# Procrastination...



## One Man Band (Jan 7, 2014)

The dreaded "P" word. No matter how hard I try, I just can't get myself to sit down and focus on an assignment; my ADHD doesn't allow it, and I REFUSE to take Adderall. I need the fear of failure to motivate me to do my work. Here's the situation, I have 5 classes tomorrow and I have work to do for all of them:

English: Outline to my research paper on the book of my choice (haven't finished my research)
Media: Write a response paper to a public radio program and a television program
Speech: Give a 15-minute instructional speech complete with Power Point
Psychology: Write a 5-page analysis on mental illness from a movie of your choice
History: Study for test (I honestly have no idea what happened in the first half of the chapter)

If I manage to pull all this off, this will be a proud moment for procrastinators everywhere. I'm pretty confident in my track record, so I think I can do it. I've never failed to get my work done while pulling an all-nighter.

*What do you think about procrastination? Do you procrastinate? Do you have any procrastination stories?*


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## SadSelf (Jan 24, 2014)

I procrastinate, because I'm addicted to social media. If somebody hide my phone from me, I'll do all the assignments several times faster.


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## Niche (Dec 28, 2013)

"but it seems that self-control requires sufficient glucose levels in the brain. Exerting self-control depletes glucose. Reduced glucose, and poor glucose tolerance (reduced ability to transport glucose to the brain) are correlated with lower performance in tests of self-control, particularly in difficult new situations.[48] Self-control demands that an individual work to overcome thoughts, emotions, and automatic responses/impulses. These strong efforts require higher blood glucose levels. Lower blood glucose levels can lead to unsuccessful self-control abilities.[49] Alcohol causes a decreas of glucose levels in both the brain and the body, and it also has an impairing effect on many forms of self-control. Furthermore, failure of self-control occurs most likely during times of the day when glucose is used least effectively. Self-control thus appears highly susceptible to glucose.[50]"

Quote from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-control

Another useful link:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...on-failure-part-4-8-tips-strengthen-willpower


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## FunkyFedoras (Aug 30, 2013)

Lol I have lots of procrastination stories. I procrastinate every day of my life. No joke...I always have stuff due/to do but I always put it off and put it off and scramble to do it last minute. What you do sounds like some extreme procrastinating though because all of those things you have due, I'd be on the verge of a heart attack. I'm not that bad because I'm also not a fan of punishment so I wouldn't do that to myself.


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## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

One Man Band said:


> The dreaded "P" word. No matter how hard I try, I just can't get myself to sit down and focus on an assignment; my ADHD doesn't allow it, and I REFUSE to take Adderall. I need the fear of failure to motivate me to do my work. Here's the situation, I have 5 classes tomorrow and I have work to do for all of them:


If you can't sit still, go tie your leg really tightly to a table/chair, seriously. Then you can put any excess energy you have into resisting the restraint. When I was in first year I had PARTICULARLY bad procrastination problems, was EXTREMELY restless (constantly paced up and down) and I did exactly that. It might look weird to other people at home but it was pretty effective and it actually ended up catching on with my roommate :lol.


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## Higgins (Apr 19, 2012)

I tend to procrastinate in classes I don't much care for by working on material not even due yet for classes I like (or, you know, laying around and goofing off working on one of my lists - I have OCD, you see). I also noticed that even though I generally enjoy writing, give me a written assignment of any sort and it will _not_ be done until the night before it's due, if that.

In fact, I'm currently procrastinating on an English paper (plus an 8-source annotated bibliography for another paper due next week - I need to find two published book sources, HA) and my commentary/questions for Political Science; both are due tomorrow. So, not as screwed as you, but sort of screwed!


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## soy sauce on toast (Apr 3, 2014)

I've sat in my room all day and have done bugger all thanks to procrastination. : D I like to think I have plenty of time before my assessments are due, then panic when the deadline's the following day.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Don't procrastinate. It won't go away! :doh :fall


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## mellowyellow321 (Mar 18, 2014)

My favorite college professor told me:

Procrastination is like masturb8tion. At first, it is fun, but in the end, you are just f**king yourself. Don't procrastinate. Break that problem into manageable chunks!

