Why do you think you’re working extra hard?
Was it about to give your family a better life? Was it about the Audi R8 or the Shelby Mustang you’ve been dreaming of? Was it because of the expenses in your household?
Well we all have our own goals, dreams, and reasons why we’re working hard, but the question is..why are we working “extra” hard?
I’ve just seen Chris Rock’s “Kill The Messenger.” and I find his reason for working extra hard has made a lot of sense: It’s because we’re now PAYING for the things that used to be FREE.
He said that before water was free, but now we’re buying bottled water. I can totally relate to this, because when I was still a kid, our drinking water was just a boiled water that’s been cooled in the fridge. But now we have a water dispenser and order around 5 bottles of 5 gallons of mineral water weekly.
Another example Chris Rock raised is the cellphone’s ringtone. People nowadays are actually paying for ringtones. There are lot’s of built-in ringtone in our cellphone which is free, but funny that we prefer to use the paid ones so that our phones will look hip.
I can also give my examples on things that used to be free:
Parking Spaces.
You can have free parking in parking lots before, but now you’re rarely see one. I can accept that malls charge for your parking, but what I can’t accept is that even in “public” streets nowadays you’ll get charged for 40php (almost a dollar).
Toilets.
Have you encountered being charged for using the toilet? Ye, there are several malls right now that’s charging around 10 to 20php for using the toilet. In fairness to them, the comfort room is well maintained. But still a cost is a cost. Let’s hope that this will not be standardized as with the parking spaces.
Well business is business eh? I admire some of their creativity in how to generate more income, though the cost of living is being compromised. And that we should work extra hard just to pay for things that used to be free. Let’s pray that the air we breathe won’t bill us in the future.
“The Best Things in life are FREE.”
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{ 10 comments }
Nice reflection on our current way of life, Jed. Every thing has to be paid for these days. Only dreams seem to be free. Wait – not anymore, people have started to cash in on that as well.
Twitter is a good example. It’s filled with salesmen of every stripe. You want six-pack abs, click this to enroll on our program. Earn xxx amount of dollars on Twitter – click this.
Which reminds me – I’ve yet to monetize my blog again. lols.
.-= jan geronimo´s last blog ..Permission to be Dour =-.
@Lolo Jan: Yeah, that is actually the sad thing you know. What happen to good deeds nowadays? even good deeds should be paid/repaid these days.
1 peso or 25 cents is not acceptable, sometimes they will even throw it back at you.
One classic example is the parking attendant. After you parked and ready to go, most parking attendant would guide you out the parking space. That is supposed to be a “good deed” (well, at least for me). But I noticed that some attendants are already expecting the tip and would get upset if you didn’t hand at least 5pesos. how sad..
Hi, Jed. The title caught my attention cuz I was pondering on the same thing. I’ve been restless the past few days doing this and that.. you know, trying to earn more and more from my blog(s).
They say, there’s no such thing as free lunch. And I think even the air we breathe has its own cost. If we don’t pay much attention into the pollution, we don’t have clean air to breathe, and that’s the price we have to pay.
They say walking/running is the cheapest or free way to keeping fit. But to be able to walk/run properly, you need time to stretch out and eat the right food. In order to attain that, you still need money.
Sad.. but that’s how it is. Even my blog contest needs money. Wahaha! wanna sponsor? ^^ LOL
Wow, Fedhz, that’s a great comment. I started reading it and I stumbled on the word pondering and I told myself, “What Fedhz could be pondering this time.” And then I read on.
OMG. You’ve got good sense, Fedhz. Those are great observations you’ve got there. You’re right – you’ve pondered well. Ahahaha.
Especially when you took a 90 degree turn at the end to promote your contest. That’s a subtle turn. Deliciously said.
O di ba I’m right? You’re wasting your time washing clothes when you can write down your lovely thoughts!
.-= jan geronimo´s last blog ..How Blogging Affected My Offline Interaction =-.
@LJ, naku, ako ba yun maraming ads sa twitter? hehehe. LOL. bigla na nga lang pumasok ung sa contest ko. hehehe. actually, un nasa utak ko the past few days. super excited na ko, kaya puro pera nasa isip ko hehehe
.-= fedhz´s last blog ..nice_catch =-.
@Fedhz: Nope, di ikaw yun tinutukoy ko. Ang mga balahura dun ay un walang ibang tweet kundi pagbebenta ng kung anu-anong produkto. Makikita mo naman sa time line of tweets nila. They are not in Twitter to hold conversations or to promote valuable links on the web. Un makabenta lang. That’s bad, I think. May mga paDM DM pa mga yan.
May bago nga akong hobby sa Twitter eh. I’m very democratic adding those who follow me. Pero once na bentahan ako ng kung anu ano wala man lang effort to know me more? Unfollow agad. No questions asked. Makukulit eh.
About ads. Nakwento ko na ba sayo – at talagang dito pa tayo nagchat ano! ahahaha – na may mga friends ako na very eager to follow my lead in RTing friends’ tweets? Ganito un, I will not name names pero meron sa barkada nagre retweet di nila napapansin na tweet na may ad un nire retweet. Di ba nakakatawa? Kaya pag kumita ka na dyan finally, balatuhan mo sila. Kasi I saw them RTing your tweets with ads. lols
.-= jan geronimo´s last blog ..How Blogging Affected My Offline Interaction =-.
@Fedhz: Wow that’s baby fuzz for you. That’s solid Fedhz! Very well said..I cannot add anything to that. I guess you also have talent on shifting gears! LOL! Ang galing ng transition mo huh? hihihi Anyway..count me in your contest! I’ll support you all the way!
@LJ: I really love that 90 degree turn. I was caught off guard but I really love the way she said it. *bow* Talagang natuwa ako dun..everytime I read it napapangiti ako haha..
@jed. LOL. may ganun ha? hehehe. ewan ko ba. parang natural na lang un sakin eh. di ko sinasadya, swear! buti naman at napatawa kita. hehehe.
email ko sayo ung details and explanation sa sponsorship ha? hehehe
.-= fedhz´s last blog ..nice_catch =-.
@fedhz: yeah got it already and will review it. Perhaps later or tomorrow I can already give you a feedback.
Thanks so much fedhz! More Power! We miss you in Twitter. Tweet ka naman! XD
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