A Precautionary Tale

Every once in a while, you get the chance to see something that changes your outlook on life.

With that being said, I saw The Dark Knight this week. Now, while I won’t spoil the plot for the remaining seven people in America who haven’t seen it, I will pass on this message that the movie tried to press upon the audience: Sometimes you need to do what is needed for others as opposed to what YOU want to do. In my humble opinion, that’s crap. Sacrificing your own personal goals and aspirations is not what life is about.

This movie got me thinking about what my responsibilities are in life and what I am putting “on hold” so that I can help others. My summer job is working retail, and although I enjoy the people I work with, I do not enjoy helping spoiled pre-teens pick out which tank top matches her shorts best. I’ve put on hold my desire to travel and my need to advance skills I will need for my future for this job. Now, retail isn’t demanding, but for what I make hourly, I need to work as many hours as I can. I don’t want to sound full of teenage angst here; I am privileged enough to work at a summer camp for high school students in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the CHSAA Leadership Camp for High School Students, and for that I am thankful. But I don’t want to put the rest of my goals and wants on the back burner, just waiting for someone to wake me up, even if it does benefit others. I want to be the guy making decisions, the one going “all in” in the next hand.

This entry is more of a precautionary tale: don’t be like Batman. Sometimes personal sacrifice hurts in the long run. He may be awesome, but it’s just not worth it.

p.s. The Dark Knight did not change my life all that much; I just needed something dramatic to start this post with.