Entitled - Motivation, Distraction, Entitlement, and the Mighty Dollar

Im trying to find motivation and time to pen thoughts that maybe could one day be compiled into a book.

Between taking one or even multiple or even thousands, which I do not have, blog posts, does not make a book.

Nonetheless, as I look for this motivation or time to try and compile any coherent thought, I am easily whisked away into the world of social media and back to the celebrities.  I cant lie, I love mma, and particularly the UFC, and am that mark.  I am that guy, minus any money they get from me is very limited.  

But still a big fan.

Is fan just another word for being distracted by those that are entitled, as they have proven to us, in word or action, or look.  That they are of superiority, thus we must watch every move, or maybe that's just a common trait, that we as humans are attracted via our attention, time, and in the end, dollars, are filtered to these folks.

Again, Im a fan of the UFC, and they get little money from me.

But there are many and I am a fan of many things where my time and attention is easily spent, and, even me, in the end, will spend money that filters to these folks, these already entitled being justified through continued financial gain and growth.

I suppose I, like many of us on this side of the fence of the un-entitled, will continue to gaze over the fence in awe.  Wasting what purpose we were meant for, possibly to gain rank within the entitled, but to at least justify our un-entitled, earned means.

I also suppose the entitled would cry work, ethic, and overall damnation of everyone not in the group.

What what excuse is need if you have entitlement.

Entitled - Celebrities, Athletes, and Politicians

Entitlement probably starts and ends with these groups, but to deny their wage is not based on their generated income as their image that theyve sold to be the position that theyre in.

This group, no matter where on the spectrum they fall, while having a better result at many things that we all may have tried, generate income by selling theirselves, in a much less derogotory way than say a sex worker, but at the end of the day, youre selling yourself.  Youre then muted to speak in corporation and euphamism to the world, denying us truth but giving us a false picture of what that status is like.

Nonetheless, no matter how many eyes, the entitlements are woven into this group and its need for attention and input, but also the financial strain that is pulled because of the hubirous of this group that becuase they were blessed with a skill or just the luck of chose and life path that led them to the road that calls and looks like the height of excess.

And the height of entitlement.

Entitled

The current state of things has us all pointing fingers.

I am no better.

But I'm going to start pointing fingers at the truely entitled in this world.

The millenials.

Not even close.

The CEO, the executive, and the retired.

True senses of entitlement, possibly earned in some manner or varying efforts, but then ballooned into some over entitled workforce where the rest of society spins wheels to catch up.

The bigggest imagery I feel is when I got somewhere in my broken ass Jeep and I'm parked next to some old man or woman in a brand new Lexus, Mercedes, Beamer.

Im the one working 60 hour weeks.  Im the manager.

Where has earning and entitlement been placed?  Im just a hard working man who's asking for a running vehicle.  But the entitlement isnt there.  Have I not earned it? Has this older persona done so much more, they can now live a great life of no work and working cars?

I dont have answers to such perplexing questionsb but what I do know is there is a mis-balance.  Mis-balances in society lead to continuing mis-alignments across all levels of society, however, we can do something to battle the entitlements.

Is it $15/hour?

Is it controlling the economic payscales?

Sounds like Socialism 🤷

All I know is that this mid-millenial was tasked as the flag bearer, to unite this scism that our society and its historic wins at entitlements, to call out the other side, to make society know that this misbalance will only continue to drive our society into greater misalignment.

Many people, well the 1%, which in some senses of the word could be many, meaning still thousands and thousands of people, will continue to champion this downslide of our society to those with the biggest entitlements.

Producers always claim the own all the benefits of all they produce, especially those at the top telling themselves they do all the work to make the widget move and the money come in.  That's farthest from the truth.

We dont need $15/hour, we need practical CEO's and executives to align on proper income distribution versus this smoke screen to focus on the minimum wage.

Wheres the levity? Wheres the sense of society? Where is there anyone willing to save this capatalistic driven entitled system?

Im not your friend.

Im not a millenial.

I am not a gen xer

Im not a CEO

Ill never be retired

Im not your generation

Validation

I'm probably like you.

That's an enormous leap of generalization.

But some of us can fit ourselves into different genres of characterization.

