Choice

I don't know where to post this but I guess it still about relationship between ppl so this would be appropriate. I came back from China this passed Sunday and learned quite a bit about the culture and people. I actually envied a lot of the guys I met there. They were hanging out with friends - smoking and drinking yet were all young and married. They have no plans - college fund for kids, life insurance, or retirement; just living life on their meager monthly income yet still so happy. I don't understand why life in the states has to be so complicated .. so many planning and so little time to spend with family and all.

In fact, I went back to work on Monday after a 3 weeks vacation and "ALL" my projects were reassigned to other colleagues without my knowledge. I just sat in my room the last two days staring the computer and nothing to do. I just stayed home today and rest up since I still suffered from jet lag. Worries are pouring in .. bills, mortgage, child care, etc ..

I am just curious .. if ya'll have a choice between the simple life in China and the complicated life in the western land .. which would you choose?

 

I'm sure other people around the world have the same worries as well. Also it's not like USA is in the best of times right now, so the stress of bills and employment is probably higher for the average person than it was a couple years ago.

To answer your question. No I would not want to live in China. I can't picture myself living anywhere else except in Canada and I have a great deal of pride in being Canadian born. If I move it's not like all the problems I have now will be fixed just like that. Sure the new lifestyle would seem appealing at first, because that's just what it is, new. I think that's what you saw when you visited. The difference in culture and lifestyle seemed appealing to you, because it was something unique from your own lifestyle. Basically the same thing when you get a new piece of tech and love it, but soon becomes just another piece of hardware.

 

I wouldn't want to live in China - because of numerous reasons. One just need to balance life between work and play. Don't forget to have a quality life outside of work. Also, you have to remember ... when you work hard in your young ages, (*HOPEFULLY), you'll get to enjoy quality life in your golden retirement age. Sure ... those youngsters are enjoying life now, but, who knows what will happen to them when they are old.

 

you forgot to mention about the best part for some people...being married and also having other affairs........................

 

right on .. lol

I don't like China but I like the lifestyle .. simple. My parents used to tell my siblings and I to work extra hard when we're young so we can enjoy life after retirement. However, that's not the case for me. We can appreciate life more while we're young .. go travel and all but when we get old, we probably can't do much even if we have the money; not to mention that anything can happen .. why work and no play ..

A balance between work and life .. difficult .. depend on the kind of work and role in the firm .. the higher up the corp ladder .. the less time to juggle things ... if you're a pawn scum level, then yes .. 9-5 seems easy to deal with .. lol

 

from what i know, well, not everyone is like that lol. a lot of the young ones just divorce very quickly. a lot of them aren't even in a relationship b/c the girls don't want them since they have no solid financial background. different parts are different i guess. they work their ass off to pay housing and other shit.

and i dont think im ready for the 9-5 life style....dont wanna grow up lol

 

I dont think life in China is that simple... i think some make it simple... just like how u can make life simple in western countries.... u could rent a cheap place n not save up for ur kids etc if u dun want to here.... u can live off the government here in nl too... or u could have a job thats not steady like working for some agency whenever u feel like it.... but thats just not what most people want... they want to buy a house, save up money n drive a good car... it has to do with their own attitude.... there are lotsa ppl in china who work their asses off... start at 6am to 11pm n get like 600RMB for it

for me, i dont think i could live in China.... but neither could i stay in NL forever.... i think id wanna migrate to Australia, Canada or Singapore....

 

didnt want to worries for kids shoulda kept them pants on :trollface2: responsibility is a bitch. China ur blocked from the world around you, you won't even be able to share your problems lol. when u lose that sense of control in your life ur gonna miss it.

 

i'd love to live a simple and worry-free life
but the fact is, that's never going to happen

depending where you are in the world, they each have their own worries (and u can look at each of those differently)
i guess its also perspective and the way they want to think as well that affects everything. they don't want to think about the future, because there's possibly no actual future for them, so they live each day as it comes. they have no security, nothing really to look forward to much.
we on the other hand, worry about the future...

 

I believe my level education has affected my lifestyle. When you're more educated, you tend to expect more and think further and perhaps worry even more than a simple family. You have so many more options .. so much that sometimes, you lose track of what is really meaningful.

