"Obligated" is an interesting word choice. Who are you obligated to? What is the obligation? I looked it up 'cuz I was curious and when we're in a debate that hinges on semantics, it's good to have a crisp definition in mind. OBLIGATE: To bind or compel, especially legally or morally. "Legally" is out, obviously. Morally? Well there's the crux of it. I think the "we" is important, too - AlderaanDuran clearly ain't. Me? I've made a half million dollars mixing reality television. There are biological weapons experts with more moral jobs than mine. "Noble?" The real question is this: can you live with yourself? Nobody picks "galen" as a username without a healthy appreciation for higher causes. Who we choose to be says a lot about who we want to be. You wanted to be a journalist because you believe in the truth and because you wanted to illuminate the plight of the downtrodden. I think that's noble. I think that if you derive pleasure and self-worth from altruism, you ought to pursue an altruistic career. I don't know what that is for you - I don't know what that is for me. I'm fond of saying I put a social worker through grad school; my cosmic debt to the Universe is paid. Doesn't release me from being nice to people and giving money to charity and volunteering my time and such. does save me from spending my summers with Oxfam. It comes down to this: What do you want on your tombstone? And more than that, how much do you care? I don't really want mine to say "he mixed a shitload of reality TV" but I'm also not hung up on the idea of Anubis weighing my heart. It's your answer, not mine. All the discussion in the world won't change that.
You'd be surprised - Galen just felt like the right name for a character I found about a month and a half ago. But other than that-- you're totally right. Thanks for the insight, you've certainly given me some things to think about.Nobody picks "galen" as a username without a healthy appreciation for higher causes.
Okay, that's pretty funny. It appears you wish to lead a goofy life but your subconscious keeps getting in the way. By the way? Any profession you choose now is unlikely to be what you end up doing. At fifteen I was trying to decide between lawyer, chef, Green Beret or underwater welder, having given up on automotive designer. Four years later I'd designed a car. Nowhere in there was "design sound systems for stadiums" or "mix network television."
Wow, at 15 you were far more specific in what you thought you might do than I ever was. I think my list was lawyer, writer or musician. Underwater welder is pretty damn specific. But yeah, I never thought I'd be a business development manager for a financial institution. What kid dreams of that?
I'm 'bout to marry a car designer. It's quite an interesting profession, and one I knew relatively little about until recently. One thing that I find fascinating is how few there are in the world. There are perhaps 1000 exterior designers (working for the major auto companies) globally, and it's a very communal group; everyone knows everyone at every company. My wife-to-be is one of two female exterior designers at her company, and one of about 6 in the world (women, for whatever reason, are far more concentrated in interior design). It's crazy how many people it takes to put a car on the road, but how few people actually influence what they look like (not counting the focus groups and such).
Absolutely. It reminds me of my old religious beliefs - I used to be a Christian, but as far back as I knew to think critically about it, I understood that there was no rational reason that I was a Christian. I just felt like it was right. Finally, about a year ago, the feeling sort of disappeared, and I became an agnostic. Man, morals are annoying sometimes.It appears you wish to lead a goofy life but your subconscious keeps getting in the way.