That was the best advice a college professor every gave me. Thanks Professor Hessinger!!!


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## Herisson (Feb 6, 2014)

I procrastinate all times. After the test week at school, When i have studied almost for all the tests just in the night before, i promise to myself to study more during the courses not just at the end. But nothing ever happens, procrastination is a 'routine' for me


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## Giephri (Oct 10, 2011)

I basically graduated high school by procrastinating, and achieved pretty high grades. Unfortunately, it wasn't the same for college. For college algebra, the assignments were in sections for every chapter that were done online. While everything was due at the end of the semester, we needed to get certain grades on the homework and quizzes in order to take the tests. Procrastination made things difficult, especially since I'm a slow learner. In the end, I decided to drop the class and take it next semester. After the stress I went through, I think I might be convinced not to do it again... Hopefully...


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## NovaCiel (Apr 3, 2014)

I procrastinated all during my last two years of high school and somehow did good. College is a whole other story and although I still procrastinate,(currently procrastinating ), it's definitely starting to take its toll on me.


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## T Studdly (Jul 20, 2013)

Oh man, procrastination.

It's the reason I've failed several classes. 

I'm currently procrastinating on an art project but only because art confidence issues, I suck and I feel like i'm not improving and its discouraging me from doing anything. I might just quit drawing all together because I can't handle being so sucky.


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## Laboratory Rat (Mar 1, 2014)

I've wasted years to procrastination, and yet I do well in high school. I finish my homework, essays etc. in time because I feel responsible for it, but once I'm done with my schoolwork I just fall into the procrastination vortex, laying around my home, thinking about why I'm alone, with no friends and nothing to do.


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## One Man Band (Jan 7, 2014)

Laboratory Rat said:


> I've wasted years to procrastination, and yet I do well in high school. I finish my homework, essays etc. in time because I feel responsible for it, but once I'm done with my schoolwork I just fall into the procrastination vortex, laying around my home, thinking about why I'm alone, with no friends and nothing to do.


See, that's the thing. I think procrastination is the best option for me. I can't work in small increments or finish ahead of time. I've never lost to procrastination, I'm batting 1000. As long as it works, I'm not really complaining.


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## Laboratory Rat (Mar 1, 2014)

One Man Band said:


> See, that's the thing. I think procrastination is the best option for me. I can't work in small increments or finish ahead of time. I've never lost to procrastination, I'm batting 1000. As long as it works, I'm not really complaining.


Yea, I understand you...the point is, if I'm not spending hours daydreaming, my life seems to be going _too fast_. Lets say I had an organized life. I'd get up in the morning, have breakfast, go to school, return, do my chores and homework, go to the gym, hang out with friends, read books and listen to music, play a bit of PC games and go to bed.

But I can't get myself going...and if I ruin my schedule, I send it all to go to hell and return to procrastination...that's the main reason why I cant get my life straight.


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

Laboratory Rat said:


> Yea, I understand you...the point is, if I'm not spending hours daydreaming, my life seems to be going _too fast_. Lets say I had an organized life. I'd get up in the morning, have breakfast, go to school, return, do my chores and homework, go to the gym, hang out with friends, read books and listen to music, play a bit of PC games and go to bed.
> 
> But I can't get myself going...and if I ruin my schedule, I send it all to go to hell and return to procrastination...that's the main reason why I cant get my life straight.


Daydreaming is an effect of lack of sleep or getting up too early. It is the call of your body to say "stop, I must rest!":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociation_(psychology)

So please, have enough rest. Also, mind your Cyrcadian rhythm:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm

Maybe this helps as well:
www.rescuetime.com

It tells how you much you're messing up (how unproductive you are being). In fact, writing on this forum is leaking my productivity so I'm finishing my post soon. 
I avoid social media like the plague.

