Ultimately...
The previous piece was a pseudo imaginary conversation. It is not too off the mark though. We keep facing similar situations. The other day I had an actual conversation with a friend on a similar note. We are friends since pre university. He's always been the "practical" and "pragmatic" guy. Hardly anything matches between me and him. But, not unnaturally, we do get along well.
He has been working since two and a half years. Over the last six months or so, he is been seriously working on writing GRE and going to the US for an MS. He is not too keen about getting into the top grad schools. Being the practical guy, he had set his aspirations quite right. The other day when we were talking he said he is reconsidering his decision. He said he's not getting motivated to work for GRE because he doesn't know if it would be a wise decision. "Should I look for a job with a better salary and opportunity, or should I do a PG?" he said. I asked him, "Now you say you are at crossroads. Why did you want to do a PG all these days?". "I was not happy with the BE degree because it is not enough to get me a job outside. Now I have nearly 2 and a half years of experience on some really good things... if I get a good grip in this domain I can make it for a job abroad...". I was irritated. "So the idea was to get a job outside of India. And you were trying to write a GRE in order to get a job. And then you wanted to waste 2 years doing PG to get a job! How very stupid!". "Well.... hold on... boss! If you just take up a job in the US you wont get work which you might like. Most of the times it will be working on some crap tool or something. I thought of PG as its a gateway to US." I retorted, "Dude, I mean.. go.. get a job anywhere.. whatever.. your life. But you wanted to go to some university for 2 years to get a job? Crazy!" "If I do a PG then it can fetch me a decent job with really good work". "I dont know if that is the case, but let me, for argument's sake, admit that it is the case. In that case, why do you want to take up a job in the US at all, if your degree will only fetch you a crappy job?". "A job in the US means more money. As Simple As That. ASAT". I sighed, "So.. you do a PG anywhere in the US and people will come and give you big money. And you wanted to spend so much of money over 2 years, so that you might get good money after that. Brilliant." "Look, I am not satisfied with whatever I have learnt in BE. It's all just preliminary stuff. I want to study more and indepth. And once you do a PG in a good university then you can get a good job in the US. I have seen these things happening. Now the question that's bothering me is should I work on this long term plan or should try for a job which can fetch me good money". After this I started becoming a little comical. "If you want to make money, just keep on switching jobs every 2-3 years. With every switch, the salary increases by 30%. So just keep doing it every 3 years. Don't waste money on a PG. It costs a lot." He identified the sarcasm in my words and made this announcement. "Hmm..ultimately what matters is money". The "ultimately" sealed it! He added, " At least, to me....". I was almost completely relieved after the "ulimate" statement. I said, "That is why I am asking you not to waste it". He casually replied, "Well, I will go for a PG only if I get an aid. That way I wont be wasting it!".
------
People who know me well will know that this post is *not* an attempt to show a friend as a mercenary kewl dude, and myself as an idealistic poor chap. Firstly, he is not, and I am not. Secondly, I have no problems with making money; I would do that as well. Just that I may not chase it. This post is just a reflection of the ideologies of most people. The above ideas sound crazy. And almost all of us-that includes me- have had similar ideas, if not the same, at some point in time, not too long ago in the past, during our careers. There is one truth though that everyone does realise, sooner or later: "ultimately" nothing matters. We would do well to realise that "On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero." Ulimately, your ashes will be lost inseperably in the universal dust! Nobody cares how many pizzas you ate, which car you drove and what presents you gave to your girlfriend.
Dear friend, do find a well paying job in the US, do get a great life, do make money. The only caveat is with the "ultimate" illusion. That's my only contention. A few more thousand dollars or a few less, at the end. It's in your hands. It's your choice. However, do know that it wont make any difference. At least, don't go so far as to claim that it matters.
Crossposted on Argumentation Crisis.
