Happiness Forum

[gochrisgo]

.

[eudaimondaimon]

is a warm gun

Being a lawyer should be a piece of cake compared to removing kids from their homes and convincing juvenile drug dealers that it's better for them to work at McDonald's then sell drugs.

It's not nice to lie to children.

^^ hasn't read Dubner and Levitt

While Freakonomics was cute, I'd not take it as any serious authority on any of the particular cases they examined.

/Also, just to be clear, I wasn't seriously suggesting drug-dealing is an acceptable thing for juveniles to do.

[r6_philly]

how about people who are happy with their life (ie satisfied with current job)

They typically stay in their current job.

I am one of those people, althought I don't want to stay in my current job/career. I am extremely happy in life, however I am not happy/satisfied with my job. I consider myself very fortunate to have found happiness regardless of my job. I do think I can achieve more and better fullfill my potentials by becoming an lawyer. I have made some positive impacts on the world and lives of others but I also felt very limited by the lack of resources and power. Being an attorney will hopefully help that. The study of law also entertain and fascinates me, so it is an intellectual quest as well.

I just wanted to say that it is such a worldly thing to attach happiness to one's job. It is 8-10 hours a day that is required to make a living, and shouldn't really be necessarily attached to one's happiness. Droning for a livelihood should not really be so bad, if you have anything to be happy about outside of and after work. I have, hence I am happy even when I am extremely unhappy with my job.

[r6_philly]

I am happy doing things I am good at. And I know I will be a good lawyer. I want to become a prosecutor, don't care so much about money or status so this economy scares me less. I need a job that challenges me intellectually and lets me sleep at night. Besides, no matter how much I loved or liked my job the best part of my day will always be coming home to my family.

I would not be able to sleep at night very well if I become a prosecutor. You will have the unenviable tasks of prosecuting innocent people and not able to convict obviously guilty people. I would agree those are the necessary evil of a good legal system but rational thoughts are not what keeps me up at night. I suspect this would be more of an issue when you first start and less so when you become a DA.

[cardnal124]

Being a lawyer should be a piece of cake compared to removing kids from their homes and convincing juvenile drug dealers that it's better for them to work at McDonald's then sell drugs.

It's not nice to lie to children.

^^ hasn't read Dubner and Levitt

While Freakonomics was cute, I'd not take it as any serious authority on any of the particular cases they examined.

/Also, just to be clear, I wasn't seriously suggesting drug-dealing is an acceptable thing for juveniles to do.

Freakonomics was pretty on point with the appeal of dealing drugs for juveniles. It's the same reason some of the TLS posters are going to law school: chasing the big paycheck that will only come to a select few.

[r6_philly]

i dont think that lawyer=middle class. i think lawyer=guaranteed upper middle class, with a shot at upper class.

if you make partner of a large firm, pull in over one million per year, and serve on the board of directors of some major companies, i think you are safely upper class.

if you make it into biglaw, your starting salary is 160k/yr. that is already upper middle class, and you will go up for a while and then possibly exit into something that makes similar money for less hours (like in-house counsel).

middle class in my mind is really professions like teaching, nursing, and engineering where you will most likely cap out in the low 100's.

Don't forget that biglaw will be 160K a year working what basically amounts to the hours of two jobs. But, if law is all there is in life for you, then I suppose it would be worth it.

It sure beats working two jobs for $60K.

why do you need to make $60? why do you need to work 2 jobs to make it? Why wouldn't you be ok with $30k and 1 job. Those are "wants" not "needs". If you can't see how money has nothing to do with happiness as long as you can meet your basic needs then you will not be happy no matter how much you make. (because you will always have more "wants")

[eudaimondaimon]

^^ hasn't read Dubner and Levitt

While Freakonomics was cute, I'd not take it as any serious authority on any of the particular cases they examined.

/Also, just to be clear, I wasn't seriously suggesting drug-dealing is an acceptable thing for juveniles to do.

