Low consciousness jobs, yes or no?

[Cocolove]

I remember one time Leo said something about if you think you're going to get enlightened working at McDonalds it won't work. You won't be able to once you raise your consciousness.

I started working at doordash about a month ago, where I delivered food to people from restaurants. It was great, because I was making a solid $20 an hour, much  more than previous $7 to $9 jobs, and could listen to whatever in my car, and learn. I became vegan two monthsish ago, and although I may not do this forever, I don't plan on going back to factory farmed or inhumanely raised animals. At first I justified Doordash because I am just the deliverer, not the preparer or eater of the food. At one point I had a dream that there was a vegan doordash, but alas, there is not. Today I was thinking about it, and I broke down crying for a while, and I realized I cannot do this. This is like someone against slavery getting a job working on a ship that transports slaves hundred of years ago. I am thinking about Uber, or maybe looking into some other creative way to make money. I just need to save up a decent amount so I can go on a good gap year before college starting next August. 

I was thinking about starting a thread asking, should I stop doing this when I'm questioning it? Now I know I am done and cannot do this, and I am wondering if I made the right decision, and if anyone could shine some light on what the hell is going on psychologically and spiritually, re: Leo's Mcdonalds idea. 

 

[Roy]

You gotta do what you gotta do to pay the bills, survival comes before enlightenment. The key is too have a plan for an alternative and just do what you have to do to be able to execute on that plan at the right time.

[Matt23]

Agree with @Roy... somewhat, but not always...

I was in a similar situation... working at a fast food place.  I needed something to pay the bills but I felt totally downtrodden on the inside.

I think more self-compassion can help.

Also, listening to intuition...  Sometimes having the courage to just say "fuck it" and move on can be a positive thing... 

You'll figure it out.

What do you think is right for you?

In terms of balance, what do you think you're unique balance is?  In terms of maybe trying something or doing something in a way you haven't done for most of your history or are scared to do.

 

[ZenBlue]

It's better to not judge yourself and society too harshly. We have come this far as a species because of everything our predecessors have done for us. Nothing is perfect, so overtime we start to realize the flaws in our systems and ways of life. No matter what we do in life, if we nitpick at it long enough we will be able to find many flaws.

If you really think it's so horrible to be a part of this system, the only way out is either death or living completely off the grid with no modern tools and no clothes at all. The clothing industry is also a great contributor of global ecological damage. What does it take to create the technology we have today? How much raw material have we had to take from the Earth to produce all our cars, smartphones, and produce the electricity we have today? What about our modern day plumbing and trash system? Where does all the waste go?

See... if you decide to play the shame game, it is endless. You can look at every facet of society and find something wrong with it. Rather, don't judge and demonize it as evil. Just recognize that nothing we do can ever be perfect. That's what it means to be human. The shame game has no winners.

I, personally am very accustomed to the modern day luxuries. I won't judge myself for embracing and enjoying in this modern world. Maybe it is that my ego is attached to all of this, but I still enjoy these luxuries without guilt and judgment. I can't go and be some caveman type of guy just living off the land with some loin cloth and in the wild.

Of course, there must be some balance in the world. The collective of society is moving towards that balance. We do not still live like cavemen because that did not help progress our consciousness. The modern technology we have today in a way has allowed for more people to become more highly conscious.

You can do any job with higher levels of consciousness. Money is a human idea and only used by humans. Therefore, where does money come from? It comes from other people. If you want money, you must serve people in some way shape or form. That means you are still part of the system no matter what career option you take. You can deliver your food in a more conscious way by interacting more kindly and joyfully with the people you come across.

[Nahm]

@Cocolove I was once in a realm without pants, and I had a dream of pants. I listened to the dreamer. 

[Average Investor]

By just realizing it you are already on your way to better things. I would try to save up some money to help you find other ventures. If you still want to just work a job, then search around for what seems to be a better fit for you. At least what you are doing is a start in the right direction. I recall working at buger king and literally watching a regular customer collapse on the floor after eating some of the food. It is a bunch of toxic crap, but that is what I had to do at the time to get by. I have left since and never looked back. 

[Cocolove]

13 hours ago, ZenBlue said:

If you really think it's so horrible to be a part of this system, the only way out is either death or living completely off the grid with no modern tools and no clothes at all.

You can deliver your food in a more conscious way by interacting more kindly and joyfully with the people you come across.

I guess this is more just about specifically that I was contributing to factory farming, and I'm pretty sure my whole life purpose is the opposite, i.e. permaculture.

5 hours ago, Nahm said:

@Cocolove I was once in a realm without pants, and I had a dream of pants. I listened to the dreamer. 

so seek a better alternative?

I'm thinking growing microgreens is a good idea.

[Nahm]

20 hours ago, Cocolove said:

At one point I had a dream that there was a vegan doordash, but alas, there is not.

I’d contemplate on that. See if it feels good, and maybe more coagulates around it. 

(puts pants back on)

[Anirban657]

@Cocolove I also agree with @Roy . 

[Cocolove]

On 3/14/2020 at 8:55 PM, Roy said:

You gotta do what you gotta do to pay the bills, survival comes before enlightenment.

The key is too have a plan for an alternative and just do what you have to do to be able to execute on that plan at the right time.

