A 40 Hour Week...

I work a full time job and have been there for 18 years. For the last 20 years of my life I have never not held a full time job. From the age of 17, I obtained a job and have held one ever since without any pauses. I did not come from a rich or middle class family. I did not have all the latest video games, coolest clothes, newest shoes, or travel on vacation or school trips. I learned that in order to have something, I had to work for it. I did not blame my parents for this and in all honesty am glad that I gained the work ethic that I possess from experiencing life. I attended school in a district which was highly composed of those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. I didn't allow the difference to affect my life. I am sure that the differences were apparent, but I didn't care. I was an A.P. Honors student and excelled in my classes. When the time came for college, I knew it wasn't feasible so I joined the USMC straight out of high school. Since then I obtained a college degree while working full time as a produce manager in a local grocery store, and then as a direct care staff at a facility for the mentally and physically handicapped, and now as an educator in that same facility. I can see how my experiences and the societal pressures led me to believe that life had to be lived a certain way. That one need conform to the idea of amassing large amounts of printed paper in hopes of being the same as everyone else. That one had to dress a certain way or act another in order to be 'a productive member or society' and to join the herd. My 'friends' were there mining my abilities and luring me deeper into the herd. All the while, I was determined that I was not like the 'sheeple' [btw I know consider that term an insult to sheep]. I would speak out against the ideas, always being adamant in my opinions and actions while all the while wearing sheep's clothing.  Then one day the moon rose full, and I could no longer stand forth and accept the path I was being led down. I re-examined life and saw that the honor I sought was being tarnished by the incoherence of the life I had begun to live. I did not need to change to be something I was not, but instead needed to embrace fully my true being and live. I needed to direct my energies to living as coherently as possible. 110% had to be given to the truth of life instead of the facades of this society. I saw the taint for what it was and even still find more and more differences every single day that bring about a change within. But still that hold is squeezed tight in one simple fact - I still work a 40 hour week. Could I quit and focus all my energies where they belong - on my family, our homestead, and our dreams? I have no doubt that we would survive and be able to make that adjustment. Would it be easy? No, there would be more trials and tribulations, more planning and scarcity, and more reinforcement to return to being that obedient servant. I still work a 40 hour week. I truly believe that directing my energies away from what is truly important will constantly hold back our efforts at achieving our dreams. Aye there's the rub! One can not keep one foot in the land of our consuming society and one in a self-reliant agrarian belief. Doing so essentially cancels out progress. Society does not like change, it doesn't care for those who choose to stand outside its boundaries, or those who go against the flow. It strives to pull everyone into the melting pot of monoculture and blind ignorance. As long as I work a 40 hour week I am forced to flow along with the rest of their wishes and dreams, forsaking our own. How does one change that? It takes money to escape money? Can one ever escape? Thoughts to ponder during those 40 hours...