Addiction to consumerism

[azerty54]

Hi,

I am facing an issue with consumerism. I've spend a lot of time consuming, and producing nothing.
I think consumerism makes me useless, and wastes my time, and I notice it more now with the quarantine as I've got a lot of free time.

I've mostly spent my free time playing video games, and it has been the case for my whole life.

I made an introspection this week, and at first, I thought I was suffering from a video game addiction,
as I've spent tens of thousands of hours on them.

I decided to remove a big part of them from my computer. Then, I've spent all day (yesterday), only listening to music, and doing nothing...
Today, I've spent my day watching youtube videos about minecraft (lol, why... I didn't play it for ages) and watching series...

Everytime I get rid of what seems to be the problem, it gets replaced with something else... but always consumables,
the least useful things to me at the moment.

I've got a lot of interesting things to do you see. Things, such as learning a foreign language
(because I have the project to emigrate and to change my life completly in several months).
I also want to learn to use photoshop, as I'm still relying on gimp for photo editing and 2D graphics, and I want to learn something I never experienced before.
I'd also like to make a website one day, that could potentially earn me money.

But how I am supposed to do this when I'm constantly distracted...

I have a laptop I'm not using, and I decided to turn it into a system dedicated to my projects, but whenever I'm in my bedroom, where my gaming computer lies, I get distracted.

Do you experience this as well? What do you think about consumerism?
Is it something necessary to humans, or do you see it as a flaw?
Should I get rid of all distractions, the same way I did by getting rid of video games? or is there another way to tackle this issue?

[[MPGH]Dave84311]

deal consumer,

this is a real problem that must be solved. if you have a solution, hit me up.

truthfully,
fellow consumer

[[MPGH]Time]

i have had the same feeling for a while, im thinking of making meditation a thing and try to start from there @azerty54

[Mephedrone]

I'm having the exact same problem...
No motivation to do anything except working and smoking weed.
Trying to quit smoking weed but those crazy fucking dreams who makes every night awful makes me start smoking again.

[azerty54]

Consumerism is the common problem of today's society. In order to get rid of this habit, I recommend you to go to a job that you can really love.

I don't like the job I currently do, and the country I'm living in. That's why I need to learn another language to be able to leave my country, and to find another job.
But I need to dedicate a lot of time and effort into learning, and as it's not really easy/funny, I tend to do something else.

And I don't think it will be ever possible to find a job that feels like a passion. A job is just a way of getting money, to spend it on something you like.
I've wondered for years what would the perfect job be to me, but I've never found it. Even something I like will become boring if done 8h a day, for a boss...

[[MPGH]Time]

I don't like the job I currently do, and the country I'm living in. That's why I need to learn another language to be able to leave my country, and to find another job.
But I need to dedicate a lot of time and effort into learning, and as it's not really easy/funny, I tend to do something else.

And I don't think it will be ever possible to find a job that feels like a passion. A job is just a way of getting money, to spend it on something you like.
I've wondered for years what would the perfect job be to me, but I've never found it. Even something I like will become boring if done 8h a day, for a boss...

yeah it is very difficult to find a job that you're passionate about or have passion for a job you do otherwise, meditation failed - but i think self discipline is a good start ill see how that goes, will need to push ourselves to do things we consider chores or boring and make it enjoyable somehow.

[safdarmd]

You need to have a set goal in mind or you'll have trouble achieving what you want- in this case, productivity. Think in the long-run, how and why this will affect you positively or negatively.

[Daviidov95]

You got a great point and you are not alone, i also have this issue, and there are many more. finding something productive is also something i struggle with, i haven't found a solution... yet. but i guess when more time goes by we'll eventually find something or maybe someone to spend time on and to look forward. My dad always said: Positive people attract positive situations/opportunities/people. If your doors are closed then you have to open them and keep them open.

