I know this is a lot to read but its very important and I will read every answer and give 10 points to whoever can answer this the best.
I'm 20 and attending a community college. I have a friend of the same age there who is really more of an acquaintance - we rarely hang out but we know each other and might converse with each other briefly after class. But I've been over his place before.
He has always been more of the hippie type of person - he cares a lot about the environment and is all about peace and love and stuff. His parents, who he currently lives with, are pretty wealthy with a large house a nice pool and hot tub, many nice tvs and surround sound and his father has a BMW convertible and a Lexus while his mother has an SUV. His mother obviously doesn't need to work so she stays home. They hire people to clean, mow the lawn and do yard work. I do not mean to imply anything negative though. I met his family once and they were all very nice.
My friend, however, believes it is wrong to live so luxuriously when there are people who can't afford a meal. His goal seems to be to help the world but he is tired of his rich lifestyle and tired of conforming to society and stuff.
So basically, he wants to go up to Burlington Vermont - a very liberal city full of hippies where he can "find himself" in a place with other like minded people. He tells me its his dream.
I'm fully behind him following his dream but part of his goal is financial independence from his parents. He says he wants to start his own life there.
As wealthy as his parents are he's going up there was nothing but $100, a cell phone, laptop, extra clothes and toiletries. He is going to find himself a job but until he makes enough money he will be homeless. He says he's fine with this since so many have no choice but to live this way and he wants to experience it then volunteer his time to help the homeless once he finds a place to live and can feed himself.
Now Burlington is supposed to have many great options for the homeless so he will get food and sleep in a shelter until he can provide for himself. He plans to get a job asap and work hard.
I support him for following his dream and I know him well enough to know that he'll accomplish all his goals but I'm also a little confused. Couldn't he contribute more to the world as a wealthy person with a college education?
He said he needs to learn how to live without all the luxuries he has had all his life. He tells me how when the Buddha left his luxurious lifestyle he learned about real suffering and my friend says that it is much easier to change the world when you're not surrounded by the world of material pleasure. He says he needs to do this in order to truly find himself.
I support his dream even though I would never dream of doing that. I just wonder if he is right about everything he says. If you met my friend you would see his geniune determination but is he making a big mistake by going about all of this the wrong way?
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