Life in China might be difficult (like every where else) but the mentality (the simple mind) enjoy life just a bit more than westerners. Come on, we still face discrimination every where we go here .. the stress is higher .. security? really none .. only survival.

 

thats why you make a shit load of cash n live it up in china! Eatin out late at nite partying.. living that goood life...

but oh course you're more prone to dying earlier due to sewage oils used for cooking.. pollution.. fake eggs..

lol seriously though.. who doesn't want to live a carefree life. You work hard.. have car to pay off, house to pay off, insurance to pay off, kids to put through school. Of course you're gonna feel like a slave to all the bills you need to pay. But I mean at least you're living in a safer place plus your family would benefit from it.

depends on how you manage your time and money.. you can go out n enjoy life too. Shit China is fun if you go there once in awhile.. but you can't honestly say you'd rather live there than where you are..

 

just dont have kids and die early then you dont have to worry about others or yourself needing someone to take care of you! problem solved!

 

Live there? NO, NO, NO .. I just envied their way of living .. that's all .. so simple comparing to the complex life in the states. I am sure people have worries every where but due to the lacked of education and exposure, their mentality is very simple .. not sure if ya'll know what I mean. Here in the states, if you're not educated much, your life still get complicated just b/c certain things are mandatory such as social security for retirement that is taken from your wkly paycheck.

Anyway, I am sure at the end of the day, there are probably tons of reasons where living in the west is better than Asia or China in this case. There's just certain aspect that I missed or can't find it here in the west .. doesn't always has to do with money.

 

i know plenty of ppl here in the u.s. that have the same mentality you're describing. they don't care to save money or buy a home. they are fine living from check to check and month to month and life is very laid back for them. this mentality can be adopted no matter where you are if you repress the pressure of capitalist society. But anyone who wants more than a "low level" "minimal fulfillment" life is going to eventually feel the pressure to strive for more than what is in front of them--no matter where in the world you are.

 

Honestly, it's all about you and how you interpret things, prioritize things and your mentality. I have the "fuck it" syndrome and I almost always go by feel. Not a very example but if I know I need money for gas later this week to get to work, and I'm hanging out with friends having a great time, I'd blow all my money on drinks and food and worry about shit later. And shit always works out for me luckily (not always). But some people waste all their time calculating everything. Others just grab it by the horns and live it. I suppose you can't live life worrying about every penny and thinking about how "efficient" you are with your time all the time. You gotta be a bit more relaxed and just live life to the fullest. I use to be like that back in high school but I think the one experience that changed MY ENTIRE insight on all of this is this one time when I worked at UPS. This office assistant guy came in with a million dollar contract that needed to be overnighted. Can't do it, he was too late. Guy said with a smile, OK send it anyways, it'll get there when it gets there. I asked him how he can be so relaxed and he looked at me and said. "At this point, it's going to be late one way or another. I can stand here, bitch and cry about it. Or I can be positive and have fun about it. The results going to be the same no matter how I act now."

And honestly it's a balance sometimes too. Yes you can live in China, have no kids, party it up and have fun. But then you'll go back to a SHIT job, living in a SHIT hole with kids that have no future because you can care less. At least here, we can drive nice cars, live in nice homes, reap nice benefits, still have fun with friends every now and then, have family warmth and have kids that give a damn.

 

Yeah .. when you're single and finished college .. no "real" worries. When you have a family, everything (very naturally when you get to this stage) will be different. The choice is no longer a choice but become obligations and responsibilities. Seriously, you meant to tell me, someone as educated as you have no plans after marriage .. college funds for your kids and shit .. you just gonna blow all your money .. I doubt it. From then on, life doesn't get any more simpler. Comparing to the one I observed .. not in poverty .. earned enough .. very simple life .. worries here and there but nothing big .. just happy. I guess .. they're content with their lives .. where as I felt in the west, it's hard to hit this stage because of financial insecurity and shit.

 

[video=youtube;5bNE-5TVAmg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bNE-5TVAmg[/video]

 

^ yeah .. we all know it but can we do it, that's the question .. some made it through one day or two weeks but not a lifetime ..