Pseudo life purposes

[StarStruck]

I want to start a career in programming and I understand that I should align my purpose with the greater good, not only for my own good, as far as I understand. So I started thinking how I can do that. 

I don’t know how I want to specialize but I thought about this question: “how can I contribute to the world?” First answer that came up “start making medical apps or something, or any apps that will make the world better”. This sounded so fake to me. I know I just want to program because I think I like programming, and of course I like the money in programming although I know I should love the journey as much as the produce of the journey.

Isn’t saying I want to become a life coach, programmer, psychologist or whatever to make the world a better place a pseudo life purpose??? The real purpose, if we don’t kid ourselves, is just to make a living and stay alive. Everything is secondary it feels to me. I’m struggling with Leo’s “competition versus creation” metaphor. He said that he stopped programming because he didn’t want to compete but create (be creative). Isn’t all programming jobs like this? So should I even follow a programming career? I’m asking because I don’t know and soon I have to make an important choice which is my life purpose  

 

 

[outlandish]

Your life purpose doesn't have to be to save the world. If you are passionate about programming, go for it. The world needs more passionate people doing the things they love. Extra bonus is that it compensates well and is in high demand. The world wants people like you to contribute to it in this way.

Leo had his reason to quit programming, but as you know, that has nothing to do with it being the right/wrong pursuit for you.

[Moreira]

I dont want to be the killjoy but whatever job or career you choose you will be contributing to wage slavery and to keep the big capitalist machine working. Thats not contributing to humanity, its contributing to the system.

[StarStruck]

22 minutes ago, Moreira said:

I dont want to be the killjoy but whatever job or career you choose you will be contributing to wage slavery and to keep the big capitalist machine working. Thats not contributing to humanity, its contributing to the system.

That is what I’m thinking too plus you have to compete to get the wage slave job. Option would be to create my own company but then I still have to compete to keep the boat  floating, stay alive and keep my future potential family alive. 

Leo has it easy because he chose a sector which isn’t prone to competition. There is nobody to compete with Leo. Only thing that comes close is RSD (real social dynamics) and that is not even direct competition. If enlightenment becomes mainstream Leo would have to compete with at least 10 other actualized YouTube channels. 

I want a career in programming but not a company anyway. So I have to compete for the job first and then compete with other companies who are a rival for the company I’m working for. The field of art (like painting) and such seems to me like the only sector in which you can create instead of compete. I could be wrong though. These are my thoughts.  

[RendHeaven]

2 minutes ago, StarStruck said:

That is what I’m thinking too plus you have to compete to get the wage slave job. Option would be to create my own company but then I still have to compete to keep the boat  floating, stay alive and keep my future potential family alive. 

Leo has it easy because he chose a sector which isn’t prone to competition. There is nobody to compete with Leo. Only thing that comes close is RSD (real social dynamics) and that is not even direct competition. If enlightenment becomes mainstream Leo would have to compete with at least 10 other actualized YouTube channels. 

I want a career in programming but not a company anyway. So I have to compete for the job first and then compete with other companies who are a rival for the company I’m working for. The field of art (like painting) and such seems to me like the only sector in which you can create instead of compete. I could be wrong though. These are my thoughts.  

Leo's niche definitely has competition. Lots of spiritual/self-help gurus out there. Leo simply POSITIONED himself differently such that he appeals more to a secular, depth-seeking audience.

[StarStruck]

1 hour ago, outlandish said:

Your life purpose doesn't have to be to save the world. If you are passionate about programming, go for it. The world needs more passionate people doing the things they love. Extra bonus is that it compensates well and is in high demand. The world wants people like you to contribute to it in this way.

Leo had his reason to quit programming, but as you know, that has nothing to do with it being the right/wrong pursuit for you.

Thanks for the answer. 

[StarStruck]

4 minutes ago, RendHeaven said:

Leo's niche definitely has competition. Lots of spiritual/self-help gurus out there. Leo simply POSITIONED himself differently such that he appeals more to a secular, depth-seeking audience.

Self help sector is relatively new. It isn’t a dog eat dog world like in other sectors. That is what I’m trying to say. 

[outlandish]

@Moreira The capitalist system could still be way better we need to keep tuning it and fixing it, but its overwhelmingly been a success for humanity, despite all of its flaws. We don't really have an alternative system to turn to at this point. The only way is forward, building on top of the foundation that's there.

Don't get me wrong, I don't advocate a far-right free-market capitalism, libertarianism or anything extreme. The most advanced economies in the world demonstrate that the happiest, healthiest, most thriving humans are living in countries with the right balance of socialism, free-markets, taxation, regulation and democracy.

Anyways, as a programmer you can easily skip being a wage slave. It's a path that's extremely conducive to freelance, entrepreneurship, working remote and so on. It's extremely creative.

