Are you happy with your life?

[Broletariat]

Just a general question.

[Book O'Dead]

Fuck no!

[Rooster]

It'd be fine if I wasn't going bald and pulling out grey hairs.

[anarcho-communist4]

No. Besides my loved ones, there's no reason to be happy knowing so many struggle to live in other places around the world.
But i do what i can where i live.

[Kamos]

In one sense, yes - we're not living in poverty, I'm not depressed, etc. On the other hand, there is room for improvement, so my answer is not a clear yes.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Absolutely not.

[NoOneIsIllegal]

For the first time in my life, yes.
I live in dire poverty, as I only have about $10 to last me for the next 9 days (next payday). So, besides the whole "capitalism is bullshit" deal, I am happy (relationship, friends, living on my own even if i never have money after rent, being active in IWW, etc.)

[socialistjustin]

No. My life has been one mistake after another.

[Ostrinski]

No. Not at all.

[Le Libérer]

Yes, but because I am a type a personality and work constantly, always over extended, now have taken on going back to school besides everything else I do. I keep telling myself I am going to resign from all the community work I do, take a smaller case load with my patients, but I end up piling more work on.

Maybe I am happy because I am a masochist and love torturing myself.

[Leftsolidarity]

No. No loved ones, no money, no job, got dumped, and I'm losing my friends to either distance or drugs. Not fun.

[Susurrus]

Materially, yes. Socially, no. Romantically, lol no. Intellectually, need to read books, then yes. Academically, no.

[o well this is ok I guess]

That's sort of an odd question to ask
I doubt any of us would be very keen on revolution if we didn't feel unhappy regarding the current state of things.

[Magón]

Politically: No.

Everything else: Yeah it's pretty chill.

[thesadmafioso]

Not really, no. I'm without friends, without a relationship, and more or less without any sort of meaningful human interaction in my life.

Politically, there isn't really much for any of us to be truly happy with I imagine, so I have to mark that off as another no.

Academically and intellectually, I suppose I'm relatively self assured in those regards, but I would hardly venture to say that I'm happy as a result of such.

So far as my material conditions go, I have to say I'm fine though. But that doesn't necessarily translate cleanly into happiness.

[The Dark Side of the Moon]

Yes and no. There is no reason to live, but when we die, it's over anyway. So no death anytime soon. I live very comfertably with my parents. I'm extremely smart (can't spell worth shit) I have two free years of college. So not good but not bad either

[Ose]

No. I earn just enough to scrape a living. I'm starting to lose my hair. I can't walk down the street without being filled with anger at the injustices of capitalism. I've been single for far too long. I'm an alcoholic. I've let both my intellectual prowess and my physical fitness go to waste. Work. Sleep. Work. Sleep. Work. Sleep. And it's not going to stop. Life is wack.

[Dumb]

I'm only happy when I drink. And I'm a teetotaler.

[Sensible Socialist]

I'm happy that I don't live in extreme poverty, and that I have a roof over my head and food at regular intervals during the day. I have family and friends, and I have clear goals in life. But it's tough not to become depressed when I look at the world and see people starving, dying, being systematically slaughtered without care. The world is burning, but there is hope. It's out of those bits of hope that I try and put on a smile and get through it all.

[Le Rouge]

So this forum is filled with drunks, poors, and depressed people? :( That's sad. It makes me wonder if the left attracts only those "kind" of people. :crying:

On my side, I'm in college. Life is good. I live with my parents, I don't have any difficulty in my life. Kinda boring. I got plenty of money, no problems materially. I've got some good friends. So...Yes i'm happy.


Yes, but because I am a type a personality and work constantly, always over extended, now have taken on going back to school besides everything else I do. I keep telling myself I am going to resign from all the community work I do, take a smaller case load with my patients, but I end up piling more work on.

Maybe I am happy because I am a masochist and love torturing myself.

What kind of community work are you doing? looks like fun :P

[Sensible Socialist]

So this forum is filled with drunks, poors, and depressed people? :( That's sad. It makes me wonder if the left attracts only those "kind" of people. :crying:

I don't think it's that the left attracts people who use alchohol and are depressed, but people on the left aren't whoring themselves out to climb up the corporate ladder, or run large businesses. Most people here don't buy into the "be anything you want to be" crap and, as such, are forced to work in the only jobs left, which often are menial and low-paying without any satisfaction. That, combined with the sadness that truly understanding the capitalist system brings, can be tough on most people.

[anarcho-communist4]

I don't think it's that the left attracts people who use alchohol and are depressed, but people on the left aren't whoring themselves out to climb up the corporate ladder, or run large businesses. Most people here don't buy into the "be anything you want to be" crap and, as such, are forced to work in the only jobs left, which often are menial and low-paying without any satisfaction. That, combined with the sadness that truly understanding the capitalist system brings, can be tough on most people.

