I am not a big fan of “do you belong in NYC?” quizzes, they remind me of the sort of obnoxious articles that appear in local lifestyle magazines on occasion that quiz you where all the best pizza places are (and if you don’t know, you should move, of course). The questions here, though, are worth pondering, though they are by no means a complete accounting of what you should really think about when considering your residency here.
So…
The one question I answer poorly is, “Do I want to be at the top of my field?”
The simple answer is no.
The more complex answer is: I really don’t know what field I’m in, I am in my chosen profession by accident, I believe the work that I do is slowly being dissolved from the labor force altogether, I despise what I do, There are some things I’d like to do but I’m in no position for a career change, the things I’d like to do aren’t actual real jobs, I can’t find an actual real job with my skillset to wait out the flood from high ground, and I can’t focus on a single career goal that will be attainable in the near or distant future.
On the plus side, I’m sure I’m a world leader at being aimless right now.
“New Yorkers think an interesting life is more important than a happy life. What you really pay for with the exorbitant cost of living and the hard lifestyle is to be surrounded by strong performers, huge ambitions, and constant need for change and innovation. To live in New York City, you have to trade happiness for this. To most New Yorkers, it’s a no-brainer. They would take that trade any day. To most people outside of New York City the trade-off is crazy.”
via katespencer