Freakonomics was pretty on point with the appeal of dealing drugs for juveniles. It's the same reason some of the TLS posters are going to law school: chasing the big paycheck that will only come to a select few.

This is true but only as far as it addresses drug dealers who operate within the framework of a gang-based distribution network. There are other illicit substances (read:cannabis) whose production is much more suited to the entrepreneurial sole-proprietorship.

If I were to convince someone not to deal drugs on the street, I'd tell them to move their ass to California, get a grower's permit, and turn themselves into a legitimate enterprise selling to dispensaries.

[eudaimondaimon]

i dont think that lawyer=middle class. i think lawyer=guaranteed upper middle class, with a shot at upper class.

if you make partner of a large firm, pull in over one million per year, and serve on the board of directors of some major companies, i think you are safely upper class.

if you make it into biglaw, your starting salary is 160k/yr. that is already upper middle class, and you will go up for a while and then possibly exit into something that makes similar money for less hours (like in-house counsel).

middle class in my mind is really professions like teaching, nursing, and engineering where you will most likely cap out in the low 100's.

Don't forget that biglaw will be 160K a year working what basically amounts to the hours of two jobs. But, if law is all there is in life for you, then I suppose it would be worth it.

It sure beats working two jobs for $60K.

why do you need to make $60? why do you need to work 2 jobs to make it? Why wouldn't you be ok with $30k and 1 job. Those are "wants" not "needs". If you can't see how money has nothing to do with happiness as long as you can meet your basic needs then you will not be happy no matter how much you make. (because you will always have more "wants")

Studies have shown this to be actually false. Up to a certain point money does indeed bring increased happiness.

[booboo]

is a myth. get rich or die tryin'.

This should have been /thread.

[pamcasso]

It sure beats working two jobs for $60K.

why do you need to make $60? why do you need to work 2 jobs to make it? Why wouldn't you be ok with $30k and 1 job. Those are "wants" not "needs". If you can't see how money has nothing to do with happiness as long as you can meet your basic needs then you will not be happy no matter how much you make. (because you will always have more "wants")

this is my philosophy too. thanks, yoga

[r6_philly]

Studies have shown this to be actually false. Up to a certain point money does indeed bring increased happiness.

Studies only show what is the prevaling thought, they don't validate the thought. Just because many people say/feel that they need money to feel happiness doesn't mean people actually mean money to feel happiness.

Besides, I did mention a "certain point" maybe we just disagree what that certian point is. My point is to provide adaquate housing, food, clothing and some discretionary income. But that could be accomplished at maybe $25k a year.

They should do a study of homeless people. When I was homeless, I was more content than other times when I made more money. When I finally was able to have a home/food/clothing/spending money, I was really really happy. Only when I started to pursue more wants over needs I started to feel empty and trapped. Now back to needs and personal satisfaction, I am more happy again.

Maybe that's because I had a lot exposure to other religions such as Hinduism? Happiness is within man.

[lakerfanimal]

Studies have shown this to be actually false. Up to a certain point money does indeed bring increased happiness.

Studies only show what is the prevaling thought, they don't validate the thought. Just because many people say/feel that they need money to feel happiness doesn't mean people actually mean money to feel happiness.

Besides, I did mention a "certain point" maybe we just disagree what that certian point is. My point is to provide adaquate housing, food, clothing and some discretionary income. But that could be accomplished at maybe $25k a year.

They should do a study of homeless people. When I was homeless, I was more content than other times when I made more money. When I finally was able to have a home/food/clothing/spending money, I was really really happy. Only when I started to pursue more wants over needs I started to feel empty and trapped. Now back to needs and personal satisfaction, I am more happy again.

Maybe that's because I had a lot exposure to other religions such as Hinduism? Happiness is within man.

+1 yes sir. Also I'm reading that article about being a happy lawyer, and I think some things are very obviously innate in people who want to be good lawyers- the OCD thing is probably what stuck out the most to me, because being someone who pays great attention to detail is important to being a good lawyer.

I personally feel like, as a lot of people have alluded to, you just have to keep your personal and your professional life somewhat separate.

