So I's sittin there in a bar when a guy comes up to me and says 'My Life Stinks'

Move along, nothing to see here!
george
Posts: 296
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:41 am

Post by george »

Actually Josh, I find your comments hysterical. I've retired 30 years early. I'd rather be standing in line now and then when I'm young rather than sitting at a desk until I'm 65. personal choice.
And I really find it humorous that you started this thread to complain about complaining, then when we try to poke fun at ourselves you take it negatively.
Different strokes for different folks.
PS whats wrong with senior citizens, a lot of them seem to have a much better sense of humour than the so called youth.


Spartan_Warrior
Posts: 1659
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:24 am

Post by Spartan_Warrior »

Ironically, this thread strikes me as more negative than most anything else I've seen here.
And I say that with as little negativity as possible.
I agree with @george that I think you were trying to hit a certain note and hit the wrong one. (Which makes it also a little ironic that you're now discussing "public relations".)
If I understand you right, it's that there is a lot of discussion here centering around the difficulties in fitting into consumer society, and that it occasionally borders on defeatist. And frankly, I can understand that point. There is a lot of "my SO doesn't understand" and "so the other day my coworkers mocked my lack of X consumer good, what do?" type posts. But as @Ego has said, that is a perfectly natural theme when discussing an "extreme" lifestyle, and where better to discuss it than with other practitioners?
Further, to take the Matrix analogy, there is a certain negativity inherent in knowing the truth behind the workings of the world. ERErs are better able to see the naivety, greed, and self-destructive nature of consumer economies and the governments and populations that support them. Once you've taken the red pill--or blue pill, whatever, I don't know the Matrix--you can't go back to blissful ignorance.
Of course, there's also the inherent positive of ERE--being, or becoming, free of said destructive systems, and all the opportunities and joys that freedom entails. Which I believe is what you're getting at.
And I think there are just as many "positive" discussions here too, dealing with practical skills, sharing personal financial victories, telling amusing stories, discussing philosophical, socioeconomic, and investment theories, etc.
So perhaps the "positive" response to your problem would be to create more threads in that vein, or whatever other "awesomeness" you prefer. Get out there and show us how it's done.


MattF
Posts: 48
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:48 pm

Post by MattF »

I swell with happiness every time I listen to this song:
http://vimeo.com/31133188


dragoncar
Posts: 1316
Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 7:17 pm

Post by dragoncar »

I swell with happiness every time I listen to this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOFKU_hwj2o


palmera
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Contact:

Post by palmera »

What Spartan_Warrior said.


JohnnyH
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Location: Rockies

Post by JohnnyH »

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.


Maus
Posts: 505
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:43 pm

Post by Maus »

@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.


jacob
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Post by jacob »

@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].


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