[tomSorr]

I don't like the job I currently do, and the country I'm living in. That's why I need to learn another language to be able to leave my country, and to find another job.
But I need to dedicate a lot of time and effort into learning, and as it's not really easy/funny, I tend to do something else.

And I don't think it will be ever possible to find a job that feels like a passion. A job is just a way of getting money, to spend it on something you like.
I've wondered for years what would the perfect job be to me, but I've never found it. Even something I like will become boring if done 8h a day, for a boss...

You know that realizing all this stuff it's already an achievement! But you know that first you work for someone, and then people work for you. So, you'll get the job you like, but you need more patience.

[azerty54]

You know that realizing all this stuff it's already an achievement! But you know that first you work for someone, and then people work for you. So, you'll get the job you like, but you need more patience.

Hey,

From where I come from, there are no such think as getting higher in society by working hard (the way it is in the US I guess).
Here, you work hard, you end up burned out, and you will never get a raise or more responsabilities. The only way is to create your own company.
Here, people are like slaves. They waste their time, their life, for some money. I leave my home at 7 am in the morning, and come back at almost 8 pm for an average salary, doing a difficult and stressful work that required a university degree. And some people have a worst situation than mine.

Now, here's the update with some good news since my post from May 2020:
We're in mid september, and I got rid of my gaming computer to avoid distractions and bought a good laptop for more freedom.
I didn't have the opportunity to travel because of pandemics, but I've used all my weekends and days off to learn norwegian and decided to leave everything in 2021, to go in norway: a country where work-life balance is the most important aspect of work, and where it's badly seen to over-work. A country where people are among the happiest on earth, where there are beautiful landscapes, a lot of activities to do, where people are at home at 4 pm. A country where I feel like I can evolve, that have low insecurity, low unemployment, good health care, no debt...

In 5 months of language learning, I didn't reach fluency yet, but I understand most of what I read/hear, and I can make myself understood.
Now, I'm hoping everything will work as intended, but it's worth taking a risk. In the worst case scenario, I come back home to live with my parents for some time, to make other plans. But I'll still be leaving this job and country anyway.

I encourage you to pursue your dreams, and to accept some changes. Don't let your life be a nightmare, have plans, try new
things, take risks.

I still have no idea what job I'll do though. Tourism seems like a branch in which I can enter easily, as I'm a polyglot.
But the job I'm currently doing is so diverse in its tasks that it can probably help me get something else easily. I'll try.

[monch0]

Bros, your words are going so well. There is a lot of antropology in what you are saying. I reccomend toread some text, in english-lenguaje countries are very recognised antropologist and bibliography, you must read some of them! check out kottak!.
then... This is a social problem, really hard to endure, but beter times are arriving, continue with your dreams.

[ambidextrous89]

I feel you, I'm in the same position, when I try to stop gaming it get's replaced with binge watching series on netflix, streams on twitch or something else, you get the Idea. This lead to ignoring the rest of my life (expect for work, kind of strange, hm?) and acculating a huge amount of debt over the course of years. Furthermore I'm a master in postponing things and at the moment it feel like I can't really get my life together,

If anyone has an idea to solve this I'd more then welcome.

[subzero1911]

i have had the same feeling for a while, im thinking of making meditation a thing and try to start from there @azerty54

[Twerkburger]

Sometimes drastic actions must be taken to see results - getting rid of a gaming computer is a big step! If you ever feel comfortable getting back into gaming, try searching for games that come in Norwegian. I have been playing games that I am familiar with in Spanish as a way to pick up some vocab.

- - - Updated - - -

You need to have a set goal in mind or you'll have trouble achieving what you want- in this case, productivity. Think in the long-run, how and why this will affect you positively or negatively.

This point is very important. Having a goal to work towards makes the every day work that you put in have a purpose! Give yourself some drive to keep going when you know your effort is getting you closer to your goal.

[HeloiseBurgess]

Hi! Listen, this information is exactly what I needed, I was just struck with ideas, thank you!