Is it normal to think so many people are wasting their lives!

Every user on this site is wasting their lives, and they don't even know it :P

I think there should be a balance. Don't work yourself to death, but also have the time of your life while your alive :)

Without work life is meaningless. For joy to exist a certain level of suffering must also exist

Totally agree with you. Especially the people who hate their job but ruin their whole life for it. If your job is your purpose and you're reason to keep going then good ! But most of today adult just follow the system and don't change a thing about their life.
I would travel all my life too and be the happiest girl on heart. But this is kinda hard, if you don't have the choice. I wish you to find a job you love.

Money.

If people didn't "waste" their lives working: You wouldn't have the opportunities that you think you are entitled to by virtue of your birth. If everyone had your attitude, nothing would ever get done.

To do anything but work is to waste your life.

And besides how would you get around the world without money? And how could you get money without a job? Everything good requires sacrifice.