Could you "do nothing"?

Saulbadguy

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2003
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Hypothetical scenario:

You have the option of not working for the rest of your life. You can just sit around and do nothing all day, but you are subsidized with enough money to pay your bills and have a little extra on the side to spend. You have all day to do the activies you enjoy, but you wont' see another day of work for the rest of your life.

Would you do it?
 

new2AMD

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
5,312
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I was out of work for a year so I would say I could NOT do it. I hated not being a part of the working class. Every time you meet someone they question always comes up, "What do you do for a living?" I hated saying nothing. If I was independently wealthy I could do it because I would take on other things to do with my time other than working but in this scenraio I wouldnt have the money to do so I would onlybe surviving. Thats scary.
 

No. I believe that humans are genetically programmed to be productive animals. I think there would have to be some sort of "work/pleasure" model in order to fully enjoy a life of pleasure.

In other words, there has to be some sort of 'unpleasant' or 'required' objective to complete in order to have authentic fun doing the things you love.
 

Wallydraigle

Banned
Nov 27, 2000
10,754
1
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Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Hypothetical scenario:

You have the option of not working for the rest of your life. You can just sit around and do nothing all day, but you are subsidized with enough money to pay your bills and have a little extra on the side to spend. You have all day to do the activies you enjoy, but you wont' see another day of work for the rest of your life.

Would you do it?



Yes, of course! As long as it's legitimate, and not welfare or something. Is that some kind of trick question?:confused:
 

NuclearNed

Raconteur
May 18, 2001
7,882
380
126
Yes, I could do it. But with all my newfound extra time I would work doing things I like to do, like start a garden, pick up litter, volunteer a lot for good causes, etc.
 

DaWhim

Lifer
Feb 3, 2003
12,985
1
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hell yes.

how do you like to answer when people ask you what do you do for a living?

1. I am a money whore and I work my ass off.
2. I have enough money and I am enjoying life.
 

Jzero

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
18,834
1
0
Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Hypothetical scenario:

You have the option of not working for the rest of your life. You can just sit around and do nothing all day, but you are subsidized with enough money to pay your bills and have a little extra on the side to spend. You have all day to do the activies you enjoy, but you wont' see another day of work for the rest of your life.

Would you do it?

In a heartbeat. I alway quip that "Work is the thing you have to do to finance the things you really want to do." There's some things I would do for a living if it weren't for the fact that I don't think you can make a living on them. I would do those things.
 

Saulbadguy

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2003
5,573
12
81
Originally posted by: lirion
Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Hypothetical scenario:

You have the option of not working for the rest of your life. You can just sit around and do nothing all day, but you are subsidized with enough money to pay your bills and have a little extra on the side to spend. You have all day to do the activies you enjoy, but you wont' see another day of work for the rest of your life.

Would you do it?



Yes, of course! As long as it's legitimate, and not welfare or something. Is that some kind of trick question?:confused:

No trick question. Just hypothetical. I don't know where the money would come from. Perhaps a lawsuit, a government subsidized check, rich family, etc...

Just interested in seeing how many people could live with not working. I definately could.
 

ramulack

Member
May 16, 2003
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what about volinteer work?

more flexible hours and your still doing something several hours a week
 

DaWhim

Lifer
Feb 3, 2003
12,985
1
81
Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Originally posted by: lirion
Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Hypothetical scenario:

You have the option of not working for the rest of your life. You can just sit around and do nothing all day, but you are subsidized with enough money to pay your bills and have a little extra on the side to spend. You have all day to do the activies you enjoy, but you wont' see another day of work for the rest of your life.

Would you do it?



Yes, of course! As long as it's legitimate, and not welfare or something. Is that some kind of trick question?:confused:

No trick question. Just hypothetical. I don't know where the money would come from. Perhaps a lawsuit, a government subsidized check, rich family, etc...

Just interested in seeing how many people could live with not working. I definately could.

it would be a harder choice if I have to trade my body parts for this kind of living. ;)
 

DeeKnow

Platinum Member
Jan 28, 2002
2,470
0
71
would messing about with the PC and the VCR and the car and the sound system qualify as work?

seriously, i can think of a hundred books i wanted to read, a hundred movies i wanted to watch, at least two more languages i wanted to learn to speak, a dozen places i want to visit, etc etc etc

I could do that all day and not miss that stuff we do in the office ;-)
 

Jzero

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
18,834
1
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Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
No trick question. Just hypothetical. I don't know where the money would come from. Perhaps a lawsuit, a government subsidized check, rich family, etc...

Just interested in seeing how many people could live with not working. I definately could.

I couldn't live with just sitting on my ass all day, but I certainly could live doing whatever I want since I don't have to worry about if it brings in enough money to pay the mortgage and bills.
 

Ness

Diamond Member
Jul 10, 2002
5,407
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I would get a job I enjoy where pay would not be an issue. Having a good 400-500/week for random spending would be great.
 

Saulbadguy

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2003
5,573
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81
You could do any volunteer work you want, you could work around the house, work on your cars, do anything you want, EXCEPT get a job that pays.
 

Chu

Banned
Jan 2, 2001
2,911
0
0
Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Hypothetical scenario:

You have the option of not working for the rest of your life. You can just sit around and do nothing all day, but you are subsidized with enough money to pay your bills and have a little extra on the side to spend. You have all day to do the activies you enjoy, but you wont' see another day of work for the rest of your life.

Would you do it?

Depends on what you mean by 'work'. If money wasn't an option - there are still tons of things I would do that are fun/fufilling - but don't carry a paycheck.

-Chu
 

skace

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
14,488
7
81
Yes assuming the following things are true:

I could spend my time learning anything on the computer (programming languages / etc)
I could work on things to improve my living condition, such as learning how to tear down a room and rebuild it.
I could start up companies and or help start up companies free of cost. IE, I could help a friend with advice / examples based on all the learned knowledge from all the time I spent learning stuff because I didn't have to work.
I could day trade / gamble on random things. IE I could put my money into things and make it work for me. I don't think this would constitute a job although some people do turn day trading into a job.

Given all these things, yes my life would be perfect and much more meaningful then it is at this current moment.

Oh yea, if I ever got bored, could I help some free orginization trying to find the cure for aids or something. Help them code something or write a new program for them / whatever? Is it considered a job if I do it for free?