Do effort now, because later you might end up a bum. That's some good motivation right there. Do you really want to end up having a financially unstable life, being ignorant and being kicked around by others? I don't.


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## Laboratory Rat (Mar 1, 2014)

s12345 said:


> Daydreaming is an effect of lack of sleep or getting up too early. It is the call of your body to say "stop, I must rest!":
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociation_(psychology)
> 
> So please, have enough rest. Also, mind your Cyrcadian rhythm:
> ...


Thanks for the advice! I don't spend too many time on this forum, and I don't go to social media at all. I'll try this, hope it helps!


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## ShatteredGlass (Oct 12, 2012)

I procastinate. I can't really be bothered being productive.

Wah.


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## Jyang772 (Apr 17, 2014)

I procrastinate because I don't feel the motivation to do the work. It's just not very compelling and I don't see it as being worth my time. Most of the time that I should be spending doing these "homework" is instead spent self teaching myself something more interesting, like Maths or programming.


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## Mittens76 (Feb 12, 2014)

What's a procrastinator's favorite condiment?

"Más tarde"


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

Jyang772 said:


> I procrastinate because I don't feel the motivation to do the work. It's just not very compelling and I don't see it as being worth my time. Most of the time that I should be spending doing these "homework" is instead spent self teaching myself something more interesting, like Maths or programming.


I suppose I should tell you what not doing homework will have you ending up like. I've been down the entire road of failing high school, working ****ty jobs and getting disrespected more often than not, by others and by society and the social sector. You don't want to go down that road.

Not doing your homework means not getting your high school diploma, which is the road straight to hell. You will end up doing temporary jobs, people will treat you like ****, they will treat you like you are a child; basically they won't respect you. When you go and look for a job, no one will give you a job and they will look down on you. When you go and ask the social security employees for some welfare guarantee, they will treat you like you are the biggest paraisitic piece of **** on earth. I can't describe in words how absolutely bottom down ****ty your life can get when you have no high school diploma or no degree. Trust me, you don't want to go down that road.

My advice is: do your homework, get your high school diploma, get your Bachelors and get your Masters. Meanwhile, keep your hobbies as hobbies (Math, programming). You don't want to be that guy who is brilliant but no one recognizes it and they treat you like you are worth nothing. I'm trying to save you from absolute misery (because that's what your life becomes when you land in that situation). You have been warned..


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## Partridge (Jan 11, 2014)

I heard of people making arrangements to take more classes in their major at the beginning, spreading out the gen eds over their college career to reduce the risk of burnout. 

Yeah, I also procrastinate on my humanities courses, but next semester I'll be setting up my schedule so it is all math and some cs. Hooray for me!


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## Jyang772 (Apr 17, 2014)

s12345 said:


> I suppose I should tell you what not doing homework will have you ending up like. I've been down the entire road of failing high school, working ****ty jobs and getting disrespected more often than not, by others and by society and the social sector. You don't want to go down that road.
> 
> Not doing your homework means not getting your high school diploma, which is the road straight to hell. You will end up doing temporary jobs, people will treat you like ****, they will treat you like you are a child; basically they won't respect you. When you go and look for a job, no one will give you a job and they will look down on you. When you go and ask the social security employees for some welfare guarantee, they will treat you like you are the biggest paraisitic piece of **** on earth. I can't describe in words how absolutely bottom down ****ty your life can get when you have no high school diploma or no degree. Trust me, you don't want to go down that road.
> 
> My advice is: do your homework, get your high school diploma, get your Bachelors and get your Masters. Meanwhile, keep your hobbies as hobbies (Math, programming). You don't want to be that guy who is brilliant but no one recognizes it and they treat you like you are worth nothing. I'm trying to save you from absolute misery (because that's what your life becomes when you land in that situation). You have been warned..


I've already graduated from high school and currently attending college now. :hide


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

Jyang772 said:


> I've already graduated from high school and currently attending college now. :hide


I don't have homework at university. We just have to write a paper and/or scientific journal every semester or so. Don't think you're on the easy path. A lot of kids fail university because of their procrastination. University is high school square rooted.


