If you’re not middle aged, pick a younger age, IDK
I’m about to be 46 and finally starting to figure out this “adulting” thing so things are going okay at the moment. My 19 year old self would probably say something like “wow I can’t believe you’re (I’m) doing good.” As long as I don’t mention the last 2 decades of fuck ups I think I’d be impressed with myself.
Career? (Not knowing about AI) Oh wow interesting!
Life? (Not knowing about cost of living) Dude wtf!
19 year old me was dirt poor and thought everything was expensive. Now I spend more on my mortgage than he made in a month. 🥲
Actual answer: they would probably be surprised by how fat I am. I was underweight at that point in my life and now am over and generally less fit (multiple broken bones and surgery will do that). They would be surprised I had any interest in Japan, let alone have been living there for a decade. They would kinda get it though; 19-year-old me was still on the fence about very rural or very urban life. Turns out middle-aged me would get both in one country. Not really playing any music would surprise then-me as well, though it has been something I’ve slightly dipped my toe back into, though they’d probably like that I played for thousands a handful of times and have credits on a few albums. That I went into homesteading would also surprise him to some degree, coming out as some combination of my grandfather and, to a lesser extent, my uncle who fucked off.
Former post: To avoid this and probably be generally better, I’d explain the current situation and say to be more active in government and vote more, but I was working at times 2-3 jobs and surviving off of dollar store boxed mashed potatoes at one point and, I forget whether 19 or 20, living out of my car surviving on wonderbread factor outlet leavings and peanut butter in addition to what my restaurant job would give.
The question is not “what advice would you give them?”, but “What would they think of your current self?”
They would tell me to read better, apparently. I had meant to do a two-birds-one-stone sort of approach but swapped your final ‘they’ with a ‘you’. Oopsie.
Nice recovery 😂
“Your heart did WHAT??!?!?”
I can’t believe we pulled it off holy shit we are good.
19 year old me would say “lmfao, how are you still alive?”
My 19 year old self would be sad and hopefully take a different path.
“Stable life despite most dreams being crushed? Ok, that doesn’t sound bad… Shouldn’t have stopped drawing? Wait, you’re teaching kids how to draw as a volunteer and liking it?? That was unexpected.”
Probably;
- I’m proud. You proved everyone that you were able to do everything, they said you could not (education-wise).
- Don’t be afraid to change jobs, get the one that’s better for your future.
Wait so I still get to do this as a career? And I’m considered an expert in the field?!?
Yea that makes sense about my knees and back hurting.
She would be absolutely stunned. Probably wouldn’t believe me. At 43 I’m married to the guy I was dating at 19. At 19 I had dropped out of college and thought I wanted to be an artist; at 43 I’m already retired from a successful career in academic research. At 19 I had no thoughts about politics or the world as a whole (9/11 hadn’t happened yet); at 43 I’m pretty informed and opinionated. And she’d probably be surprised how much I’m into the outdoors, healthy living, and weightlifting, given that she had negative interest in those things. The rest is pretty consistent - e.g., I’ve always loved music from the '60s, fun nail polish, scifi, swimming, and handmade art (drawing, beading, etc).
I mean the math checks out, but holy crap, you’re 43, but at 19 ‘9/11 hadn’t happened yet…’
Fuck yeah. Sounds like a great trajectory!
“What kind of career strategy was ‘go with the flow’, old man? Oh, but it worked out ok? Good to know.”
Bahaha, this for me too, so much.
Probably a fair bit of middle class white male privilege in action for me - I’ve got a lot of community and family to be greatful for.
No video games? You used too be a real nerd, man, now you’re just another normie!
They’d probably be worried that I had gotten sucked into the interminable rat race, and wouldn’t believe me when I said I had found a way to be comfortable with it. I used to have panic attacks about the idea of entering the normal workforce and ending up in a job situation like my father did. Love the man, but he prioritized “providing” for the family over being present, and burned himself out doing it. I can see the nuanced differences between that and my situation now, but I never would have back then.
They wouldn’t believe that a relatively modest life could cost so damn much of what I take home. I make money that would make my 19yo head spin, and it’s still not enough to be as comfortable as I would like.
They’d be furious that I let my strong friendships of the time slip for over a decade.
They’d be worried about my weight and how far my general health has tanked. Walking everywhere and doing manual labor jobs had made it easier than I realized to stay healthy back then.
They’d be confused that I’m a decade into a different romantic relationship. That might cause them to more carefully examine the one they were in at the time. I’m not sure if cutting it early would have been better for me though. I learned and grew by years in the span of a few months when that relationship was dying.
Oooh yeah. Break-ups can turn out to be wild growth phases sometimes, if you’re paying attention and approaching it in a useful way.
Mine would say: What? You’re working with finance people? WTF? Traitor!
But if I explained it a bit more, I reckon they’d be pretty into it, and kind of impressed.