[StarStruck]

@outlandish that was the thought I was having a moment ago. If I become so good at programming that I can earn enough money so money wouldn’t be a first priority; I would effectively move from survival mode to creative mode. The question I have to ask myself is if I have the potential to be very good at programming.

Thing is that a career choice is like opening a door you have never been in. You don’t know what is in the dark room. I would be less afraid if I was 20 but I’m 30. I have to be more careful. One makes important life choices in the first 40 years and then follows up his choices the next 40 years. That is how it works because I don’t have endless life and I will be happy if I become 80. 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2019 by StarStruck

[outlandish]

@StarStruck yes but be very careful with this mentality of earning enough money that it's not a first priority. There's no end to the feeling that you don't have enough money if you don't watch out. I highly recommend reading "Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin. Please check this book out! It really helps put your life, work and money into correct position.

I would say by your avatar that you have the potential to be a good programmer lol.

It doesn't matter that you're 30 and not 20. You'll probably live to 90 anyways if trends continue, which they should.

[StarStruck]

12 minutes ago, outlandish said:

@StarStruck yes but be very careful with this mentality of earning enough money that it's not a first priority. There's no end to the feeling that you don't have enough money if you don't watch out. I highly recommend reading "Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin. Please check this book out! It really helps put your life, work and money into correct position.

I would say by your avatar that you have the potential to be a good programmer lol.

It doesn't matter that you're 30 and not 20. You'll probably live to 90 anyways if trends continue, which they should.

I will put that book on my to-read list and read it ASAP. I actually already know what you mean with the money trap because I’m busy with Leo’s life purpose course. By the way what about my avatar? ?

[outlandish]

@StarStruck it's recursive and algorithmic

[StarStruck]

3 minutes ago, outlandish said:

@StarStruck it's recursive and algorithmic

The funny thing is that couple of months ago I started a drawing course and one of the first exercises was drawing a fractal. When I start drawing a fractal now (as a drawing exercise) I get so many insights. That is the story behind it. 

Edited June 11, 2019 by StarStruck

[RobertZ]

@Starstruck, you said, "The real purpose, if we don't kid ourselves, is just to make a living and stay alive."

John Locke said that (in the olden days), in places with lots of productive lands, the only real rule was that a person should not create too much rot. People regarded greed as wasteful. However, where people populated more densely and traded land for money, people could utilize vast tracts. Property lines became as sacred as the sacrifice of parents for their children. Fences became as holy as Mercy.

A career path is a bit of shared responsibility. In my first path, I was successful, but I did not get what I wanted. I did not take responsibility for my desires and others did not presume to care, I guess. In my second career, I enjoyed the path immensely, and I have not looked back (although I have cast a few long glances at other professions). 

People often claim to know what they want, or they claim to know it when they see it. Aspirations and desires seem to impel people. So, I might as well help others get what they want.

For example, an organization might go out and ask a bunch of people, 'What do you want, in terms of computer programs?' A government will turn around with a fist full of money and say, 'Please, develop careers in medical programming. All these people hoisting pitchforks are demanding lower tax, but all those suffering people are imploring "for the love of God!" that a doctor or nurse would help them.

So, maybe you will enjoy programming because it is fun or exciting; but other people might like your work because it lowers medical costs and supports functional care. I would probably advocate for some formality in your path if you can enjoy that though. 'As metal sharpens metal, so one person sharpens another;' and 'Two are better than one, and a three-ply cord is not quickly broken.'

[Extreme Z7]

@StarStruck  Just finish the LP course, do the suggested book reading and documentaries and things should become mostly cleared up for you.

Then comes the tricky part of actually putting it into action.

And for the record, I was a programmer myself before I realized that it wasn't what I truly wanted. I've been able to find what I truly desire through the course but making it real is still a huge challenge. (And I'm still in the process of reading the books.)

[universe]

I think you misinterpreted the "Creator vs Competitor" idea. It doesnt have to do with the profession you do. For example a musician can be competing with other musicians but Elon Musk can be a creator in a competitive market.

Its not the work you do. Its the mindset you have.

Dont bother with competing with others. Just focus on your work. So when you go to bed you might feel exhausted from all the work hours you put in that day. But you also feel deeply fulfilled because you are on the right path and found a way to express yourself. Then when you wake up you are excited to start the work again!

[Spiritual_Seeker]

No matter what you choose to focus on in terms of a career, you will have the opportunity to do good for other people. 

I also want to note that your life purpose as you see it isn't "pseudo" or fake. It's only natural to want to choose a career that you'll find satisfying. You're not wrong to say that the purpose of life is to survive, but there's more to it than that. If all we did was work, come home, and go to bed, our lives would be so empty. Humanity would have lost out on art, culture, life, and history. Entering into a career doesn't automatically remove your desire or ability to leave the world a better place than you found it. The book An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization details how an individual employee's development is intertwined with how the organization develops. It may help you to see how even as one single employee, you can create change that's positive for everyone,