A Sedentary Lifestyle

A close friend of mine from MIT is working for Google this summer and sent me a very thought-provoking email. He loves to travel and wants to do so as part of his career but is Course 6 (Computer Science) and was rudely awakened when a fellow Google employee mentioned how hard it was after graduation to change to a very “sedentary lifestyle.” He became aware that he was quickly falling into the trap of a sedentary lifestyle that so many (what seems like the majority) falls into. For many it is what they want, and for others it is because of a responsibility (usually family) that binds them to the steady job that keeps them at home. It is very easy to get caught up in a sedentary lifestyle, and I’ve always aspired to not fall into that trap. I also found that I was, not because I wanted to, but because I never found the right opportunity to get out of it, and this summer I’ve been able to get out of it. My friend has also been fortunate enough to realize what he wants in his future, and is at a stage where he can shape his own future into whatever he wants it to be...

However, this is a tricky situation, because as someone who wants to have a family, I need to have stability for my children. Men face this problem as well, but it is even more unacceptable for a woman to be the one that travels around. So in the end it seems it will depend on who I marry and what their values and goals are. But even then, how is it for the children? I do not want to send them to boarding school, and I think that growing up in different cultures will build character and make them stronger, but what if I’m wrong? For a long time I thought I could forfeit a family for the sake of traveling around the world helping those in need. However, being an only child and unsure of how I’m going to survive once my parents pass, I am more and more certain that I want a family. Trying to find stability for your family and to have quality family time to spend together often ties people down, and the companies are then pretty much forced to make more employment positions with stable jobs where you don’t travel much. A lot of men seem to complain about too many business trips where they have to be away from their family. It is seen as a negative if you have to travel extensively.

For many, a sedentary lifestyle is not a choice but a result. In America I would credit it to family ties and the hope for stability and the hope for a relaxing and comfortable retirement that motivates workers to go to their cubicles 9-5 everyday. However, in the developing countries, it seems to be because they have no other choice. In India, the community members, students, and staff had a strong passion for the broad cause they worked towards, but overall, it was much more they ended up doing what they’re doing because that’s what their grades and test scores led them to… and what else could they do? This seems to be more the case for women who do whatever they can or that they’re told they should do, either by their school or their family. The men are also restricted by test scores and original economic class, and seem very unpassionate about their particular jobs. Their passion to make a difference, to change their country is strong, but their passion for what they do seems to be much more lacking. They follow a calm daily routine and seem to rarely break free of it. But they don’t have any complaints, that is just how it is. How fortunate that my friend and I, and all of you, the readers, have the means to break free from a sedentary lifestyle if we wish to do so. The United States offers many opportunities and a much more diverse group of people. In addition, marriage is much more based on love and personal choice which allows you to choose the partner most compatible or more most perfect for you. This gives you a lot more freedom in making your future what you want it to be. We should all take advantage of this priceless opportunity to make of our lives exactly what we want it.