Saturday, February 27, 2010
Reality
Growing up kids are always asked what they want to be when they grow up. Doctors, firemen, and veterinarians are usually the first answers shouted out. Kids have big dreams, but along the way as adults a reality slap comes. Sometimes we just are not cut out to do the things we want to do. Then after we have realized this, there are two choices that we have. The first is we can give up, walk away and change our dream. Or we can suck it up, realize that life is not easy and work at what we want to do. I feel that kids today are being taught this lesson more than ever. The world we live in today is much harder than it used to be, and I see mothers teaching their kids to be realistic and grounded rather than live in a fairy tale world. I don’t know whether this is extremely depressing or a mature decision.
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"True progress means matching the world to the vision in our heads, but we always change the vision instead." -Thrice
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think it's extremely depressing. Honestly, I don't relate to either side of the issue. I don't remember much of my childhood, and after I dropped out of high school my freshman year, I don't remember my parents ever saying much about my future---positive or negative.
But if they had told me to focus on a "realistic" idea like becoming an office worker, accountant or used car salesman, I probably would have resented them forever if it actually happened.
Then again, if they'd told me I could be a famous fiction author, rockstar or cartoonist I probably would have resented them when that didn't happen.
I guess parents can't win.
Many parents see these kinds of 'pipe dreams' in their children the same way they see Santa and the Tooth Fairy. Basically, that it is a silly idea to believe in something as unrealistic as the ideal careers of children, but the children should be allowed to cling to these dreams as long as they can. I tend to agree with this, not because the dreams of children are so unrealistic, but because, in some ways, it is better to foster these dreams than to crush them. Besides, the longer one holds on to a dream, the more likely the it is that dreamer will be encouraged to pursue that dream, right?
ReplyDeleteThis is great! Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Emily. Though there's always that small percentage who were always told their dreams were unrealistic and used that negativity as a catalyst to better themselves at their vocation. Parental disapproval can be a hell of a motivator for some people.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you, when I was a kid there's always the "you'll understand it when you grow up" but now, it's almost as if children are being forced to grow up in such a young age. If I had a child, I'd probably just keep a balance of keeping their childhood ignorance vs. facing the reality of the world.
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