Existential crisis part 2

[englshivy]

So, a few weeks ago I posted about my existential crisis, which is ongoing. How many blog entries on the interweb do you think are about existential crises? It's humbling to think just how not-unique my journal is. And I think that probably implies that I am not that unique myself, either. Which, oddly enough, is a little bit comforting

Comments

[smandal]

Is this an existential crisis, or more a meditation on what worthwhile thing you want to dedicate yourself to?

The questioning of "worthwhileness" itself would be an existential crisis, IMHO.

[englshivy]

You're probably right, but "existential crisis" just sounds too cool not to co-opt. Also, I guess I was using it just a touch ironically, since existential crises are luxuries and I am pretty firmly middle-class, so calling anything about my life a "crisis" is kind of funny.

[smandal]

Eh, one doesn't need to be rich to worry about what to do with one's self.

Also, after a while, the cost of worrying about what to do is greater than the difference in benefit between alternatives. If you settle on something sufficiently challenging, you'll likely find the same [whatever] (beauty/satisfaction/closeness to God/etc.) as you would have with a possibly superior choice.

[englshivy]

You know, I haven't done much thinking along those lines. I guess it is fallacious thinking to imagine that if I end up in a line of work that isn't my very heart's desire, I can't ever be satisfied, isn't it?

So, the idea is just to jump in with both feet even if you're not sure it's what you want to do forever?

[smandal]

Or, that if you figure out and obtain your "dream job," that you won't get bored of it eventually.

My take on it is that your personal stake shouldn't be in the job, but to use the job (or most anything, for that matter) as a tool for discovery. The personal stake, then, is in being intellectually honest, open to new things and tough.