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## beffa (Mar 30, 2014)

i do but it's probably just because i'm lazy


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## Kml5111 (Dec 16, 2012)

failoutboy said:


> I don't get it.


It's Spanish for "later".


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## Jyang772 (Apr 17, 2014)

s12345 said:


> I don't have homework at university. We just have to write a paper and/or scientific journal every semester or so. Don't think you're on the easy path. A lot of kids fail university because of their procrastination. University is high school square rooted.


I know.


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## hmweasley (Sep 12, 2013)

I've become absolutely obsessed with making to do lists for myself every day since starting college. It's the only way that I'll actually stay on top of things and not procrastinate. I can't do anything not on the to do list until I'm done with the to do list, although I also add in fun things for breaks if the list for that particular day is fairly long.


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

Jyang772 said:


> I know.


Keep fighting!


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## Pike Queen (Oct 16, 2013)

Heck yes I procrastinate. And it's the best feeling ever.

I procrastinated so hard one time that I typed a four page essay two hours before my class haha.


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## hnstlylonelyaf (Feb 11, 2014)

I procrastinate and pull all nighters for tests sometimes and sometimes the grades turn out good, and other times they are a trainwreck


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## Peme (Jul 17, 2013)

I've done this my entire life. In high school it wasn't a big deal. I procrastinated all the time and still got great grades. I even successfully pulled off doing my big senior project in a week. It took the more punctual students half a year.

Now I'm in college. At the start it seemed that I had changed my ways. Now I'm half a year in months and I feel helpless and have zero motivation to do this garbage I don't even need. I put everything off to the last minute because of the deep hatred I harbor for it. I want to get better though. I always have this horrible feeling looming over me that something is due. I can never relax because there's always work to be done. I couldn't even relax at all during my spring break because I always feel this sense of urgency now, and it makes me very anxious. I really want to get over my procrastination and get motivated again. I can't even sleep well anymore because there's always work to do, yet I just can't encourage my stupid self to get things done. I just want to be able to relax again...


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

Peme said:


> I've done this my entire life. In high school it wasn't a big deal. I procrastinated all the time and still got great grades. I even successfully pulled off doing my big senior project in a week. It took the more punctual students half a year.
> 
> Now I'm in college. At the start it seemed that I had changed my ways. Now I'm half a year in months and I feel helpless and have zero motivation to do this garbage I don't even need. I put everything off to the last minute because of the deep hatred I harbor for it. I want to get better though. I always have this horrible feeling looming over me that something is due. I can never relax because there's always work to be done. I couldn't even relax at all during my spring break because I always feel this sense of urgency now, and it makes me very anxious. I really want to get over my procrastination and get motivated again. I can't even sleep well anymore because there's always work to do, yet I just can't encourage my stupid self to get things done. I just want to be able to relax again...


3rd year senior speaking here. From my experience, studying at uni is 95% work and 5% free time. I just wanted to remark here that what you learn is not 'garbage'; it is actually needed in order to function in this society. Believe me, the things I've learned at university have intellectually brought me a great deal further. I have to thank my uni for so many skills I acquired and I am proud of: adequate English writing, professional programming, being able to make math useful in my daily life, being ahead of others all the time, being able to discuss politics at a fine-grained level as opposed to your normal average Joe who is unaware of such concepts, understanding the world around me and the various cultures, being literate (your average Joe is pretty much an idiot), knowing how to do finances, how to achieve any goals - including financial long term and short term goals.. so many things I've learned. It has been an incredible experience. I'd be thankful for being in higher education.. I don't think you realize how privileged you are.


