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Originally Posted by moonrambler 
I wasn't so much trying to express guilty feelings about the way society is set up as far as work, but the way that my views about money and work got very distorted over time, so that I was constantly insisting that money isn't important and people shouldn't sell their souls to work 40 hours or more doing something they don't like, etc.,
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Well, I very much agree with you... up to a point. I'd rather work for something I like (I'm trying) and get less money than slave 40 hours a day for much more money. For example, between 1000 euros a month as an illustrator, and 3000 euros a month working at something I hate, I'd get the less money and the happy time. That said, if I don't get paid for doing what I like, I'll have to find a way to get paid for something I don't like so I can make ends meet. I wouldn't choose something that would make me utterly miserable (for example, I couldn't be a prostitute no matter the money involved... I wouldn't work in a slaughterhouse either... there are things that I just can't do no matter the money involved). But, some menial, boring jobs are needed from time to time to make ends meet. And I have always taken one of those when I had to. I always took those jobs as temporary, knowing I didn't want to be there, and making a point of getting out of them the sooner the better.
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and in the meantime, I was very stupid about money and relying too much on credit because I always figured someday I would finally make something happen,
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Oooops. Huge mistake there. The only credit I have ever endured was the mortgage for my house. Otherwise, my husband and I avoid credit like the plague it is. We even bought used cars, and never bought a new one until we had money to pay it in full (mine is still a 9 years volkswagen). The only reason why you should accept to pay interest is a mortgage, because as a general rule you can't save enough to buy a house in one payment. Nothing else: car, clothing, Christmas expenditure, nothing (well, maybe the exception of medical bills) should drive anyone into credit.
The first rule is saving. And if you aren't getting any money, then the first rule is not spending, much less spending more than you have. If your attempt at what's big fail, at least you are clean. Credit is a shackle... I'd rather spend all my time home buying only food, than spend money I don't have. It's something that makes me extremely nervous... My house mortgage is already a curse.
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without my having to go do all this junk I was always protesting about. I was very idealistic for a very, very long time. Right now I'm tired.
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Well... You can be both idealistic and realistic. I am very idealistic because I want to live off my illustrations. I am realistic too, so I saved money from my previous lame jobs, and now have a security financial cushion in case something goes wrong. Even if you hadn't been idealistic, and you had been OK with a 9 to 5 job, using credit wouldn't have been a good idea. The rule of saving 10% (minimum) or 20% of your wages each month is one of the greatest economic ideas you'll hear. I find not saving pretty insecure... Spending what you don't have is even worse. But I don't think it has anything to do with idealism, but with a wrong concept of management. It is very good that you have changed your mind about that.