'What if we're all a little bit weird' Sry, my quote of the season, from an awesome movie, Swiss Army Man. Great, but odd movie.

Im working in a new position, and new always seems to be self validating. 

Until the effects wear off, and the honeymoon is over.

But thats not my point, nor is trying to convince of Swiss Army Man's relevance.

In my position I have added responsibilities and expectations where Ive tried to come in with arms swinging and an attempt to lead the pack.

Ive been marginally successful at this attempt and have been validating on several occasions, ie money, or the promise of it, which at this juncture of my life, thats the only validation I really want from anyone. 

But this expectation Ive set, through triumphs, and defeats, is stunningly high for my position in life. (I write as I sit at my 2nd job as the doorman)

With his expectation is the minimalization of the highs in my life, my son, my continuing quest for education, my work life for that matter.  That I must meet a certain standard, set higher than the acheivements and places I've been.   This means I receive no validation, or invalidation, through the daily, monthly, yearly, or seasonal success I experience.  I simply did the expectation of my time period.  Almost like those players that get a touchdown and don't celebrate because it is theirs, the teams, and the fan's expectation that they will score, and score often.

I'm no star football player; more of failed accounting major with several dings on my record, personal, legal, financialn and otherwise.

So when I complete a class or learn a new move or get a raise, I simply feel the expectation has been met and move on.

There's almost no thankfulness in that.  Maybe thats due to an extreme sense of historical invalidation and under acheivement, but either way, without the validation, I only ask for more validation from external sources.

I have a buddy, who I made in my new position, who is the exact same position, age, and almost person as myself.  He continually needs my validation and our bosses, and those around him.  I feel I am no different in a sense.

My expectation is set at such a level that upwards validation is the only thing to set that free, and that does not come often.  Often, work is a continuous set of actions, some of which I meet expectation, others I fail to, and even others I hopefully exceed.

We all long for some sense of validation, whether thats external or self driven, but validation is tough because theres such a difference from person to person.

'All glory is fleeting' -Joe Paterno used to quote Patton, or some Roman emporer, I beleive.  But as players through his regime experienced some of the highest highs available to goal minded individuals, he reminded them to be humblen to understand validation is only one piece of the puzzle, especially when received externally.  And it's also fleeting, so while we, most of us, would enjoy the praise, that is temporary, just as is pain, but true validation is internal.

I guess that's my point.

Validate internally.

It will allow you to move on, to the tasks at hand, to today's worries, to today's actions, to meet today's expectations. 

To exceed today's expectations.

Everyday.

Bernie! Bernnnniiiiieeeee!

With the election coming, the canidates seem to be as any year, the best of the worst.

But for some, especially the younger generation, Bernie Sanders was a light in a tunnel of darkness.

Younger people, and socialists alike gathered around the cause.  Lets have free education, free childcare, free healthcare.

Normally Im not too political.

Mainly because its a wasteland.

But people got behind this idea of a candidate who would give them, and their daily lives what they wanted, what they needed, what they deserved.

I am not one of those people.

With education specifically, I paid my fair share, my 100k plus.  And I'd like relief from that, or to have never had that at all, by different life choices, i.e. the military or just hard work, or even better, and education funded by my parentsn at least partially as I am attempting with my son.

But a free education is not something that is feesible.

What happened to working towards a goal?

I hate the hard work.

I work 7 days a week for it.

Blue and white collar.

But as a society, as an American Capitalistic society, progression is possible but not a total overnight transformation.

This is America and we believe anything is possible, especially overnight transformation.

Fat fighting, plastic surgery, Get Rich Quick schemes.

You name it, we as Americans have embraced it.

But thats a lie and momentary fleeting feelings and lifestyles.

Leaving us wanting more.

We are already offered healthcare, social systems such as primary education and safety, Obama phone, food if we need it, the postal service, financial services for secondary and post secondary education.

And frankly, if we want free college, free healthcare, free daycare, and anything else our hearts desire as free, we're just working to turn the rest of our lives over to public systems.

Public systems that don't work right, are over or under funded depending on the politicians, even Bernie.

Public systems like my community which left to its own accord is in massive debt, has an abysmal school system, and growing social issues.