But aren't there more conscious ways to do survival? I'm not talking about enlightenment v. survival., just conscious v. unconscious survival

and what do you mean by the second part? what are the two plans, in what context?

[Anirban657]

14 hours ago, Cocolove said:

But aren't there more conscious ways to do survival? I'm not talking about enlightenment v. survival., just conscious v. unconscious survival

and what do you mean by the second part? what are the two plans, in what context?

@Cocolove I think @Roy  means have a big picture plan for the long term. You don't have to work at McDonald's forever. Maybe you could start a business. And for that you create a plan that when you have the enough capital to invest in your business part time then you can grow your business until you can switch to the business fulltime.

[Roy]

On 3/16/2020 at 0:27 PM, Cocolove said:

But aren't there more conscious ways to do survival? I'm not talking about enlightenment v. survival., just conscious v. unconscious survival

and what do you mean by the second part? what are the two plans, in what context?

Yes there are, but the current economic game doesn't really favor them. Conscious survival is rare and difficult.

You may have to do unconscious survival. Don't resent it, just try to make the best of it until you can get to a point where you can do it consciously.

After all that's what any of this work, making the best of things.

[Vladz0r]

If you're working for an employer who doesn't treat you like an equal, who doesn't listen to your ideas earnestly, and accept that they can learn something from you, chances are you're in a low conscious job. It's fine, I've worked for devils in disguise nonstop who will rat you out to save their own asses at the drop of a hat. Just need the money to fund our side hustle and turn it into a life purpose after all.

[electroBeam]

@Cocolove No such thing as a low conscious job m8. All jobs are miraculous, just for existing. The perception about the job though? Not so miraculous. 

Your 'low consciousness' perception is relative. Doing the dishes as as low conscious as being a spiritual guru. There is no difference. 

[PenguinPablo]

7 hours ago, electroBeam said:

@Cocolove No such thing as a low conscious job m8. All jobs are miraculous, just for existing. The perception about the job though? Not so miraculous. 

Your 'low consciousness' perception is relative. Doing the dishes as as low conscious as being a spiritual guru. There is no difference. 

what about being a hitman or drug dealer

[remember]

On 15.3.2020 at 10:26 PM, Cocolove said:

I'm thinking growing microgreens is a good idea.

micro greens is a whole lot of work - you will have to keep a lot of hygienic precautions to do so, which is in any case food related - and you won’t be able to decide where people will put your micro greens on. its not in your power to decide on people’s food choices and its not your deed. but of course if you grow micro greens and find enough vegan places to use them you will have some saying in the growing vegan scene. which really brings along change not only for people who make it happen. one of my vegetarian acquaintances used to work at a slaughter to sell meat for some months - i would not say it’s enlightening but it can lead you to have some basic insights and awakening moments.

Edited March 19, 2020 by remember

[electroBeam]

1 hour ago, PenguinPablo said:

what about being a hitman or drug dealer

Have you noticed yet that you have in the past, or will in the future, reincarnate as a hitman? Still a terrible job when you pretend to be one?

You mean to say, what God is, and God is a hit man and drug dealer, is imperfect, because your survival driven worldview is more perfect??

You mean that job, where you destroy bodies, but don't really kill anyone because killing is simply God stopping to pretend? You mean that job where in the long run, you don't do any harm, and you only seem to do harm from a limited perspective?

Maybe a hit man is part of a grand design of the universe, a design trying to experience itself, and the hitman is a vital key player in carrying out that plan.

[Javfly33]

Are you sure your empathy towards animal cruelty comes from honesty?

[Javfly33]

18 hours ago, Roy said:

Yes there are, but the current economic game doesn't really favor them. Conscious survival is rare and difficult.

You may have to do unconscious survival. Don't resent it, just try to make the best of it until you can get to a point where you can do it consciously.

After all that's what any of this work, making the best of things.

@Roy What do you mean by "consciouss survival" exactly?

 

[Roy]

@Javfly33 Conscious survival is earning a living by doing work that is helpful for other people, animals, and the environment, or at least significantly more helpful than harmful. Quick examples would be: someone who grows their own food and sells it at a farmers market, someone who manages a not for profit disaster relief organization. A typical marker is having a job where you aren't at the complete behest of someone else and your efforts aren't going into furthering THEIR profits or pay.

Most jobs that exist at least in capitalist societies are low consciousness survival jobs. You are serving a system that is generally more harmful than helpful to the world. You are working under someone who doesn't truly give a fuck about you, the company, or the world. They just want more money so they can get a bigger house for themselves and get laid more, ect. Quick examples: Wall street trader, McDonalds employee.

Even if most work appears more helpful than harmful it could be the other way around. I'm sure there are lots of examples that are up to debate and it's really just subjective opinion.

The point is a lot of the available work in the world is low consciousness and you may be forced to participate in it just to make money and survive. That's ok. Just be working on an alternative in your spare time and save resources to be able to make it a reality. The world needs more conscious work if we really want to make the world a sustainable utopia. Right now though most people don't even realize that's a possibility. They are focused completely on their own selfishness, that is why the environment is collapsing, and wealth inequality between humanity is so bad.

Like Terence McKenna said, "We have the money, the power, the medical understanding, the scientific know-how, the love, and the community to produce a kind of human paradise. But we are led by the least among us."

Leo also has a video on this subject that is very helpful:

Cheers!