However, every now and then my mind wanders to more obscure places. Two days ago, for example, I concluded that people do not go to war. Countries do not go to war. Governments go to war. And they do so for one reason and one reason only: Power. Whether it be to secure it or steal it, all wars boil down to a government’s desire for power (can you think of one that doesn’t?).
This morning, I was thinking about work; specifically, 9-to-5 office work. My maths may be a little rusty (not to mention rushed; I was in the shower), but I worked out that, based on a someone leaving university at 21 and getting a job in an office that lasts till their retirement at 65, the average person will have about 11 years to themselves. 11 years in which to do whatever they want. That’s taking into account evenings, weekends, holidays and bank holidays (yes, people, I was working it out in hours).
That means, the average person working in an office, from the time they leave university to the day they retire, will spend around 33 years sleeping, getting ready for work, travelling to work, working and travelling from work. There are murders who don’t get that kind of sentence!
Okay, so that doesn’t take into account lunch-breaks, but nor does it factor in time spent on the toilet or time spent in traffic jams when not commuting, or time you give up for other people, and so on…
Not only is that three quarters of that period of life gone, but it’s more than half of your entire life to that point (and that’s not counting school)!
So, the next time you’re looking at that contract for that comfortable, secure job with that big, reputable company, just think about how much of your life you’re signing away.
We then hit the town, danced a little, drank much and ended up in a B&B (which we neglected to check into). With four of us and only two beds, I happily opted for the wooden floor, with only a pillow for comfort. Thanks to copious amounts of alcohol, I slept rather well and was feeling good the next morning, partially thanks to a cup of tea and a McDonald’s breakfast.
Bebbet