From the Ground

I've been reconstituting my knowledge base, on paper, in hopes that I; will be able to get computer access eventually. This is definitely a guilty pleasure, because it's a serious distraction from the despair-inducing process of job hunting. In the view of some of my acquaintance, it is selfish folly and criminal irresponsibility to study mathematical physics, physical chemistry, mineralogy, or biogeography when I ought to be engaged full time in the search for employment. If I'm not getting paid for it, and not even supporting myself, I might as well be in a bar getting drunk as in a library studying. What I'm doing instead doesn't count, it's what I'm not doing that's important.
I can see just enough truth in this point of view to induce guilt about what I'm doing, but not enough to give up my studies. One of the reasons I came here in the first place is that I wanted to be close enough to resources where I could pursue them.
Ideally, I would be able to both pursue my studies and make a living. Why is it that all and sundry seem to tell me that this is impossible?