What if everybody started to follow their dreams?

[Donatas Kaulinis]

What if everybody decided to stop doing anything that is not making them happy? What if everybody started pursuing their dreams?

Let's say we can divide all of those people into two groups. Group A - the ones who ask what is? Group B - the ones who ask what might be? I don't think the logical vs. creative paradigm of labeling people is right. But let's just say that they do split into these categories. Not structural like you would imagine in a socialist society. Unpredictable and somewhat crazy but still being in different groups if you look at it from far away. But no more people who have a job just for the sake of making money or even providing reasonably good living conditions for their families in this world.

My question is: is this possible?
I have this idea that it's unfair for me to have possibilities that other people don't. Also to live more consciously than others and learn more than they do. Because a whole lot of people do what they don't like and they are a big part of the reason that I have the posibilities. I just couldn't imagine being paid for something that doesn't create something physical in this world. For example: writing. But I have this sense that there is something wrong with this idea.

Excuse me if any of this is hard to understand. I realize my writing here is quite fuzzy and hard to understand but I hope you get the idea and can share what you think.

[Brutha]

Because a whole lot of people do what they don't like and they are a big part of the reason that I have the posibilities.

It depends a bit on your dream. If your dream is to sit watch TV all day then that might be a selfish path.
If your dream however includes a real contribution to human kind than you will help others to better their lives as well.

For example: writing. But I have this sense that there is something wrong with this idea.

Good writing helps people.

[Bradman]

Well, for one thing, there wouldn't be anyone left to clean toilets

[SlicK]

The world is naturally designed to fulfill all needs. When I say the world I don't mean society, I mean, the Universe, nature.

Somebody wants me to help him and I want to help somebody. Somebody wants to read something and I want to write something. Somebody wants to learn something and I want to teach something. There's always somebody that has what another needs.

Society is already designed around this concept. Businesses fulfill needs or wants. The wrong thing is that some guy is talented and loves to paint but he is working as a computer programmer, a job that drains the life out of him, bores him and he hates it. Another guy loves computer programming but he has a job cleaning toilets. The first one paints as a hobby, the other one is a hacker. Both don't get paid doing what they love, they get paid doing something they hate. But someone needs the painter and someone else needs the programmer.

[tagomago]

Well, for one thing, there wouldn't be anyone left to clean toilets

agreed. the comforts that we enjoy in our lives are because of people like them, i.e janitors, garbagemen/women etc. If everyone followed their dreams, this world would be an unsanitary, chaotic place.

[Kahuna]

Originally Posted by tagomago

agreed. the comforts that we enjoy in our lives are because of people like them, i.e janitors, garbagemen/women etc. If everyone followed their dreams, this world would be an unsanitary, chaotic place.

There are people out there who love to clean up.

But i guess if everyone has to follow his/her dream, the world would stand still because not many people are aware what excatly there dreams are, because most "dreams" are sprung from the cirumstance of living.

[James81]

"I'm tired of following my dreams. I think I'll just ask where they are going and hook up with 'em later." -- Mitch Hedburg

[carenkh]

Originally Posted by Kahuna

But i guess if everyone has to follow his/her dream, the world would stand still because not many people are aware what excatly there dreams are, because most "dreams" are sprung from the cirumstance of living.

Wouldn't this work in favor of the world working? Someone with no work, no income at all, might have the dream of any money coming in, no matter the job. Someone working might dream of a living wage, and health care.

If dreams spring from circumstance, then there would be dreams of all types.

[chernobyl]

I would say that it would be entirely possible because quite naturally following on ones dream ALWAYS involves creating something. When you create something, you are naturally contributing to the world and in fact, it should be your primary duty to figure out what it is that you can create, in abundance so that you can not only support yourself but also manifest your dreams as well.

To give you some examples: film producers make movies, rock stars make songs and deliver concerts, philosophers and writers output themselves into books and virtually every 'successful' person (which is in itself a very 'out there' concept) has always attained what society calls 'success' (very superficial term indeed) through the act of production.

So yes, if everybody would mind their own business and be a little bit more determined in the pursuit of their own desires, then yes, I believe that it would make this world a better place.

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by tagomago

agreed. the comforts that we enjoy in our lives are because of people like them, i.e janitors, garbagemen/women etc. If everyone followed their dreams, this world would be an unsanitary, chaotic place.

Why can't we clean our own toilets and pick up our own trash?

Why can't we have dreamers who figure out ways to automate or mitigate these maintenance problems?

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by chernobyl

I would say that it would be entirely possible because quite naturally following on ones dream ALWAYS involves creating something.

I think there are plenty of people whose dreams do not involve creating anything.

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by Michael Chui

Why can't we clean our own toilets and pick up our own trash?

