Saturday, January 19, 2019

Coasting Through or Past Life.


 On Thursday during my lunch break, one of the younger guys in his thirties, was talking about a family member he is concerned about. She is in her twenties and in love, her boyfriend moved in and is working on living happily ever after. He is working on it more because it's a perfect arrangement for him. She has a good job which is perfect for him because he is one of those special people that is too good to work. His life of sleeping in, playing video games and watching t.v. is too important to be interrupted by work. My coworker is worried that they will get married before she sees the light or worse, he gets her pregnant, then she will have two babies to look after.

 This had people commenting on today's millennials, I hate that to be honest especially when there were a couple of really good employees sitting with us who are in that age group. The truth is they were not born that way, if you do absolutely everything for your child and shield them from every awkward moment until they are twenty one, no wonder they have zero social and work skills. I pointed out the unfairness of the statement, I reminded my coworkers that there were lots of people in each generation, the baby boomers and generation X, who coasted through life.

 I thought of a situation that is really sad, not sad as in the actual definition but sad more like a pathetic waste of a life. I was thinking about a friend of a friend, let's call him Mark,  this guy is a couple of years older than me. Mark is university educated and was often at the top of his class according to my friend. He is from a wealthy family and so understands the finer things in life, friendly, good personality, (he was) tall, dark and handsome. Everything that a young man could ask for to get ahead in life.

 However Mark's life plan is this, live for free by house sitting at wealthy friends who travel most of the year, collect welfare for spending money and wait out your parents in hopes to inherit their fortune when they pass. At some points in time, he has written articles for newspapers and they being totally impressed with his work, many times have offered him a job, which he promptly turns down.

 I find that to be such a waste, especially for someone with many talents. I should also confess that I am a classic underachiever at times as well, so I don't want to appear to be on some high horse regarding this man. I often say as a joke but not a joke, I'm smart enough to know how dumb I am, there are positions at work that I would love to have but I know they are beyond my level. I never want to be in a job where I am know as "that guy", the one who tries hard but is just not that good at what he does. We see it all the time, "I really like Bill but when I need to count on a project being done properly, I always go to Jeff".

 How sad is it that Mark let his life go by, he could have had great adventures but instead has to ask people to lend him money for beer or groceries at times. He's not mentally ill, just chronically lazy it seems. There is also a frustration for him now, when you are a handsome twenty four year old, people see you as a free spirit and still welcome you as a friend, when you are a fifty four year old and haven't changed, people see you as some sort of sponge and want nothing to do with you. I have to wonder with all his intellect, if he ever thinks to himself, "what have I done"? It's a little naughty of me but I also can't help wishing his parents a long, long and healthy life.

9 comments:

Leanna said...

It's sad that so many people think they can coast through life and not have to answer for anything. It's just a waste. If he was living in China, for instance, he would certainly have to toe the line and do some kind of labor. This person is just plain lazy and needs to wake up.

anne marie in philly said...

I despise lazy people.

the guy in your first paragraph is nothing but a bum. the girl either better be on birth control or GTFO of that relationship soon. she will regret her choice.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

You're right. There have ALWAYS been some men who mooch off women. And there have ALWAYS been women who are so co-dependent that they let them. I hope that young woman wises up QUICK. Of course, it works the other way around too, with some women mooching off men. Some people just generally mooch off ANYONE who'll let them. "Takers" always find a "giver" to exploit.

Mistress Maddie said...

I agree with the above. I had a aunt who was considered shy and meek when she was going up, and of course only ever dated two guys, and ended up marrying the second. He is everything in that first guy you mention and more. They lived with my grandmother. We were all appalled by him and even urged her not to marry him. Once my grandmother passed away. we had a terrible time getting them, because of him, out of the house for sale. My made my aunt do everything. The best thing for her was when he finally kicked the bucket. All those years wasted being married to a lazy oaf.

Bob said...

That kind of attitude exists in every generation.
That young girl better wake up before its too late, and Mark should as well, not just because the idea of waiting for your parents to die for your inheritance is vile.
Wasted lives.

JP said...

He needs a kick up the arse or kicking out.
JP

Old Lurker said...

What a fortunate boyfriend! I was commenting to RJ that I was not interested in being a golddigger, but maybe I should reconsider. Certainly I am lazy enough. I may not watch TV but I read lots of blogs, and certainly I am very good at sleeping in and not working for a living.

I also hope Mark's parents live a long and healthy life, but perhaps for different reasons than you do.

Richard said...

Once again, I agree with Anne Marie. What a waste of a life.

Michael said...

I am not fond of lazy people either. And they are in every generation.