We're either that, college students, or people who completely devote our lives to helping others.

[Le Libérer]

What kind of community work are you doing? looks like fun :PI work with HIV/AIDS patients full time. I also am on the board of directors for the homeless coalition, locally. I am on the board for a youth group that focuses on under privileged kids, helping them find a bigger world than what they were given because of where they were born and who their parents were. I just helped organize a women's coalition to do the same thing as the youth group. Up until a couple of months ago, I was also part of revitalizing a very depressed part of the city.

On top of that, I recently went back to school to finish my Masters Degree in organizational management of public administration (a fancy title for creating and developing non-profit organizations.)

For fun and to boost my income, I work as a journalist, writing for a film trade magazine. And last but hardly least, I take care of our aging comrade, redstar2000.

[Le Rouge]

Wow :) That's the kind of life I like. congratulation

[Le Libérer]

Wow :) That's the kind of life I like. congratulation

Thank you. And I still make time for revleft. ;)

[Pioneers_Violin]

Yes.

I'm generally happy with and about life and optimistic.

I'm not a classic type A personality but keep extremely busy and have a successful career, albeit an underpaid one with crummy working conditions and hostie management.

Just because I'm generally happy doesn't mean I'm happy about everything. There is much to do and little time to do it, the world's a mess, injustices, idipticy, etc.... Getting angry about bad things and people doesn't make me unhappy, just more animated.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

No not really. I'm not going to college because I have no money to pay for it/got seriously fucked over by my cousin, the person I really love right now is out of town so I can't see her, I have no job, etc. Oh yeah and a dog took a shit in my room earlier. WTF dog!

[Islamosocialist]

2004 was the first year that I asked myself:

If I could go back in time, to the year before the war, 1991, but I would not meet the people I met since the war, or have that life, would I?

And I could say... no, I wouldn't. For the first time, in 2004. Before that, I would have beaten everyone in my life to death for a single day back in 1991 with my family.

But something changed, I got older, more settled, happier.

Even to have everyone I lost back... I wouldn't have my husband, I wouldn't have my niece.

I wouldn't describe me as happy. I am... I drink a lot, I smoke a lot, I laugh a lot, I cry a lot. I am more nationalist than I agree with.

But I am satisfied.

[Il Medico]

Moderately.

[Kornilios Sunshine]

No.I live in a capitalist country, my parents have a big debt for my house which I live for 9 years, I have very little friends (some of them don't even call me for hangin' out) , and I also had a terrible summer this year because I couldn't go holidays in Crete for FUCKIN economic reasons.I also spent most of my summer playing GTA San Andreas and that makes me depressed because I felt I did nothing this summer.Maybe the only creative thing I did was that I built up a political view and read some books for it.This is the only thing I am proud for this year.However, I am trying to be as optimistic as I can for it to improve and I am sure it will.

[Matty_UK]

I work with HIV/AIDS patients full time. I also am on the board of directors for the homeless coalition, locally. I am on the board for a youth group that focuses on under privileged kids, helping them find a bigger world than what they were given because of where they were born and who their parents were. I just helped organize a women's coalition to do the same thing as the youth group. Up until a couple of months ago, I was also part of revitalizing a very depressed part of the city.

On top of that, I recently went back to school to finish my Masters Degree in organizational management of public administration (a fancy title for creating and developing non-profit organizations.)

For fun and to boost my income, I work as a journalist, writing for a film trade magazine. And last but hardly least, I take care of our aging comrade, redstar2000.

You sound like an awesome person. :)

Am I happy with my life? Right now, yeah, but tentatively so. I have a lot of friends, and a few very close friends. Kind of just out of University though so I'm unemployed, however I have a realistic plan that I think will work out well, but I need to save a bit of money first. I'm not in a relationship at present, but I'm planning to leave the country in 6 months so I don't really want to be in one, and besides there is one nice looking girl in my city who likes me and is also looking for something short term, and I'm going on a date with a very lovely girl next week as well.

On the downside, I am very pessimistic about the future. My parents are debt slaves, and most of their wages go straight into the bank, and I worry about their well being and happiness. They are both public sector workers as well and are under attack by the Tory government which is really the last thing they need right now - additionally, I fully expect there to be a unprecedented economic collapse some time in the next few years and I dread to think what is going to happen. The response to the recent riots suggests some very reactionary tendencies in society coming to the fore, and I think things are gonna get pretty bad. I just hope I can get some useful work experience and a secure job before the economy gets really bad, otherwise things are going to be unbearable. But yeah, life is pretty alright right now, so long as things go to plan.

[danyboy27]

Got a family that i love, a girlfriend that i love, a shitty job that is, well not so bad, i got some free money, good appartement, tolerable landlord, good neighbor, and a shitty political system.

I have to say, its not that bad, but there is always room for constant improvement.

