Like the title says. It is incredible how we are pushed to work for our lives and yet, the best times I have had since 2020 which was a traumatic year for my entire life was after me getting laid off.
I understand that I was definitely privileged which sounds weird as I grew up VERY poor in Mexico. Now I am a software engineer in Canada which means that my job is “better” than a lot of people but earning this supposedly “great amount of money” just teach me that the system is just dumb.
For context, I grew up poor in Mexico like I said. I started working when I was 8 years old at a super market. My dad was (Saying was even though he is still alive fortunately, but he graduated from University at 58! Super proud of that) a mechanic, so I spent countless hours with him on the shop, fixing clutches which had asbestos. I still remember the fibers being very itchy, luckily I didn't got cancer from that smoke. I also helped him build metal gates for houses, so I learnt how to solder and using heavy tools at a young age.
During elementary school I was working with my dad and I was young, no issues, but I always thought that my rich friends had the best of times.
Then I moved cities in Mexico for middle school and the poverty got even harder. My mom gave me a James Bond magazine for Birthday and Christmas because we did not had much money. I still remember how much I loved that magazine. At the time I was still working on another super market.
Then I joined highschool and did the usual: Join a McDonalds lol. Terrible job. Switched to a convinience store and it was not great, but it helped me get by. I have worked as a Survey over the phone guy at a Call center as I grew up in the border of MX with the USA so I could speak fairly good english. Also switched to Verizon Technical Support lol.
So I finally did it, I finished my university and graduated as a computer engineer and got super lucky to move to Canada and started earning “Good”. I thought I was settled.
But with my last job, which was paying EXCELLENT… I realized something. This amount of money is nothing compared to the millionaires. And I was not free, earning this money just covered the basics, and sure I could get almost anything I wanted. I have the guitars I want, I have a sick TV to play video games, I was able to help my family to pay for things they couldn't… but the idea of “work hard and you're be good” is an incredibly outdated one.
I thought that with the money I was earning I was super set and it would be smooth sailing, but in reality that money does nothing. You can only really be “settled” once you are a millionaire. What can I do with this supposedly great salary? I couldn't buy a house still. I have a great TV… but is it really necessary? I have the guitars I want… but does that help me live comfortably until I die? Sure, my life has become more “comfortable” but it made me realize that the only way to exit the system is just having absurd amounts of money.
In may I got Laid off. Thanks to that I had a juicy severance. What did I do? It is august and I still don't need to work. I traveled to Japan for an entire month. Visited so many places, took the bullet train throughout the island. I have had been studying Japanese for three years and while I am not native, I can have friendly conversations. It was my first time in Japan alone. In the past I had a GF who I lasted 7 years who lived in Japan, so whenever I had the chance to go, she would be my translator.
Now I got to use my own tools. OMFG it was one of the most rewarding experiences ever. Not needing to work. Being in my favourite country. Speaking the language. I made so many friends with strangers! On a small bar a bunch of randos invited me to have a drink with them in Kyoto, and stayed there until 2 am getting hammered with everybody.
After the whole month in Japan, came back to Canada to then take my car and drove from Canada to Mexico, crossing the USA (cruisin' USA :P) with a friend of mine who I know for almost 20 years now. While in Chicago eating chicago pizza, he told me something that made me shed tears: He wants me to be his best man at his wedding.
I had an incredible yet tiring time driving home with my friend. Amazing stories, stories that will not forget until I die. Visited so many places. Every night we would buy beer and just sit outside and drink. Remembering all our shenanigans. One day in Missouri we were outside drinking watching a far away thunderstorm seeing how the sky was lighting every so often.
Then in Mexico went camping with all my family, which we haven't done as a family in more than a decade! I was so fucking stocked to spend such a long time with them. Since I moved to Canada I don't see my parents, sister and nephew and niece as often as I want to. So this camping was the experience I needed.
Then drove to Las Vegas to see Evo, the video game tournament and I had the experience of my life. Then I drove to Canada and here I am, still happy about all my new experiences. I got Covid in las vegas though haha, but I am managing.
All of this happened while I was unemployed. I know I am priviledged as usually being unemployed means stress for a lot of people, but I was lucky to have such a great severance package. But it is incredible how life tastes SO MUCH BETTER when you don't need to work. This experience opened my eyes how stupid and restrained everyone is.
Everyone should be able to have these experiences without earning the money I was earning. Everyone should be able to enjoy what makes them happy. Not having to work is one of the best feelings in the world. And albeit, I am not millionaire, I have to start searching for a job soon, it is dumb how the system tells you to keep working and you will get a better life. That is just stupid. Take it from me, the person who was had a great salary and I am still just a worker with more Expensive things but their uses are the same than the people who are earning less. This system is stupid.
I hope in my lifetime, the system changes which I doubt to a more socialist one like in a few countries in Europe, where humanitarian laws are the norm and not where if you end up without money you do not end up in the street. I am tired of working. I don't want to search for a Job. I just want to see my friends, laugh, and enjoy my life before them or me is gone.