Hi. For context, I am from Australia.
I am 26.
Have a BA degree (philosophy & professionalism).
Have worked in supermarkets, at McDonalds, in vineyards (pruning), and most recently a warehouse (store person).
gist:
I have never really felt like it was worth working at any of these places. I know most people do not like their jobs, and do them merely to live. However, I have just quit a job at a warehouse, that I was making a decent money at, because it was simply shit. A 9-5 is a literal cancer to anyone's life, and I simply do wish it upon anyone. Each day I was fighting for my life not to just end it on the way to work, or jumping off a 38 ft extended in the air LO picker without a safety harness. Despite making the money, I just felt like time was literally being stolen away from me.
It's hard to frame this feeling in a condensed concise way, but I know you may think this is just a case of a none of these jobs being for you type thing. Yet, I don't think this changes with most jobs being offered today on the job board. Even if I was making over 100,000$ a year, I don't think I'd feel much different. It's quite insane.
I honestly don't know what to do, and I see why a lot of people just see suicide as an answer to this. this society's framework is massively wired to encourage this (esp if you're not a robot npc).
- It's almost impossible to not be homeless if you're unemployed (assuming you don't have much talent, and can't monetize something in your life by marketing yourself).
- Yes, in aus, we have unemployed benefits in australia, and I've been on job seeker for the better part of last year. But that is on a timeframe, and you can only avoid getting a job for so long — until they literally force you into a job with an employment provider that gives you a timeframe to get a job (you won't be able to receive payments after this timeframe).
- What is the solution? I am currently living at home with my single Mum. I don't really want to let her down. I could go back to uni, but in honesty, I am not that great at academia, and I could argue that is just as much of a waste of time as working (particularly if you don't enjoy doing it). The way I see it is: if you are able to pay rent, cover possible hospital expenses, and cover your death expenses — what else do you need? Money matters way too much for people at the cost of their own quality of life.
Please help, something needs to give, and I don't have a solution. I'm not asking for handouts of money; I am simply looking for help or knowledge. I don't want to throw my life away. I just don't want to be conflicted. I know myself well, and I'm not that intelligent/novel/smart/innovative/good looking/am unsightly, yet I've gotten this far in life by being simply resourceful and creative. I am just looking for perspectives.
What do you do to monetise yourself without a job? (yes, there are many loopholes for this).