Also, for some stupid reason i am always amazed by the stuff i learn on a daily basis, go figure.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I am reasonably happy when not at work or broke. Politically, obviously not happy (to say the least) with the state of things.

I like my personal life and I wish it was a larger percentage of my daily activities. I have been struggling financially for a long long time and while I don't have any safety net, no healthcare, no reserve money beyond the week to week, right now I am able to pay rent and have some drinks or see a movie a couple of times a month. So, knock on wood, I have some momentary stability for a while.

It's amazing how much just not having to worry about rent or debt or such imporves my life - also amazing how tenuous it is - a month or two ago I had a double whammy of having my hours cut at work at the same time that my landlord was changing my living situation basically truing our apartment into a 2 bedroom apartment and increasing the rent by almost double. I was very miserable and stressed, but I was able to find a roommate (not my favorite thing to have to do at this point in my life) and get more hours at work again.

[00000000000]

Happy enough..have a new family, one or two friends..
Job is shit and have no idea what I really want out of life, but that's no diff from everyone else I guess

[black magick hustla]

hug the dark
by Charles Bukowski

turmoil is the god
madness is the god

permanent living peace is
permanent living death

agony can kill
or
agony can sustain life
but peace is always horrifying
peace is the worst thing
walking
talking
smiling
seeming to be.

don't forget the sidewalks
the whores
betrayal,
the worm in the apple,
the bars, the jails,
the suicides of lovers.

here is America
we have assassinated a president and his brother,
another president has quit office.

people who believe in politics
are like people who believe in god:
they are sucking wind through bent
straws.

there is no god
there are no politics
there is no peace
there is no love.

there is no control
there is no plan.

stay away from god
remain disturbed

slide.

[Chris]

Yes. Overally, yes. While there is shit and room for improvement of course... I do live in one of the more progressive and prosperous countries in the world at the moment (although, that we are one of the more progressive is a bit sad considering our state). Still looking for job (very difficult when first thing one gets when searching for my name on google is 'Young Communists in Norway'!), but overally, yeah I'm happy.

[tom1992]

Kinda, yeah...A good thing where i live is that people are really united (in big part it is thanks to the dictatorship because my slum was the one that caused headaches to the military, and for that you need unity).

[thriller]

The sun is shinning right now, which always boosts my mood. I am generally happy. I have a family that loves me, friends that miss me, and a job that may rob me of time, but lets me put a roof up over my head and food on the table. Sometimes I'm not too happy. But out of anger, resentment, and heartache come hope and passion; to rise up. That's how I try to look at life.

[Tenka]

No: I live in Texas, am a homosexual (and what some might describe as "genderqueer"), and am ugly and weak. I have no friends except one or two over the internet; my family is alienated, alienating and poor; I am jobless, cannot drive, cannot function in general in capitalist society without some form of social welfare which is scarce if even extant here. My best hope is to take a plane or two, and possibly some buses, with financial aid from my dearest friend and leave the country. Not to say that capitalism hasn't got its tendrils everywhere, but some areas are more livable than others. I am not happy with my life.

[Thirsty Crow]

I work with HIV/AIDS patients full time...
...

Hey, would you be interested in online teaching? I know a guy who is terrible with his organizational skills, especially in relation to managing his own tasks, and incidentally he posts here at revleft (hint: the first letter of the username is "M", and the rest of them "enocchio" :D)

No, seriously, that's impressive.

[Welshy]

I'm pretty happy with my social life as I have a fun group of friends and a great girlfriend. Academically I'm pretty happy as I did really well my first year of college. As far as family life goes I'm happy. But as far as health goes I'm rather unhappy, because I have pretty bad acid reflux, most foods and drinks shred my stomach to bits, and I'm getting tested for arthritis even though I'm only 19.

So over all I'm pretty happy with my life.

[Weezer]

Mostly yes.

Right now I have to play catch up with summer homework for school, but I feel that I will finish it before school starts. I have a Disneyland annual pass and go there maybe every two weeks, gets my mind off things.

Intellectualism helps a lot. Going on this forum and reading about theory and history gets my mind off things. I just recently got out of a depression caused by an ex-girlfriend breaking up with me, I feel happy or at least okay for the first time in nearly two months. School year is about to start and I feel very confident about it.

Still, I feel pretty distant from a lot of friends and family. I have a decent amount of friends and people seem to enjoy me, but I think few people know that when I'm not on facebook, I'm mainly on here or Wikipedia or reading some book. I think if they knew, they wouldn't think of me the same. I don't really feel like a teenager and that distresses me kind of. I don't listen to a lot of popular hip music, and it makes me feel dumb when someone asks "Have you heard X by MGMT? Never Shout Never?", when I have never listened to any of those bands. I also feel like a really shitty son to my parents for disagreeing with their views.

But these are just minor details. My life is pretty good and I'm a little spoiled.

