How many people here want to be a "bum"

I can't decide if it is tougher to be a bum these days or if I'm just too old for it.

My own Down and Out in Paris in the late seventies, consisted of living in a boat shed by the Seine, doing a little decoration and restoring old posters, didn't own anything beside a duffle bag full of clothes. It was freezing cold but, I remember eating fairly well and drinking lots of not too bad Cotes-du-Rhone wine (it was cheap). Lots of art openings and fashion shows to attend and wonderful times dining at friends' places and partying.

I had the time of my life and I'll "always have Paris," But I wonder if one could replicate the experience today and if so where.
 
If I were addressing an 18 year old person, I would have said "Complete your education, and then see what life has in reserve for you."

I am lucky to have lived a good life in three countries so far. Being exposed to many cultures is what life should be about. In your case, and if you have no dependents to worry about, then do what makes you feel happy, given that you somehow can secure a stable future for yourself as you get older.
 
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In my last year of university I used to moonlight as a cab driver. Often i would sit at the taxi stop by the uni and pick up students - somehow they were nearly all commerce students.

I don't remember any of them liking what they were studying - but as they put it 'it'll get me a job'.

To this day I find it depressing that a large proportion of people work most of their life doing something that they don't enjoy, so they can buy alcohol, big screen televisions and a BMW.
 
cubastreet said:
To this day I find it depressing that a large proportion of people work most of their life doing something that they don't enjoy, so they can buy alcohol, big screen televisions and a BMW.
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Not everyone's "enjoyment" can actually translate into a decent paying job. That's why people spend money to enhance the enjoyment of their spare time.
I'm getting a little tired of the condescension towards people who work jobs that aren't directly related to their passions. It's just not feasible for every single person to accomplish this.
 
photogdave said:
I'm getting a little tired of the condescension towards people who work jobs that aren't directly related to their passions. It's just not feasible for every single person to accomplish this.
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To a certain extent it is a matter of degrees- how much one is willing or able to do without. All through my twenties I watched many of my friends outpace me in income, but I also watched them give up a lot of the things they enjoyed. I was certainly not willing to do that, and so made do with the one pair of shoes and home haircuts. Nothing wrong with going the other way- in a lot of ways it is smarter, especially as one starts to see the 'golden years' on the horizon.
 
photogdave said:
I'm getting a little tired of the condescension towards people who work jobs that aren't directly related to their passions. It's just not feasible for every single person to accomplish this.
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Not when greed, competition and status are the ideals of society.

I don't love my work, it's just work. I just make sure that I do a lot of rewarding stuff in between.
I just think that it's sad that so many people get tricked into thinking that a big house and a fast car will make them happy. They buy the big house with the marble staircase and from then on going away for more than a week or two is impossible.
 
cubastreet said:
Not when greed, competition and status are the ideals of society.

I don't love my work, it's just work. I just make sure that I do a lot of rewarding stuff in between.
I just think that it's sad that so many people get tricked into thinking that a big house and a fast car will make them happy. They buy the big house with the marble staircase and from then on going away for more than a week or two is impossible.
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I hear what you're saying but I fear you may be generalizing. I know people who are truly happy with fast cars and big houses. They work hard to get them because that is what they truly want. They could give a hang about travel and experiencing other cultures or living like a vagabond.
It's not to my way of thinking but if they are happy with their lives I'm not going to try and tell them that they shouldn't be.
They aren't greedy or status seekers. They just like nice things. It doesn't mean their lives are shallow or empty.
 
I think the key is to keep an eye on your goals. If your work is helping you to achieve those goals, then you'll tend to enjoy the work. If it's getting in the way of the goals, then it's time for a change.

A number of years ago I left a high paying corporate sales career that was sucking too much out of my personal life (one of my goals is to continue living very happily with my wife) and took a job in automotive aftermarket retail. I may get paid half what I used to earn, but the hours are easier (more time for photography), and I get to stand around and talk about cars all day!

One day I'll get some land and do the whole hippy self sustaining lifestyle bit - I can save enough to get there on what I'm earning, I just have to wait a little longer for that Canon P I'd like someday. 🙂

Cheers,
Steve
 
thanks for all the replies. I have been done the same kind of job for last 10 years. I love my job, it is most interesting part of the finance. it pays well, afford me things (including cameras). But as I said, given the current recession, I don't see my area will recover any time soon, as much as 50% of people I dealt with were gone. I am on a very thin ice, perhasp I can keep my job, no one knows.

I just moved to London begining this year, now I am totally stressed out. I have decided that if I were to go, I will backpack EMEA and Asia and go back to NYC.

Perhaps I can afford to drift for a while but eventually I have to come back to reality.
 
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