've already started trying to learn the pronunciation.

I figured as much. Do you live with them?
That environment is toxic.

Yes, I've lived with both of them, off and on... but thankfully not at the same time since they're divorced.

 

[Ginkgo]

Well, I have low self-esteem precisely because I haven't achieved much of anything.

Actually, I did get a boost to it when I got my High School diploma, so it's a bit higher than it was in high school. If nothing else, I can call myself a high school graduate who got mostly As. That's something I'm proud of, but it's the only thing.

It seems that I need to achieve something if I want to have any self-esteem. I was actually thinking about learning Spanish. That's a valuable skill, and not everyone bothers to learn it. In fact, I've already started trying to learn the pronunciation.

Take small steps. Learn things. Gain confidence. It will build your momentum toward bigger goals. But first you have to designate a goal.

 

[Athenian200]

Take small steps. Learn things. Gain confidence. It will build your momentum toward bigger goals. But first you have to designate a goal.

Thanks. That's a good idea.

I'm sorry I was rude to you earlier. That's actually rather thoughtful.

Anyway...

I think now I would agree that time is the only currency that's valuable. The trick is remembering it when surrounded by messages that time is expendable, and that other things are not.

 

[Ginkgo]

Thanks. That's a good idea.

I'm sorry I was rude to you earlier. That's actually rather thoughtful.

Thank you. Now what's your goal?

Apologies are wonderful, but make sure they don't deviate from the task.

 

[Athenian200]

Thank you. Now what's your goal?

Apologies are wonderful, but make sure they don't deviate from the task.

Right now, it's to learn Spanish and get my driver's license. Those are things I could learn that I could be personally proud of, and that might have some use to others.

 

[Ginkgo]

Right now, it's to learn Spanish and get my driver's license.

Let's get your driver's license first, as it implies freedom. You have the prerequisite permit, correct?

 

[Jaguar]

Well, I have low self-esteem precisely because I haven't achieved much of anything.

Is that you or your Dad talking? What a crock. You can feel good about yourself at any age, and it is not dependent upon what you have achieved.

Actually, I did get a boost to it when I got my High School diploma, so it's a bit higher than it was in high school. If nothing else, I can call myself a high school graduate who got mostly As. That's something I'm proud of, but it's the only thing.

I figured you were a good student.

It seems that I need to achieve something if I want to have any self-esteem. I was actually thinking about learning Spanish. That's a valuable skill, and not everyone bothers to learn it. In fact, I've already started trying to learn the pronunciation.

That's a start. At least "achievement" to you, isn't necessarily monetary.
Do you write well? How about learning to write articles, freelance?
What about proofreading?

Yes, I've lived with both of them, off and on... but thankfully not at the same time since they're divorced.

There's a glimmer of hope. I don't much care for your Father's negative influence.

 

[Athenian200]

Is that you or your Dad talking? What a crock. You can feel good about yourself at any age, and it is not dependent upon what you have achieved.

If that's the case, then why do people care so much about achievements? Why are they impressed by them? It seems that people must believe they bestow value on some level...

That's a start. At least "achievement" to you, isn't necessarily monetary.
Do you write well? How about learning to write articles, freelance?
What about proofreading?

I could definitely do proofreading, with a bit of study. I can't write anything original like an author can, but I can write things such an analysis or an essay. I'm more like an editor than a writer at heart.

There's a glimmer of hope. I don't much care for your Father's negative influence.

Me neither. My mom's been trying to help me think positively again, too, but she's stuck in a dead-end job that she feels like she only got by lying, terrified of losing it, and doesn't know how to help me. She said she mostly got it because she literally drove her car everywhere, went into any store she could find, and basically begged everyone for work (mostly because she had to take care of me)... and eventually found a temp agency that sent her to a company that decided to hire her. She's worked there for the last 10+ years, at least. She's never gotten more than a 3 cent raise, and never gotten a promotion.

She doesn't even think she could find another job if she lost hers... so she's struggling to advise me.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

If that's the case, then why do people care so much about achievements?

Because they think that their time here is the only time they have.

 

[Athenian200]

Because they think that their time here is the only time they have.

That's probably true, actually.

So if the time you have here is all that matters... achievements are valuable in that they show you did something other than waste your time!

That makes sense, actually. So it was never intended to fuel self-esteem, it was intended to show others that you are capable. Self-esteem is taken for granted.

It kind of sounds like an Fe misinterpretation of Te, doesn't it?