Work, cocktails and running. The three aspirations Londoners seem to cling to
Since I left England last year I noticed a lot of change in life, such as new friends, job, city, language, living spaces etc. However since I left and have been able to watch my own culture from the outside I’ve noticed that three things that keep coming up (based on my own experience checks).
1. Work
This was one of the things that made me leave the UK in the first place. Now, whilst many of my friends rode out the recession with fairly good jobs (which have naturally progressed to better jobs) and the fact that my job isn't perfect; it isn't a subject I share much about on social media. Other people however seem to talk endlessly about how unhappy they are with their jobs, (especially in high pressure legal and financial careers which London has in droves) or how long they are putting in at the office. The worst thing about the latter case is there seems to almost be a Calvinist element of pride in that toil they put in. Perhaps it’s a way to justify the awful existence by adding a badge of honour to that drudgery but personally it’s just depressing to read about.
2. Running
Now before I get started here I run (well at least I used to) and I do see many benefits from it and why people do it. Unfortunately a lot of people online spoil it by continuously sharing session and race times. I don’t know what it is but urban London life now doesn’t seem complete without a running habit that people continually talk about in a little running clique. I know I’m outside such cliques as a marathon time to me is irrelevant. You finished the marathon and really that is impressive enough. Doesn’t matter if it took two hours or if it took ten; you ran 26 bloody miles non-stop, isn’t that surely enough?
3. Cocktails
Mainly one where the ladies are at fault I’m afraid. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a good Long Island Ice Tea or a Whiskey Sour (never Mojitos! Mojitos are foul.) but the amount of times people have posted pictures of these online has devalued the sense of occasion afforded to cocktails. Every other weekend I see a picture of my female friends with flues of fluorescent cocktails or just flues of fluorescent cocktails on their own and I wonder to myself what is special about that now? How many times can “Cocktails with my girlies” seem special before the repetitiveness and futility that cocktails may not be the peak of London existence dawns on people?
In addition to this people always complain about money but then considering London still faces a cost of living problem (with rents on average ranging from between £600 – 1000 (or more) per month) it's no surprise really.
1. Work
This was one of the things that made me leave the UK in the first place. Now, whilst many of my friends rode out the recession with fairly good jobs (which have naturally progressed to better jobs) and the fact that my job isn't perfect; it isn't a subject I share much about on social media. Other people however seem to talk endlessly about how unhappy they are with their jobs, (especially in high pressure legal and financial careers which London has in droves) or how long they are putting in at the office. The worst thing about the latter case is there seems to almost be a Calvinist element of pride in that toil they put in. Perhaps it’s a way to justify the awful existence by adding a badge of honour to that drudgery but personally it’s just depressing to read about.
2. Running
Now before I get started here I run (well at least I used to) and I do see many benefits from it and why people do it. Unfortunately a lot of people online spoil it by continuously sharing session and race times. I don’t know what it is but urban London life now doesn’t seem complete without a running habit that people continually talk about in a little running clique. I know I’m outside such cliques as a marathon time to me is irrelevant. You finished the marathon and really that is impressive enough. Doesn’t matter if it took two hours or if it took ten; you ran 26 bloody miles non-stop, isn’t that surely enough?
3. Cocktails
Mainly one where the ladies are at fault I’m afraid. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a good Long Island Ice Tea or a Whiskey Sour (never Mojitos! Mojitos are foul.) but the amount of times people have posted pictures of these online has devalued the sense of occasion afforded to cocktails. Every other weekend I see a picture of my female friends with flues of fluorescent cocktails or just flues of fluorescent cocktails on their own and I wonder to myself what is special about that now? How many times can “Cocktails with my girlies” seem special before the repetitiveness and futility that cocktails may not be the peak of London existence dawns on people?
In addition to this people always complain about money but then considering London still faces a cost of living problem (with rents on average ranging from between £600 – 1000 (or more) per month) it's no surprise really.
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