have you ever wanted to go out and travel, just quit your job and see the world
Almost every single day of my life.
There are times where I’ve stayed in bed past my fifth alarm going off, the one that says “leave for work”, and only then I’ve managed to begrudgingly roll out of it and throw clothes on and walk out the door. And the times where I’ve sat on the train at the stop I should get off at and just wanted to take the train to the end of the line, but haven’t.
And yet, I’m one of the lucky ones in the world.
When I was young and growing up in a single-parent household with my mum living on benefits, I got 50 pence a week pocket money, which meant that my purchases were always well thought out. I’d save, and then I’d carefully spend. And when I started working, I would do the same. After paying for my bills, I’d put money into savings, and then I’d take trips abroad, because I want to travel, I want to see parts of the world, and you should do these things. They enhance and enrich your cultural palette.
There are people that don’t want to, which is a shame, and then there are those that do want to, but lack the financial means to do so, which is also a shame.
People should be able to do these things, but I’m reminded of a couple of quotes from Existential Comics;
“Remember, always follow your passion. And if your passion doesn't fit into global capitalism, well, then you are a failure at life.” and/or “if you follow your dreams anything can happen. Just as long as your dream is to be as useful as possible to the bourgeoisie, so they pay you a bit better.”
When I think back to the places I’ve visited, there’s not a place where I can say that I was mistreated or not felt like I wouldn’t enjoy living there. And now with Brexit leading to the devaluation of my UK passport and being unable to work or live in the EU/EE countries, I feel angry and sad. I can only hope that Scotland gains its independence and rejoins the EU.
There are many millennials and Gen Z’s are already facing crises unheard of for previous generations. Climate change, the erosion of social democracy, rise of austerity and poverty, geopolitical challenges, unable to afford housing, access to healthcare, education, technological advancements and automation... and they accept that they’re not going to be able to afford to retire. In 1968, with the French student riots, they believed they were going to end capitalism. The state resisted... and capitalism survived. But for how long? We are now truly in late stage capitalism as the rich take more, and hoard more of their money and use it to control us and subvert democracy.
So yes, like I said, I am tempted every day to quit my job and see more of the world. There’s no point waiting until I’m too old to do anything, and neither should you.