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## Peme (Jul 17, 2013)

s12345 said:


> 3rd year senior speaking here. From my experience, studying at uni is 95% work and 5% free time. I just wanted to remark here that what you learn is not 'garbage'; it is actually needed in order to function in this society. Believe me, the things I've learned at university have intellectually brought me a great deal further. I have to thank my uni for so many skills I acquired and I am proud of: adequate English writing, professional programming, being able to make math useful in my daily life, being ahead of others all the time, being able to discuss politics at a fine-grained level as opposed to your normal average Joe who is unaware of such concepts, understanding the world around me and the various cultures, being literate (your average Joe is pretty much an idiot), knowing how to do finances, how to achieve any goals - including financial long term and short term goals.. so many things I've learned. It has been an incredible experience. I'd be thankful for being in higher education.. I don't think you realize how privileged you are.


"Garbage" is an exaggeration, but I call it that because some of the classes I end up having to take are useless to me. I spent 4 years getting my general education in high school, but now I need to pay for more useless art, history, etc. classes. I am thankful to have the opportunity to further my education, but I do not feel "privileged" for having to pay for classes I neither want nor need just to complete my degree.


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

Peme said:


> "Garbage" is an exaggeration, but I call it that because some of the classes I end up having to take are useless to me. I spent 4 years getting my general education in high school, but now I need to pay for more useless art, history, etc. classes. I am thankful to have the opportunity to further my education, but I do not feel "privileged" for having to pay for classes I neither want nor need just to complete my degree.


Neither art or history are useless. They make you an informed person, able to infer and recognize the works of our ancestors, able to talk about the past, present and the future with educated people instead of just standing there like the average clown and not knowing what to say. Knowing history allows you to make political decisions. It allows you to make informed decisions on how we run our society. It allows you to judge future technologies. I'm not sure you realize how all these courses and concepts are intertwined in the reality you are living in. Let us not forget a degree does not consist of just some specific courses. Those general and 'extra' (well, they are not extra, really) courses are there to make you an informed person, rather than some technology/skill-specific guru that only knows how to do one thing and for the rest he can't function in society or make informed decisions about social problems such as society's technological advancements. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to feel like the ignorant one in a conversation full of educated, informed people. You see, the degree you are taking (I don't know which one it is) makes you an informed person. If it were just a mere set of technical skills, you would be a mere associate's degree. History, art, psychology, sociology, philosophy etc. make you a better informed person who will have more autonomy in the workplace versus some techie who can only do one or two things. The workforce needs flexible, informed people. You also need history to understand the society you are living in and if you are going to work in higher management (which is likely when you are studying for a degree), you will have to have the history of mankind in the back of your head, because in the end it will help you further the lower layers of your company. It is all one big puzzle where the pieces fit together. I hope you'll realize this later in your career.


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## Peme (Jul 17, 2013)

s12345 said:


> Neither art or history are useless. They make you an informed person, able to infer and recognize the works of our ancestors, able to talk about the past, present and the future with educated people instead of just standing there like the average clown and not knowing what to say. Knowing history allows you to make political decisions. It allows you to make informed decisions on how we run our society. It allows you to judge future technologies. I'm not sure you realize how all these courses and concepts are intertwined in the reality you are living in. Let us not forget a degree does not consist of just some specific courses. Those general and 'extra' (well, they are not extra, really) courses are there to make you an informed person, rather than some technology/skill-specific guru that only knows how to do one thing and for the rest he can't function in society or make informed decisions about social problems such as society's technological advancements. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to feel like the ignorant one in a conversation full of educated, informed people. You see, the degree you are taking (I don't know which one it is) makes you an informed person. If it were just a mere set of technical skills, you would be a mere associate's degree. History, art, psychology, sociology, philosophy etc. make you a better informed person who will have more autonomy in the workplace versus some techie who can only do one or two things. The workforce needs flexible, informed people. You also need history to understand the society you are living in and if you are going to work in higher management (which is likely when you are studying for a degree), you will have to have the history of mankind in the back of your head, because in the end it will help you further the lower layers of your company. It is all one big puzzle where the pieces fit together. I hope you'll realize this later in your career.


But aren't there other ways to learn? I do think art and history hold value. I love art, and like to learn how to improve my drawing. As for politics, I at least try to stay informed. However, these aren't things I want to pay expensive costs to take at a college. I thought all those general education requirements in high school were suppose to make us flexible people?


