"Desperate undertone of 'let's enjoy it while we can' doesn't have to be desperate, but just about the only sensible thing you can do, i.e. to live in the moment.
Every year the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society selects a character to represent and summarize the year. For 2022 I've selected the above character for my life. Many kanji have various meanings, and here's the definitive list for 落 'ochiru':
To fall down, to drop, to fall (e.g. rain), to sink (e.g. sun or moon), to fall onto (e.g. light or one's gaze), to be used in a certain place (e.g. money), to be omitted, to be missing, to decrease, to sink, to fail (e.g. exam or class), to lose (contest, election, etc.), to crash, to degenerate, to degrade, to fall behind, to become indecent (of a conversation), to be ruined, to go under, to fade, to come out (e.g. a stain), to come off (e.g. makeup), to be removed (e.g. illness, possessing spirit, name on a list), to fall (into someone's hands), to become someone's possession, to fall (into a trap), to fall (for a trick), to give in, to give up, to confess, to flee, to fall, to be defeated, to surrender, to come to (in the end), to end in, to fall (in love, asleep, etc.), to swoon (judo), to consent, to understand, to go down (of a website, server, etc.), to crash, to log out (of an online game, chat room, etc.), to drop out, to leave, to go offline, to die, to move to the depths,slip, omission, upshot, denouement, outcome, final result, punch line (of a joke)
My reason for selecting this is psychological survival. There's so much noise out there--who knows what's really going on in the US and elsewhere beyond the 1 km radius from my home? I used to say, "I don't care" but that comes across as a snub, when I really mean, "It's beyond my control and not worth the physical, emotional, or monetary expense." Now I can just say, "落 ochiru."
I dropped out of college twice. And returned both times because I could not come up with a satisfactory answer to the question, "Well, what else am I going to do?"
Working for a greater cause produces martyrs. Working only for money produces drones. As humans, both these qualities reside in our being. Where we end up on said spectrum is, in a free society, our choice.
As a 71 year old retired Boomer with a terminal degree, I have always had a healthy respect for the merits of both ends of the spectrum.
Kurt Vonnegut wrote something to the effect that a Bachelor's degree only make you an interesting conversationalist at a dinner party. Practical knowledge only comes at graduate level courses.
Here's my advice to that 23 year old kid; Life ain't s**t without independence and enjoyment.
"Finding yourself," is so easy to say and so hard to do.
Excellent. As always, Frederick. Thanks for turning me on to this guy; What the what, my friend. We all need a Morris on call.
Being 70 and having faced the same existential crisis in my 20’s, I propose an entertaining and simple source for the solution.
Listen to the New County genre current hit, “Buy Dirt”.
The particular line that applies,”…Do what you love but call it work”.
"Desperate undertone of 'let's enjoy it while we can' doesn't have to be desperate, but just about the only sensible thing you can do, i.e. to live in the moment.
Every year the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society selects a character to represent and summarize the year. For 2022 I've selected the above character for my life. Many kanji have various meanings, and here's the definitive list for 落 'ochiru':
To fall down, to drop, to fall (e.g. rain), to sink (e.g. sun or moon), to fall onto (e.g. light or one's gaze), to be used in a certain place (e.g. money), to be omitted, to be missing, to decrease, to sink, to fail (e.g. exam or class), to lose (contest, election, etc.), to crash, to degenerate, to degrade, to fall behind, to become indecent (of a conversation), to be ruined, to go under, to fade, to come out (e.g. a stain), to come off (e.g. makeup), to be removed (e.g. illness, possessing spirit, name on a list), to fall (into someone's hands), to become someone's possession, to fall (into a trap), to fall (for a trick), to give in, to give up, to confess, to flee, to fall, to be defeated, to surrender, to come to (in the end), to end in, to fall (in love, asleep, etc.), to swoon (judo), to consent, to understand, to go down (of a website, server, etc.), to crash, to log out (of an online game, chat room, etc.), to drop out, to leave, to go offline, to die, to move to the depths,slip, omission, upshot, denouement, outcome, final result, punch line (of a joke)
My reason for selecting this is psychological survival. There's so much noise out there--who knows what's really going on in the US and elsewhere beyond the 1 km radius from my home? I used to say, "I don't care" but that comes across as a snub, when I really mean, "It's beyond my control and not worth the physical, emotional, or monetary expense." Now I can just say, "落 ochiru."
Live and be well!
I am not impressed with the "answer" written. No (or not much) heart or soul there.
I dropped out of college twice. And returned both times because I could not come up with a satisfactory answer to the question, "Well, what else am I going to do?"
Working for a greater cause produces martyrs. Working only for money produces drones. As humans, both these qualities reside in our being. Where we end up on said spectrum is, in a free society, our choice.
As a 71 year old retired Boomer with a terminal degree, I have always had a healthy respect for the merits of both ends of the spectrum.
Kurt Vonnegut wrote something to the effect that a Bachelor's degree only make you an interesting conversationalist at a dinner party. Practical knowledge only comes at graduate level courses.
Here's my advice to that 23 year old kid; Life ain't s**t without independence and enjoyment.
"Finding yourself," is so easy to say and so hard to do.
I wish you the best.