[Quail]

I'm happy with a lot of aspects of my life. I love my son and I have a lot of wonderful friends. I enjoy studying, even if the pressure does get to me a bit. The only thing I'm not happy with is my health. My eating and body image problems are slowly wrecking my body (my teeth are horribly sensitive, I get swollen glands, it feels normal to be dehydrated and dizzy, my immune system is weak so I'm always ill, I have stomach acid issues, etc, etc) and I struggle a lot day to day with anxiety and depression. I feel and am very lucky to live the life that I do, but I can't seem to feel happy because my mental health sucks.

[RHIZOMES]

If I was happy with my life, I wouldn't be an anti-capitalist.

I do have much more chances (due to various factors both in and out of my control) in becoming middle-class than most people in the world however, so I guess I should be grateful for that.

[The Intransigent Faction]

I don't feel like I could truly be happy knowing there's so much suffering going on due to our current socioeconomic system, although I live a fairly sheltered life, personally, for the most part.

In purely personal terms, living with OCD can be a constant battle with my own mind, which can get depressing, but I've coped well since I did some cognitive behavioural therapy.

I don't have many friends, but I'm generally very close with what friends I do have, and I prefer it that way. I have been feeling down occasionally though---unrequited love is kind of a pain.

I really try to take what Antonio Gramsci said to heart, though, by being a "pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will".

[Le Libérer]

Hey, would you be interested in online teaching? I know a guy who is terrible with his organizational skills, especially in relation to managing his own tasks, and incidentally he posts here at revleft (hint: the first letter of the username is "M", and the rest of them "enocchio" :D)

No, seriously, that's impressive.

Ha! I am always up for a challenge. The correct choices for challenges is what makes us happy. I'm convinced personal and social challenges counteract the effects of Capitalism. Elected officials in my city, state, see me coming and know they are about to be questioned (more like verbally abused) when I advocate for social change. And while my line of work would be considered leaning towards identity political work, LGBT, women's struggles, and racial issues, doing a little of all of the above, really puts you in a socialist lifestyle. Id rather be exhausted from attempting to put a dent capitalism than sitting around criticizing other leftists for ideological differences. I tell a Trotskyist friend often, All that matters is you are active in your work.

Confidence and satisfaction are the results from doing what you believe in and the more you do it, the more drive you have to do it.

My first lesson would be is make an outline of what you want to achieve in 5 years. Then make reasonable steps to accomplish it. What are you obstacles? Is it fear of the unknown? Dislike being around large groups of people? Public Speaking? Fear of success? Fear of failure?

As a child, I was speech delayed and stuttered and am dyslexic. So all my life I have panicked I will falter when speaking to crowds. Last year I put myself in the public arena, politically. I had no choice but to over come that fear. Now they have to pull me off the stage.

Anyway I didnt mean to go off on a tangent. Would I be open to teach an online class on personal organization management? Yes I would. Am I available at the moment? I need to finish up a couple of projects but I would be open to it in the future. Maybe we can do a subforum of online classes here. We have experts here on other subjects that would only enhance our lives as leftists.

[praxis1966]

Anyway I didnt mean to go off on a tangent. Would I be open to teach an online class on personal organization management? Yes I would. Am I available at the moment? I need to finish up a couple of projects but I would be open to it in the future. Maybe we can do a subforum of online classes here. We have experts here on other subjects that would only enhance our lives as leftists.

This sounds like a fantastic idea to me. I'm not sure I'm a complete expert in anything, more of a jack of all trades/master of none type, but I'd be more than willing to contribute in this arena in whatever way I could.

[eyeheartlenin]

Dear Children of the Revolution: I am just writing to say that I love your "location," namely, "behind the curtain." That, combined with your profile pic, the young lady with the piece (that was what we called it when I was in the Navy), gave me a reason to chuckle today. I am also glad that you are happy with your life, as am I, retired after just over 36 years of working in offices; each day is finally a day of leisure for me, so I can make choices, and for the first time in my life, I am doing light physical labor, yard work, which, since I can set my own hours, is really very satisfying. Plus, I just thought of something else: there is a growing anarchist presence in the town where I live, as well as an informally anarchist community space within walking distance of our apartment, so that is nice too. ("ken eyn ora/no evil eye")

My best wishes to you, C of the R, :)

[Smyg]

No. Just.. no. For the past year, I've been essentially constantly depressed, with brief moments of happiness.

[Agent Ducky]

Aww hellz yeah. My life is awesome. I go to an awesome school, and I have awesome friends, and loving parents. I'm so extremely lucky.

[Lobotomy]

I never really think about it, so I guess that means I'm generally happy these days. I am fairly privileged (good people in my life, parents help financially, activities to keep me busy) so I don't deal with a lot of stress. I guess I do go through phases of anxiety that can really get me down, but in the grand scheme of things my life is pretty sweet.