Who's going to clean toilets in nursing homes, for instance?

[taylor]

Originally Posted by moonrambler

Who's going to clean toilets in nursing homes, for instance?

That sounds like a path of selfless service to me. Many people do just that for free. Many people don't want to create anything, they just want to serve humanity with compassion. You can even practice mindfulness and become aware of your resistance to smelly feces.

The Bhagavad-Gita and Mother Teresa are examples of this sentiment.

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by moonrambler

Who's going to clean toilets in nursing homes, for instance?

The people who dream of a life of comfort for those who live in nursing homes.

[jawillie]

Thank you for this thread, my own thoughts have been going in this direction.

I also want to add: does EVERYONE get compensation for providing value to the world? Do they REALLY?? Or are some people forced to live paycheck to paycheck even though they give selflessly and add contribution to the world?

And..

Don't some people create a short cut, gaining compensation without adding any REAL value to the world? Come on... surely.... Jersey Shore???? Entertainment is a value, I hear you say, but come on... really??? They get paid millions to party and act like tools??

Would it REALLY be someone's dream to work 12 hour days for 10/hour???

On the other hand, I am learning that our "job" doesn't have to be our "dream" or "purpose." We can live our dream and our purpose, no matter what job we hold. Again, I think of the guy working at the dump here in town. Happiest guy I have ever met in my life. He created signs along the long drive to the dump all reminding us to smile, lighten up and be kind. He tells jokes, he has a big ole grin on his face and he is just light and happy. Is it his "dream" to work in a dump? Probably not... but maybe his dream is to make others happy and he can do that no matter where he works. I always think of him when I start feeling funky about my job.

Anyway... great thoughts here, thanks to everyone for sharing, I look foward to seeing what others have to say, too!!

[jawillie]

And, also... most people do live life backwards (myself included). We want to have.... so we get a job to make money... then we wonder who we are and what we want to be. Yikes!! By the time you get to the "being" part you are deep in debt and realize you are climbing the wrong ladder. Most of us never even explore our truest dreams and desires.

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by taylor

That sounds like a path of selfless service to me. Many people do just that for free. Many people don't want to create anything, they just want to serve humanity with compassion. You can even practice mindfulness and become aware of your resistance to smelly feces.

The Bhagavad-Gita and Mother Teresa are examples of this sentiment.

Originally Posted by Michael Chui

The people who dream of a life of comfort for those who live in nursing homes.

These are cool answers, thank you. I guess I just wonder if there'll be enough of them who want to do it for free.

Then there are hospitals, office buildings, schools and so on. I picked nursing homes because there are fewer able-bodied people there who can pitch in. Schools, you could get kids to do it for extra credit maybe.

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by moonrambler

These are cool answers, thank you. I guess I just wonder if there'll be enough of them who want to do it for free.

Then there are hospitals, office buildings, schools and so on. I picked nursing homes because there are fewer able-bodied people there who can pitch in. Schools, you could get kids to do it for extra credit maybe.

Eh, the problem with these hypothetical idealisms is that there's a huge gap between here and there, and a lot of our basic obvious common-sense knowledge does stop applying... but how they stop applying is very, very difficult to understand.

Honestly, I'd expect there to be no nursing homes in such a world, but my expectations are just as invalid as your assumption that there probably aren't enough people interested in the task.

All I'm really saying (okay: it's "what I really want to say") is that dreams are worth dreaming, and the gritty problems aren't "is the end state actually possible", but "how do you get there", because that will answer all skepticism as a bonus.

[Kahuna]

Originally Posted by carenkh

Wouldn't this work in favor of the world working? Someone with no work, no income at all, might have the dream of any money coming in, no matter the job. Someone working might dream of a living wage, and health care.

If dreams spring from circumstance, then there would be dreams of all types.

Working for money is for most a need, not a want, because we are stucked in that system. This would be a false dream most of the time, and not a true personal dream. The exception you want to hoard milliong in money/resources.

[shallownot]

Originally Posted by Bradman

Well, for one thing, there wouldn't be anyone left to clean toilets

Hahahaha

[shallownot]

I think EVERYone would like to do something that they like as a job but this may not always be possible in reality. Not everything you are passionate about can be turned into an income for you and that is why most people resort to a job for the sake of earning a living and then maybe pursue what they like to do as a hobby or something like that.

[Michael Chui]

I completely forgot to link this article:

The market rewards genius Re-educate Seattle

[yossarian]

Everyone is already following their dreams. Most people are just constrained by reality.

A lot of people find it difficult just to eat. But in working for food, they are working toward their dreams.

[HedlessChickn]

Originally Posted by Donatas Kaulinis

(1.) I have this idea that it's unfair for me to have possibilities that other people don't.