[hugoboss]

i will use the worst answer then try to somewhat justify it: i simply love debating. i love arguing with people, i love correcting peoples incorrect assumptions or inferences and pointing out every little detail that is incorrect about what they say. I actually enjoy thinking about the LR and LG parts of the lsat, however answering timed questions is another issue. arguing with something (specifically money) on the line would be a thrilling career for me personally. My more serious answer is that i one day aspire to become a judge. Hearing in depth issues especially invoving criminal law and its interpretation and application to specific cases is appealing to me, at least at this stage in my life.
the status i may or may not gain in society does not mean a thing to me. money is important, but being a lawyer is not the only way to make money.

[r6_philly]

i will use the worst answer then try to somewhat justify it: i simply love debating. i love arguing with people, i love correcting peoples incorrect assumptions or inferences and pointing out every little detail that is incorrect about what they say. I actually enjoy thinking about the LR and LG parts of the lsat, however answering timed questions is another issue. arguing with something (specifically money) on the line would be a thrilling career for me personally. My more serious answer is that i one day aspire to become a judge. Hearing in depth issues especially invoving criminal law and its interpretation and application to specific cases is appealing to me, at least at this stage in my life.
the status i may or may not gain in society does not mean a thing to me. money is important, but being a lawyer is not the only way to make money.

+1000
I am not aspiring to be a just a lawyer. I am aspiring to use my legal education to find more satisfaction. I also would love to be a judge, or a law professor (I have teaching experience, love it). Money is important but I already have a easier and less stressful path to big law money, but I don't feel satisfied if I pursue it. Being able to excercise my intellect and maybe positively impact the world is what I seek, and law is a better path to take for me at this point. Good luck to you! Maybe I will see you on the bench on day!

[eudaimondaimon]

i will use the worst answer then try to somewhat justify it: i simply love debating. i love arguing with people, i love correcting peoples incorrect assumptions or inferences and pointing out every little detail that is incorrect about what they say. I actually enjoy thinking about the LR and LG parts of the lsat, however answering timed questions is another issue. arguing with something (specifically money) on the line would be a thrilling career for me personally. My more serious answer is that i one day aspire to become a judge. Hearing in depth issues especially invoving criminal law and its interpretation and application to specific cases is appealing to me, at least at this stage in my life.
the status i may or may not gain in society does not mean a thing to me. money is important, but being a lawyer is not the only way to make money.

I concur with you on most of these points. Argument is stimulating to me, as is rigorous debate. Studying for the LSAT is something I looked forward to, and I'm almost sad that it is behind me.

However, while my desire to be a lawyer would not disappear were it not for the money, the status, and the potential to influence the course of significant events, I am not about to say that those things do not matter to me. They're simply further incentives for me to pursue what I already find attractive. It is certainly fine to do without those things, but it is also absolutely acceptable to allow them to amplify your motivation and influence your decision-making processes.

[crazycanuck]

When I wake up in the morning I find one thing that I am excited to do that day, and I hold onto that excitement. It might be something with my gf, going out with my friends, finishing up an audit or doing some homework, or even something as silly as coming on TLS and shooting the breeze. Every day is an exciting day, and I feel very happy even though my work and my major (accounting) is something that most people would find excruciatingly boring.

I find that appreciating the little things makes me really happy.

Find something you are excited to do every day, no matter how small or frivolous it may seem, happiness is a state of mind, and we have full control of it.

[lakerfanimal]

When I wake up in the morning I find one thing that I am excited to do that day, and I hold onto that excitement. It might be something with my gf, going out with my friends, finishing up an audit or doing some homework, or even something as silly as coming on TLS and shooting the breeze. Every day is an exciting day, and I feel very happy even though my work and my major (accounting) is something that most people would find excruciatingly boring.

I find that appreciating the little things makes me really happy.

Find something you are excited to do every day, no matter how small or frivolous it may seem, happiness is a state of mind, and we have full control of it.

+1

[Borhas]

www.top-law-schools.com.org