He has been working since two and a half years. Over the last six months or so, he is been seriously working on writing GRE and going to the US for an MS. He is not too keen about getting into the top grad schools. Being the practical guy, he had set his aspirations quite right. The other day when we were talking he said he is reconsidering his decision. He said he's not getting motivated to work for GRE because he doesn't know if it would be a wise decision. "Should I look for a job with a better salary and opportunity, or should I do a PG?" he said. I asked him, "Now you say you are at crossroads. Why did you want to do a PG all these days?". "I was not happy with the BE degree because it is not enough to get me a job outside. Now I have nearly 2 and a half years of experience on some really good things... if I get a good grip in this domain I can make it for a job abroad...". I was irritated. "So the idea was to get a job outside of India. And you were trying to write a GRE in order to get a job. And then you wanted to waste 2 years doing PG to get a job! How very stupid!". "Well.... hold on... boss! If you just take up a job in the US you wont get work which you might like. Most of the times it will be working on some crap tool or something. I thought of PG as its a gateway to US." I retorted, "Dude, I mean.. go.. get a job anywhere.. whatever.. your life. But you wanted to go to some university for 2 years to get a job? Crazy!" "If I do a PG then it can fetch me a decent job with really good work". "I dont know if that is the case, but let me, for argument's sake, admit that it is the case. In that case, why do you want to take up a job in the US at all, if your degree will only fetch you a crappy job?". "A job in the US means more money. As Simple As That. ASAT". I sighed, "So.. you do a PG anywhere in the US and people will come and give you big money. And you wanted to spend so much of money over 2 years, so that you might get good money after that. Brilliant." "Look, I am not satisfied with whatever I have learnt in BE. It's all just preliminary stuff. I want to study more and indepth. And once you do a PG in a good university then you can get a good job in the US. I have seen these things happening. Now the question that's bothering me is should I work on this long term plan or should try for a job which can fetch me good money". After this I started becoming a little comical. "If you want to make money, just keep on switching jobs every 2-3 years. With every switch, the salary increases by 30%. So just keep doing it every 3 years. Don't waste money on a PG. It costs a lot." He identified the sarcasm in my words and made this announcement. "Hmm..ultimately what matters is money". The "ultimately" sealed it! He added, " At least, to me....". I was almost completely relieved after the "ulimate" statement. I said, "That is why I am asking you not to waste it". He casually replied, "Well, I will go for a PG only if I get an aid. That way I wont be wasting it!".
------
People who know me well will know that this post is *not* an attempt to show a friend as a mercenary kewl dude, and myself as an idealistic poor chap. Firstly, he is not, and I am not. Secondly, I have no problems with making money; I would do that as well. Just that I may not chase it. This post is just a reflection of the ideologies of most people. The above ideas sound crazy. And almost all of us-that includes me- have had similar ideas, if not the same, at some point in time, not too long ago in the past, during our careers. There is one truth though that everyone does realise, sooner or later: "ultimately" nothing matters. We would do well to realise that "On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero." Ulimately, your ashes will be lost inseperably in the universal dust! Nobody cares how many pizzas you ate, which car you drove and what presents you gave to your girlfriend.
Dear friend, do find a well paying job in the US, do get a great life, do make money. The only caveat is with the "ultimate" illusion. That's my only contention. A few more thousand dollars or a few less, at the end. It's in your hands. It's your choice. However, do know that it wont make any difference. At least, don't go so far as to claim that it matters.
Crossposted on Argumentation Crisis.
"ultimately" nothing matters.
ultimately nothing may matter (whatever that means). but somehow i don't find the nihilistic conclusion that people make out of this assertion.
we are, whether we like it or not, in the existensial realm. and existence obligates us to manifest reality. there is a hindi song that goes ..tujhko chhalna hoga.., meaning, you have to move. or the other saying that says: duniya mein hum aaye hain to jeena hi padega.. (once you are born, you have no option but to live).
if i have no option but to live, i'd rather live in a way as consistent with reality as possible. because, that is the ony thing that ultimately reality allows.
on a related note, there is also this saying in english: you have done enough bad if you don't do anything good.
Posted by
Srinath Srinivasa |
2:48 AM, February 27, 2006
I think its easy to counter-argue survivalistic tendencies but its still not fair. The person still has to do what he has to do. Whether it matters or not. So by ultimate he might be meaning 'out of the choices' instead of '50 years from now'.
By the way, the survival rate quote is by Tyler Durden(from Fight Club), right?
Posted by
Anonymous |
4:35 AM, February 27, 2006
there must be something that drives you, and for some people fortunately/ unfortunately it is not about the money, it is about THE MONEY.
Posted by
Anonymous |
6:16 AM, February 27, 2006
@Sir: I don't exactly mean it in the nihilistic sense. What I am contesting is the cocksure tone of - Ultimately what matters in money?. As everybody knows, money is after all a means. If we assume that ones own 'happiness' is the end, whatever that means, and even if that also doesn't matter, then can we be so sure that a few more thousand dollars will really matter for our happiness? Will it surely add a few more thousand dollars woth of happiness? We don't know. But we just assume that we got to make more money, no matter what. Of course, you got to move on. Perhaps there are better paths to move on. But we never try to explore.
@Anon1: Probably it is not fair, but why should we be fair? :) I agree that a "person has to do what he has to do". But in most cases what a person is doing is what he thinks he has to do. I also don't mean '50 years from now' though the post might have come across that way. But do we give choices to ourselves, is my question.
@Anon2: True. There must be something that drives you. And we assume that it is money.
Posted by
Anonymous |
9:34 PM, February 27, 2006
@anon1: Yes, that quote is from Fight Club. I guess it's from the 'narrator', not Tyler Durden. I haven't seen the movie/read the book. So, not too sure.
Posted by
Anonymous |
9:41 PM, February 27, 2006