(2.) I just couldn't imagine being paid for something that doesn't create something physical in this world.

1. Purge this thought from your mind RIGHT NOW. This is an evil thought that does nobody any good. Other people have possibilities that you don't. Is that unfair to you?

2. Define your terms. Creation takes many forms.

|note| The numbers in () are mine.

[munish]

Originally Posted by Donatas Kaulinis

But no more people who have a job just for the sake of making money or even providing reasonably good living conditions for their families in this world.
My question is: is this possible?
.

If you don't want to work for the man, you need an alternate plan .-- Anne de franco ,singer .

What is your alternate plan?

[brendannz]

I think everybody can follow their dreams but rome wasn't built in one day

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by brendannz

I think everybody can follow their dreams but rome wasn't built in one day

Hell, Rome was never finished.

[mrthejazz]

Automating the jobs we hate isn't the solution. That just creates more unemployment, making it harder for people to save up the money to go live their dreams.

How many people do you know who want to work fast food as a dream? Unless your name is Spongebob Squarepants, I'll say you probably don't dream of flipping patties all your life, yet it provides a service to people in a way. I may try to avoid fast food, but it fulfills a need for some. Some people need that convenience.

I think if everybody instantly quit their jobs and only tried to live their dream, the world would be a scary place, because competition for dreamers would be high. As a writer, for example, it's already challenging trying to find a niche. Imagine how much worse it gets when you have this large influx of writers who have been dreaming to be the next big thing. In a world made entirely of special people, there are no special people. Standing out becomes that much harder.

I just have to be thankful that a good chunk of people give up on their dreams because it does make things more easy, although paradoxically I try to talk people into living their dreams whenever I get the chance. Why do I do that, anyway?

[Agota]

Donatai, baik atsiprasineti uz savo anglu kalba, su tavo anglu kalba viskas gerai!

(That's in Lithuanian. English: Donatas, stop apologizing for your English, it's fine! )

1. Don't you think that you should spend your life by doing something you love?

Leading a purposeful life helps other a lot more than suffering in a job you hate.

You know what is the easiest way to bring more happiness into this world? To feel happy yourself.

2. The reason why jobs like being a janitor etc. still exist is because there still are plenty of people who are willing to put up with doing something they don't like and don't try to find a way to create a sustainable source of income by doing something they do like.

Don't you think that if everyone stopped doing that and nobody would clean toilets anymore, someone would invent a toilet cleaning robot in the next 24 hours?

Almost all minimum wage jobs can be automated while jobs like waitressing could be left for young people to pay the bills while they are still searching for their passion in life. The reason why it's not automated now is that there are a lot of people who are willing to do those jobs.

3. That is not going to happen, so it's an empty discussion anyway. There is no point in thinking what would happen if everyone dropped everything and started following their dreams because most likely, it won't happen. Most people will spend their lives in the jobs their hate and die with their music still in them. I'm sorry to say it, but it's the sad truth. Don't be one of them.

4. You get money as an exchange for the value you add to someone's life. Have you ever bought a book, Donatas? Why? Most likely because it had an ability to add some value to your life. Therefore, if you write a book, it's fair that you get money in exchange for the value you created. Think about all other non-physical things you pay money for, such as entertainment etc.

Also, you're most useful to people when doing something that you like to do because you usually like to do things that you're good at. Let's say I like writing and I'm pretty good in expressing my ideas this way and provide value to people this way. Wouldn't it be selfish of me then to work as a waitress (I'm crappy waitress) instead of writing? There's nothing noble in suffering in the job you hate - it's selfish, when you think about it.

It seems to me that you have a lot of deep-rooted negative beliefs of the "It's selfish to be happy" type. I'm sorry if I'm wrong, though.

I wrote an article bashing negative belief "It's wrong to want to make loads of money", it's not exactly the same thing you're talking about, but I think you might find few useful insights in it:

Is Becoming A Millionaire A Noble Goal?


P.S. I hope linking to my own article if it's related to the topic is not against forum rules?

[Agota]

You should have compassion to people who are suffering in the jobs you don't like, but you need to keep in mind that it's their own choice in most cases. I was working in minimum wage jobs for two years and didn't have money for food quite a few times. You know when that started to change? Then I realized that it was my choice. I'm still struggling with money because I'm working full time on my blog, but not it's a different story because it's a short term pain for long term gain - I'm creating a sustainable stream of income doing what I want to do.

Having a job, even the one you don't like, it's convenient and easy, therefore most people are willing to put up with the "don't like" part. Also, most people would be scared without having a time schedule forced upon you - when you're kid, you go to school, then to uni, then you have a job. Most people would be scared of being self-employed or running their own business because they are not used to have the control of their own time. It's the system which is the problem - people are keeping that system alive because it's convenient.