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

Peme said:


> But aren't there other ways to learn? I do think art and history hold value. I love art, and like to learn how to improve my drawing. As for politics, I at least try to stay informed. However, these aren't things I want to pay expensive costs to take at a college. I thought all those general education requirements in high school were suppose to make us flexible people?


I will try to explain it using the knowledge I obtained from my course of philosophy. It's quite simple: a country nowadays is known as a territorial nation of people. Within those boundaries, within that nation there is one common identity: that one the citizens share. Now, I'm not sure I remember where it came from, but ever since the Napoleon revolution, any citizen who is born on a soil (now known as 'a territory') is to be given a nationality, whether he wants it or not; just like you got one without asking for it. For more explanation on the soil principle, look for 'ius soli, ius sangui' on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jus_soli. This is also the reason why law texts read: ".. for those who are and shall forthcome". That means that the rights settled right now shall be valid and applied to your ascendents/successors.

The point to all this is that a nation has obtained law and order, also known as a discursive space (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_sphere). Countries have to be managed and they need people to manage them (the politcal body). Right, so politics (management of the nation) is one aspect. The other aspect is culture, which is a very important aspect that is part of identifying a nation. Remember that you are a citizen and that you are part of a nation.. unless you are an anarchist, but still, you are a citizen. Now, in order for a nation to identify its citizens, its members, there is an obligatory (decided by the political governing body, also known as the government) system that uses the 'institutional bodies' (schools, law houses, district houses, public service buildings,..) like schools to insert culture into you, to pretty much make a citizen out of you. It has been politically and evolutionarily long decided this way: that you are to be taught by an institutional organ known as a 'school', in your case college. That school will imprint the social, historical, philosophical and knowledge-based values specifically related to your nation, into your head. That is the way it was designed since a long time and this is actually the reason why schools provide it: to make a citizen out of you, to insert common culture into your head, so you can identify with your nation. The consequences? Well, what if your country becomes nationless and you become also known as 'stateless'? Which nation are you going to identify with when they ask you? Where is your identity? In your culture is your identity as well.. and to feel part of that culture you need to know its history, its art, etc. What if there was a war.. the nation would need you to associate with your nation, so that's a safety net as well. I could spend hours writing about culture and nations and worldwide historical problems like we did in my philosophy class, but I won't.

I just wanted to tell you that history, art and such are taught to you via an institutional body - your college - because it has been long decided by the first governments that it should happen that way. Essentially you are learning your nation's culture, so you can be part of the identity of your nation. This is also the reason a certain group of people have the tendency to be anarchists because they feel they are being oppressed by the government in a sort of indirect way. I'm fine with studying and learning the values of my culture, but some people aren't. Some people prefer to go the semi-nihilist way and define their own world and values.


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

As for your high school question: in high school they teach you the general common basis. This is not enough if you want to work in higher management or in jobs that require degrees. For those jobs you need a deeper level of understanding of the things you saw in high school and that's what gets taught in college.


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## Peme (Jul 17, 2013)

s12345 said:


> I will try to explain it using the knowledge I obtained from my course of philosophy. It's quite simple: a country nowadays is known as a territorial nation of people. Within those boundaries, within that nation there is one common identity: that one the citizens share. Now, I'm not sure I remember where it came from, but ever since the Napoleon revolution, any citizen who is born on a soil (now known as 'a territory') is to be given a nationality, whether he wants it or not; just like you got one without asking for it. For more explanation on the soil principle, look for 'ius soli, ius sangui' on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jus_soli. This is also the reason why law texts read: ".. for those who are and shall forthcome". That means that the rights settled right now shall be valid and applied to your ascendents/successors.
> 
> The point to all this is that a nation has obtained law and order, also known as a discursive space (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_sphere). Countries have to be managed and they need people to manage them (the politcal body). Right, so politics (management of the nation) is one aspect. The other aspect is culture, which is a very important aspect that is part of identifying a nation. Remember that you are a citizen and that you are part of a nation.. unless you are an anarchist, but still, you are a citizen. Now, in order for a nation to identify its citizens, its members, there is an obligatory (decided by the political governing body, also known as the government) system that uses the 'institutional bodies' (schools, law houses, district houses, public service buildings,..) like schools to insert culture into you, to pretty much make a citizen out of you. It has been politically and evolutionarily long decided this way: that you are to be taught by an institutional organ known as a 'school', in your case college. That school will imprint the social, historical, philosophical and knowledge-based values specifically related to your nation, into your head. That is the way it was designed since a long time and this is actually the reason why schools provide it: to make a citizen out of you, to insert common culture into your head, so you can identify with your nation. The consequences? Well, what if your country becomes nationless and you become also known as 'stateless'? Which nation are you going to identify with when they ask you? Where is your identity? In your culture is your identity as well.. and to feel part of that culture you need to know its history, its art, etc. What if there was a war.. the nation would need you to associate with your nation, so that's a safety net as well. I could spend hours writing about culture and nations and worldwide historical problems like we did in my philosophy class, but I won't.
> 
> I just wanted to tell you that history, art and such are taught to you via an institutional body - your college - because it has been long decided by the first governments that it should happen that way. Essentially you are learning your nation's culture, so you can be part of the identity of your nation. This is also the reason a certain group of people have the tendency to be anarchists because they feel they are being oppressed by the government in a sort of indirect way. I'm fine with studying and learning the values of my culture, but some people aren't. Some people prefer to go the semi-nihilist way and define their own world and values.


So essentially, students everywhere are being groomed to be cogs in a machine? But college isn't mandatory. Isn't the goal to obtain a degree and education that will (hopefully) net you a job in an area of interest? Don't employers mainly care about getting diligent employees who will make them money?

You can ignore all that though. I feel bad about throwing everything off-topic, so I'll just cut things off here. That's a real interesting post though.


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

Peme said:


> So essentially, students everywhere are being groomed to be cogs in a machine? But college isn't mandatory. Isn't the goal to obtain a degree and education that will (hopefully) net you a job in an area of interest? Don't employers mainly care about getting diligent employees who will make them money?
> 
> You can ignore all that though. I feel bad about throwing everything off-topic, so I'll just cut things off here. That's a real interesting post though.


Essentially, yes. 

I don't think the goal is focused on the individual, but that depends entirely on what politics run a country. Is it a social constructivistic circle, instrumentalist, etc. There is one goal I know (one philosophy) that is the following: "The greatest benefit for the greatest number" (Jeremy Bentham). It is sort of a utilitarian/instrumentalistic view: the government only invests in people if the cost can be spread amongst a great number. Now, I am not sure what classifies as 'useful'. The goal, as Sir Ken Robinson puts it, is to create 'university professors'. Funny, I think (and there's the video: (



) our current eduation is a sad mess, industrialized like hell. I think that is a huge problem with education. Those who can't keep up with classes get screwed. Yeah sure, there are student groups but still. It's the professors that need to help you further, not the students. I am suffering from that exact problem, by the way. I have had to viciously fight my way through my education because there was not a single soul there to help me. It is true hell.

Ultimately, the goal of a government is to create as many jobs as possible. Speaking from a utilitarian perspective, if the area of interest is not a popular one, it is not as useful. Anyway, it's a job, so it adds up to the government and to the national product. You should watch the video I linked up above. In there is discussed that we live in an academically inflated society and it's true. 15 years ago I would go to people and tell them: "I have a high school diploma" and they would stare in awe. 10 years ago I would tell them: "I have an associate's degree" and they would gasp at how super intelligent I apparently am. Nowadays? Try showing off with a Bachelor's degree and you'll get laughed at. Why? Because there are so many people that pull of a Bachelor's degree it's not considered that valuable anymore. We live in the Masters/Doctorate world now. That's why it's so hard to get a job nowadays.

