Why Be Passionate?, It's Only Going to Be Yanked Away From You Options

What's the point? What's the ******* POINT?!


I graduated with a degree in Information Systems Management (My first passion.) The field has now moved to Asia.


I got a job as a chef (My second passion ...at least, I thought it was.) I was laid off due to the economy (Not much call for a gourmet chef when the world is now grooving to Subway and Mickey D's.)





Why get excited about anything if it's only going to be yanked away from you later on? (I'd love to be able to stay in one place for twenty years. I want something to retire on.)



What is my place in this world?

This post has been edited by The Sorceress: Jul 20 2009, 12:00 AM

Meh I'll leave it here. Normally topics like this go to the life style and entertainment section, not that I find our lovely Soceress' problems entertaining. That's just where most topics of this nature are directed.

At any rate Sorceress...

Your situation is one with no real good answer for a solution. I suppose if you just give up on your hopes and dreams you might as well commit suicide (which I think you're smart enough to not do that).

Look we've all had our share of bull shit in life. There is nothing nobody can do about the past. Sometimes shit just happens. You really have two options - live in the past and sulk and pout about or look towards new horizons and per sue them.

One of the biggest schools of thought in Buddhism is that attachments are the root of all suffering. I mean think about it. Your passion is what you are most connected or attached to. You persued a career in technology services, sweet! Unfortunately at the time you didn't have the foresight to know that many of our technology based jobs are being out sourced to other countries. Right now some dude in a turbin is doing your job and all so that some coperate tycoon can gauge out an extra luxary sports car. It sucks, believe me I know. Then you looked into a career cooking (I'm hungry right now!) But again, you found out the hard way that making a living doing that in our modern go go society is very hard. Your passions lead you to suffering. So if passion leads to suffering, one must let go of their attachments. RIght???

WRONG!!!

Is that really the solution though? I mean although the buddhist have a good point but is it very realistic to just cast off all attachments? That, from my psychological background, is very very hard thing to do. And one that doesn't garuntee "happiness" in the sense of success and emotional elation. No matter what you will be passionate about something. Like right now you are kind of being passionate about not being passionate. You're allowing yourself to let the BS in life hold you back.

Although I respect buddhism, I disagree with them to a point. I think it is very important to have attachments. But positive attachments. Things that make you become a better person. That in my opinion is the essences of trancendence. Not meditating on how you screwed up or someone screw you over to make a buck nor is trying to deny the very basis of your existance as an individual. That doesn't solve anything and it doesn't produce anything of value. But positive attachments like close friends, family, hobbies that you enjoy things you like doing are all good attachments. So you have a degree in technology - write a resume and put it on Craig's list (or something like that). So you like to cook focus that ability some where that makes you happy - maybe cook yourself a really nice meal.

Ultimately things go wrong. People get laid off and in our economy things are taking a dive. Things are rough. But you don't have to let all that stuff hold you down. As long as you keep your inner flame kindled you can strive towards whatever goal you wish.

And at that I'm hungry and I need to get some thing to eat before I try to turn my key board into a sub sandwich.