Public systems dont improve our society, they slow it down.  Innovation is slowed, if theres any room for it at all.  Efficiency lacks.  Progress as a society is left to the government when it should be left to the people.

Hope is a good thing.

Change for the better is a good thing.

Dramatic societal change such as free education and $15 minimum wage are impossible realities from the base we have now. 

There is a better future but WE have to work for it. 

The collective WE.

Us as individuals.

Not the government.

And certainly not Bernie Sanders.

Holiday work

Blah.

But its a must when faced with a financial burden and no other financial outs.

Its not the end of the world, heck, as Americans we should #1 be grateful for work #2 know we have it much better.

But, in our small worlds, they mean family, food, better times than most, even if just a day off.

Not on holidays here at the 100k plus mark.

But many professions have that stipulation.

Most of my family are nurses.  They are always needed and must work some uncomfortable holidays.   Life goes on.

I guess Im trying to convince myself of that, even with the knowledge of a greater being and person.  A day off is a day off.

Im currently trying to convince my wife to become a nurse, which is somewhat hypocritical as I would never want the anytime anyday work week. Maybe more varation on the 9-5 work week but either way, I'm not up for the task.

Well back to the point of us as Americans are blessed to have the opportunity to work, and choose that work.

Holiday work falls in line with the social policies us as Americans are blessed with.

Seriously.

Blessed.

Other countries do not have a 40 hour work week written into the law.

You work holidays.

You work the day after you have a baby.

So 100k plus is bad, and Im certaintly kot going to stop bitching about it, until kids dont have to endure that excess.  But its not that bad.

I was going to go into a blue collar/white collar thing, but us, with 100k plus who are lucky to have jobs are certainly blessed.

It's over-used but it's true.

We're blessed.

(Overly positive message for Easter! ....bitching will resume at an irregularly scheduled date)

Scoreboards

I've written before about the onset of depression that financial burden brings, and its an obvious in this world.

In a society based around a financial competitive economy, the strongest survive and the weakest live off the taxation scraps.  Some days I wish I were the one living off those scraps.

Working 7 days being an 100k pluser feels like hard work.  But what if thats wasted energy with too much friction and backforce to gain any positive momentum forward?

I'm an avid football fan, college and NFL, as many are, so I cant say I'm much different from any college graduated middle class male, but in seeing the sport, there is a lot of "hard work" put into getting to those levels, whether it be the player or the coaching and support staff.  But that hard work appears to pay off.

But what is the distinction?

On HBO's series Hard Knocks, theyre currently covering the Texans, and more so the NFL celebrity that is JJ Watt.  He appears to put more hard work in than anybody.  It appears hes working hard after practice, hes very disciplined, speaking of a 10 hour sleep schedule, whcih according to him rejuvenates the body and allows for more physical and mental awareness.  I cant imagine the sacrifice that takes, trying to live on a 14 hour day.  I wouldnt have a kid, ill tell you that.

But the fact remains, I do, and I am trying to support and start and raise a family, with good values, and trying to center life around that, when the definition of hard work is sacrifice, or at least a large component.

So I sacrifice a lot of my time to work, work inefficiently apparently as my hard work only drives me backward.

Where does a 100k pluser attempt to break the mold and beat the overwhelming financial odds?

Well, I cant say i have that answer but I can send out the siren song, which in the end appears to be me only bitching and maybe fruitless for any other struggling 100k pluser.

Just there I realized that this sole bitching wasnt going to help.

Perhaps a support group.

I know noone with 100k plus in student debt.  At least noone as vocal in complaining about it.

Twos sites i quickly found were Student Loan Sherpa and Ready for Zero.

Both appear to have started as blogs and gained momentum, which i quote have not.

But more research is always needed.

The support group sounds like a good idea, but how does something like that start, where do you meet, will there be truth or just unwanted nonsense, is it possible?

Maybe a possible ad pitch for a blog and then a proposal.  Or maybe just do it, paper, online, where?

These are spit ball ideas in a blog entry that was meant to define myself as a lifetime loser, as a failure.

But these ideas could make us all get something we desperately need, hope.

Hope for zero, hope to not call ourselves 100k plusers.

I dont know the severity of this problem, I know I lay at the bottom but I know I can't be the only one.

This is my plea to myself for a true siren song and the courage to sing it.