I understand what JOSH is talking about... My enthusiasm has been on constant downtrend since I put ERE principles on autopilot many years ago. Only now, as retirement that impossible goal nears, does it seem like that trend might stop. It's hard to do something you would rather not be doing for years and not have some negativity bleed in.
I bet there are some extraordinary people in here who found balance, but I would bet there are many more "extreme" types with volatile enthusiasm levels.
So I's sittin there in a bar when a guy comes up to me and says 'My Life Stinks'
@JohnnyH
True. The origin of my adopting ERE principles may have been associated with positive aspects of my long-expired vow of poverty as a monk some twenty years ago, but I know the biggest driver of ERE in my life over the past couple years has been the toxicity of my job and the waves of negativity that has induced. I want F**K YOU money, plain and simple.
It makes sense that many EREistas come to this forum because they are looking for a solution to actual or incipient job hell or for advice from people who avoided job hell. But there are other reasons for the adoption of the ERE philosophy. It strikes me that @Jacob was motivated as much by the intellectual challenge as he was by the goal of surreptiously developing a robust response to peak oil that might resonate with people not otherwise predisposed. Maybe those of differing motivation don't mix well or easily?
At any rate, some of us need an outlet to rant about things we find "double plus ungood" to use the Orwellian terminology. In my case, my family seems to understand how significant ERE philosophy is to me, but they won't drink the koolaid and won't let me rant to/with them. So, this is where I get my fix.
True. The origin of my adopting ERE principles may have been associated with positive aspects of my long-expired vow of poverty as a monk some twenty years ago, but I know the biggest driver of ERE in my life over the past couple years has been the toxicity of my job and the waves of negativity that has induced. I want F**K YOU money, plain and simple.
It makes sense that many EREistas come to this forum because they are looking for a solution to actual or incipient job hell or for advice from people who avoided job hell. But there are other reasons for the adoption of the ERE philosophy. It strikes me that @Jacob was motivated as much by the intellectual challenge as he was by the goal of surreptiously developing a robust response to peak oil that might resonate with people not otherwise predisposed. Maybe those of differing motivation don't mix well or easily?
At any rate, some of us need an outlet to rant about things we find "double plus ungood" to use the Orwellian terminology. In my case, my family seems to understand how significant ERE philosophy is to me, but they won't drink the koolaid and won't let me rant to/with them. So, this is where I get my fix.
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jacob
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@Maus - "Maybe those of differing motivation don't mix well or easily?"
They most definitely do not. I've had the damndest time explaining ERE to on the E-R forum because they mostly hook on to the "retirement" aspect of ERE. Like the web of goals strategy in the book, ERE is many things and can be used to do many things.
Due to ERE I'm now confident that I'll deal nicely with peak oil and its related problems which used to create a deep sense of worry, but I was also very glad to have the FU money to now change [career] direction at the time [3 years ago] and henceforward whenever I want.
One thing that I always took comfort in in terms of robustness/failure is that if someone adopted ERE and later decided they didn't like it, at least they'd have six figures of savings, some interesting DIY skills, some self-reliance confidence, and perhaps some stories too to make up for it [as opposed to having driven a fancy car, owned the newest iphone, but no skills, no stories, and no savings].
They most definitely do not. I've had the damndest time explaining ERE to on the E-R forum because they mostly hook on to the "retirement" aspect of ERE. Like the web of goals strategy in the book, ERE is many things and can be used to do many things.
Due to ERE I'm now confident that I'll deal nicely with peak oil and its related problems which used to create a deep sense of worry, but I was also very glad to have the FU money to now change [career] direction at the time [3 years ago] and henceforward whenever I want.
One thing that I always took comfort in in terms of robustness/failure is that if someone adopted ERE and later decided they didn't like it, at least they'd have six figures of savings, some interesting DIY skills, some self-reliance confidence, and perhaps some stories too to make up for it [as opposed to having driven a fancy car, owned the newest iphone, but no skills, no stories, and no savings].