Diligence is not enough in today's world, but it used to be like that in the 80's/90's. I'll explain it below:

I know college is not mandatory, but it is best you take up college in today's demanding world. Try getting a job with a high school education.. no go my friend. Technological, social and other paradigm shifts have caused the work world to function very differently. It is no longer sufficient or valid to just have a set of small skills or just have a high school degree, no, you are required to extensively know those college courses in order to be able to cooperate in the work environment. Why? Because you will be working with various people from various departments: financial managers, branch managers, engineers, etc. To be able to function in a so-called 'multifunctional envrironment' you need to have those college skills. You may also read upon 'from a vertical corporate organizational structure to a horizontal one'. I'm sorry, I don't recall how to translate that concept, but the point is that multi-disciplinary group of people work together in on the same level, in the same work group. There is no more a hierarchical structure where you have your so-called 'dumb workers' at the bottom line, staff heads above them, managers above those, middle management above those and finally the CEO. I found a hilarious analogy my university has shown me to portray that:










Essentially what this picture says is: the lower up you are, the more **** you get on your head. Now, if you go and pursue somewhat of a respectable career, you won't get that much **** on your head (middle management, which requires college). Sadly there are still some firms out there that have the hierarchical crap structure where you are the hard worker that gets **** on by his upper staff. However, I doubt that that is allowed because companies have to adhere to laws, we live in a rational society and there is the human rights movement since the revolution, blah blah. I'm sorry, I find it hard to not side track with these topics, because they are very complicated.

By the way, I forgot to read your last line. 
My advice is: be a living, discussing being.


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

*Burnout is a new word for me. ICD-10 ?*






*don't watch!*

so I related to procrastination.

I got material from visiting Jehovah's Witnesses

I've been teetering on a tightrope since 3rd job dismissal after those first two.

All the way from 2004 to 2013 everything was choppy. 2011 was a mighty milestone of dismissal and first ever time to find a social phobic forum.

Really good classification of burnout. The classic 'can't be bothered' is the inverse of me.

Any stress was mostly social involvement but not deep at all. I just loved everything I ever did. I was all about fixing problems (bugs) caused by others and making things better. My own pedestal of pride and achievement in dealing with people I didn't like. Too many idiots in my life who get in my way by getting rid of me, and they're all still doing it.

I never give up. Everyone does that to me. I wish I knew it would happen when I was 8.

I'm trying to think a bit different. I've been right before the year 2000 that everyone was against me. I haven't been digging my own trench, like I used to think. Others have dug it for me, and want to gesture for me to step into it but I'll never put a toe near it.

It's a grand fact that employers have not understood what they need. Explaining in depth advice about what I can do for them - during working on it, or at interview stage. I accept people aren't willing to listen. I never get a reason why not.

I like a fresh simple metaphor of a serious vehicle accident where the injured with broken legs meets their paramedic who's there to save them, but the injured isn't interested and says "just go home, doctor". I want to lie here in the middle of the road and get some sleep.

I'm just spending the rest of my life jobhunting. More fuel for me to address the burnout phrase.

I can only afford minimal car insurance of third party, fire or theft. While typing this, the car park is choca-blok crammed. Several annoying big trucks visiting at the weekend. Violent happenings; invasions including my own bell being rung. Shouting & screaming. It's over for now. One last little car driving round & about at night unable to find a space. Careless fwd/back manoeuvre really close to my car worrying me about damage.

What I worry about the most is fools who make mistakes. I don't. Their mistakes have been firing me.


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## foe (Oct 10, 2010)

It's kicking my butt so far. I've mustered to finish all of my take homes and assignments the night before for 3 weeks now but I still hate it. I promised myself to be a more disciplined and more focused student but procrastination still gets the best of me.


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## s12345 (Jul 11, 2011)

foe said:


> It's kicking my butt so far. I've mustered to finish all of my take homes and assignments the night before for 3 weeks now but I still hate it. I promised myself to be a more disciplined and more focused student but procrastination still gets the best of me.


You may not let it do that to you! Fight! Fight! Fight! You'll feel happier in the end - I know I did.


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