Just don't be a nuisance

This morning at a neighbourhood coffee shop I overheard an interesting conversation between 2 scruffy looking men. One asked the other "are you still clean?", the second answered "yup, going on 7 months", the first congratulated him. They went on to talk about work, the first man saying he was working construction 7 days a week, when the second man said he was looking for work, the first said he would see with his employer if they need extra help and hopefully they would have work for his friend.

As ordinary and common as this conversation probably, it lead me to think about social expectations.

What first hit me is the hypocrisy of our society which would appreciate how these 2 men have straightened out their lives, yet where were we (society) when they needed help?

At a deeper level, I recognized that socially, we don't care that these 2 men might still be going through difficulties financially, work wise. That they don't really have choice about what they do for a living, they have to take the first thing which comes along. When they do, they will be expected to be grateful. As if "doing something", regardless of what it is, how (un)important, or boring it may be, is all that's important.

What matters to us a society is not that people have happy, fulfilling, and complete lives; we only don't want others to be a nuisance.

So in order to function in our society, one must simply "not be a nuisance". Not very mtivating is it?

Adapting is a sign of mental health

The society I am part of does / accepts things that I find atrocious such as (despite being one of the most prosperous societies in the world) letting it's own citizens live on the streets (often even blaming them!!)

My society is also hypocritical in that it condones (even encourages) unhealthy habits such as cigarette smoking, gamblind, and (to a lesser extent) consuming alcohol. While at the same time there's grandstanding about how marijuana and prostitution are horrible sins.

These socially accepted behaviours and hypocrisy bother me. It bothers me because if "adapting" to a society which chooses to remain flawed rather than making an effort to better itself is being mentally healthy it's time we re-consider what constitutes mental health.

Do what you truly enjoy

I have often felt guilty of wanting to do (work wise) what I like. As if I was asking for some sort of privilege. Until recently, I have thought of a person's profession as nothing more than an obligation. Work - lodge, feed, clothe yourself - pay you bills. After that (whatever time is left), do what you enjoy.

As if wanting a metier which involves one's likes is being finicky.

I also believed that those who (allegedly) enjoy what they do are exceptions such as athletes and entertainers. That only prodigies can achieve this because of their exceptional talent(s).
That "average Joe Schmo" can only hope for potential fun/happiness during "off hours".

No wonder people are depressed. If all we have to look forward to is a potential 45 minutes of our favorite activity tomorrow (assuming all goes well at work, and bills are all paid up).

Fortunately, more people are seeing the correlation between working in a job one enjoys and improved mental health!!

Don't let false "obligations" (IE. Socio-economic status) get in the way of following your passions.

Better to live a more humble lifestyle and be healthy than rich and miserable.