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Enthusiasm is the height of man; it is the passing from the human to the divine.


Here is Henry zealously approaching the slide down at Bicentennial Park for the umpteenth time. Oh how I long for those blissful, carefree and innocent days of youth. A time when one's greatest concern tended towards whether one would be able to squeeze in one more go of the slide before dusk set in.

[Such a memory must have been before the public housing estate really kicked off, and one's concern tended towards "is that a human poo/broken glass/a used condom/syringe on the slide?"]

Where was I?

Ah,the heady days of youth! A time far away from the realisation of the crushing reality of bills, mortgages and the soul destroying banality of a job you now struggle to remember even getting.

Alienated from the ends of my production? Check. Uh oh. Somehow I've been denied my capacity to transform the world and it turns out that Marx was right! In having to work, rather than slide, I've become alienated from my very own nature. It is a spiritual, rather than material, loss.

And it is quite upsetting.

I would like to ride the side for a living. I would like to fly a kite for a living. I would like to sleep for a living.

Comments

KL said…
Kris, you are making me depressed. I suffer from the same syndrome every moment ever since graduating in 2005 and taking a job. Why is it? Why are we suffering from the same thing? Is it a syndrome of the 21st century? Grrrrr.........can't wait for the retirement days!!!!
USelaine said…
It isn't just you youngsters. And. You will never be able to afford to retire.
Anonymous said…
don't listen to the dumb ol' grownups. We can find a way to slide for a living! (I'm 57 and I ain't giving up!) If I get it worked out I'll let you know. Return the favor?
Anonymous said…
And, I agree. Marx seems to have been right about...a thing or two.
Kris McCracken said…
KL, I am up and down about work. Some days are less worse than others. It is difficult when you have no passion for the job though. It's a good thing that I do have pride in doing a good job, but it is not the same as being enthusiastic about your job.

The trouble is, I'm not sure what I'd really like to do (at least that is realistic).
Kris McCracken said…
Elaine, I reckon that I'll be fine. Jen and I don't need much to live on, and in fact we've been able to save on one income when everyone we know is chasing their tail on two.
Kris McCracken said…
A.Decker, I have resisted the urging of grownups this long, but the whole sole wage slave with two kids is a heavy weight to bear!

I agree on Marx. I think that Marx had a neat turn of phrase, who was very often correct in his critique. His solutions (which weren't really solutions, rather 'imaginings'), were less accurate, unfortunately.

Engels gets a raw deal on this front. He contributed far more than just the money, but it wasn't a good look for a revolutionary though, you know, the whole 'successful industrialist' vibe...
Steve Buser said…
If you get a job riding the slide for a living, give me a call so I can sign up too
Kris McCracken said…
Steve, I promise that I will!
Anonymous said…
Welcome to my nightmare my son. It will get better, mine did.
Perhaps you should have gone to sea, as I did.
Apart from a minor speed hump at one time, I still enjoy what I do.
Who would have thought, coming up 39 years.
There was a time about 20 years ago, I was as you are now. I refocussed. I don't know how to advise you. Two deep breaths and keep going.
Kris McCracken said…
Roddy, I'll toss a coin to decide which way I go!
yamini said…
Kris, you couldn't be more accurate than to point out the banalities of modern day work life.
I guess, from the comments on your post, each one of us is suffering the same syndrome.
Though, I would like to point out to USelaine that a comfortable retirement is directly proportional to how much you save during your work life. So, on that front, we can start saving from this time of the day itself.
However, Kris, since you have really made me (and so many of us) depressed with the last line on this post, you will have to put up another really awesome photograph of Henry on the blog to make up for that. (I'm sure others would agree too).
Kris McCracken said…
KL, hopefully the Henry picture that I posted this morning quenched your thirst somewhat.

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