Rant · 1:49pm May 29th, 2013
I'm sure a great many of you are purveyors of the fine arts. Writing, drawing, painting, singing, making music, whatever your flavour, I want to talk to you. People are going to tell you to study things that will get you a decent job, even if those things aren't in the direction you want to go. People will tell you that having dreams is nice and all, but you need to take the path of least resistance and get a nine-to-five. People will tell you that in the real world, having passion for a craft is not enough, and that everyone needs to face reality and join the daily grind sooner or later.
Those people are wrong.
Notice that the most they give you to hope for is a comfortable life. The vast majority of people aren't wealthy, after all, so the best an average person can strive for is an average life. You can be one of the millions of average folk out there who work all day and watch TV in the evening before bed. Lucky you!
But personally, I would rather take my chances. I would rather study the things that interest me so that when I'm an old man I won't think "Well my accounting degree got me an okay job..." and instead think "Oh man, my days in uni studying lit and writing and meeting other writers and forming my own style and embracing the things I love most were amazing!"
I want to know, when I'm looking at a mirror as I lay on my deathbed, that the person looking back at me didn't waste their younger years doing things they hated and working at unsatisfying jobs. I want to see some old twat writer grinning like an idiot, ideas still churning behind crazy eyes, knowing not a single second was wasted.
So I'd like to ask you something. What kind of person do you want to be? Do you want to be an average person who lived an average life and left an average gravestone? Or do you want to be the artist with the crazy eyes, that weird kid who strayed from the path and found something beautiful?
It isn't about being remembered. It isn't about leaving a legacy. It's not even about the chance of becoming successful because of your art. It's about realising you only have one life and you don't have nearly enough time to waste living it 'normally'.
Agreed. Society at large can go fuck itself, I'm doing things I find interesting.
Life is not worth living if it's not doing the things you love.
Society at large should follow by example, do things they love instead of complaining about how much life sucks.
Great, now i´m mad at myself.
Thank you.
1111803
Why?
I'm too crazy to be normal. Not crazy enough to be in a rubber room, but crazy enough to not really care about society's "normal". Woo!
I agree with you but for something like that to happen it takes everything.
Everything that person has got, their will, their spirit and sense of mind to make it happen. But what if all you've got isn't enough?
That's how I feel most of my days.
1111812
Enough for what?
Remember, it's not the result that counts. If you succeed awesome, if not, doesn't matter. It's the fact that you tried at all that makes all the difference.
1111804 Because I realised what I do exactly not what I want to do and I´m not what I want to be.
After reading this I started to think about my life and how it is at the moment and I don´t like it so much.
Maybe I just want to much? Or maybe i´m just too lazy to change something? I dont know it.
You have no idea at how perfect the moment was when I read this. I read it and it was like a message from God. My life is going to be spent doing what I love - designing games and new technologies. I'm going to lead a life full of adventure and everyone else that says that I have to do this and that and those other things in order to lead a "correct" and "successful" life can go find somebody else to lecture, because I don't want to hear them anymore.
1111822
How old are you, if I may ask?
1111831 18
1111816
I don't wanna bore you with a paragraph of my life so lets just say that personally, a result would be nice, to remind me that I don't suck at everything.
When I was a tad younger, my thoughts were much the same; now, though, I'm happy that I've got a nice degree, am co-running a profitable business and have a happy family. Art takes much of my free time, true; but it's not a fundamental longing. I love art, but it's all about the attitude: some people desire change, adventure, and artistic success, while for me, there is nothing better than a peaceful, uneventful life. I had too much experience, both pleasant and unpleasant, in the past, and I really don't want to be all active and stuff.
But that's just my thoughts. If you want to go for it, go for it, that's what I'm saying.
Yes :3 Even tho I dont agree with the baseline (there's but a single life to live), there aint any reason not to do what you consider worth doing, stead of the 'normal' or 'rational' thing to do.
Amen to that.
1111834
Your life will change a lot over the coming years. 18 is far too early to get stressed about it. Just find the things you love and stick with them.
1111835
The only person who can make you realise you don't suck is yourself. Everyone else's opinions can affect you but ultimately you decide your own self worth. If it counts, I want you to know that even though I don't know you, I already know you don't suck :)
1111847 Yeah, maybe you´re right. Thank you
Too true. But... I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, because ever since I started writing I've been met with overwhelming support for pursuing that path.
Anyways, you make a great point. The normal 9-5 might be fine for some people, but that doesn't mean that anyone should expect us to be okay with it.
1111836
I'm happy for you :)
This post is mainly aimed at the frustrated artists out there who are getting pounded by peer pressure, I didn't expect it to apply to everyone.
Personally, I'm totally okay with an average life. It's not that I don't have dreams or don't want things, I just don't really care. I'm lucky enough to be doing now what I've always wanted to do (and I'm not too bad at it to boot). At this point, I have what I want out of my job.
The only thing really missing in my life right now is someone to share it with. Everything else is so much fluff. Who really cares how big your house is or how expensive of a car you drive? As long as it's big enough for me and gets me from place to place (respectively), I'm happy.
You are 120% correct.
Queues up Stabbing Westward's 'Crushing Me' in the background
The problem is that it's all too cloyingly easy to get mired in the day to day necessities of bills and crude survival. As wonderfully ephemeral as dreams are, they can be drowned while vapid escapism, the quick rush that it offers, becomes a gnawing need. The two feed each other; their pressure grows and the path becomes occluded with the detritus of days spent just getting by.
And sometimes we just forget.
Even still, when you get those moments of epitomic clarity and realize that, as John Popper put it, 'your wildest dreams can hurt you', you have to decide whether or not you're ready to risk quite literally everything to go for the brass ring.
In the end it's never about what you have -- it's about being able to justify your existence to yourself and not find it lacking.
1111847
I don't know weather to disregard that complement because you don't know me or cherish the complement for the exactly same reason :) In either case, thank you. This post gets to me since I have just left high school about 2 weeks ago and the final exam results are still being waited on. I am literally two steps away from ending the first arc of my life and its taking a much bigger toll on me than I will reveal to most people in my social circle.
I'm sorry for doing that its not your business to listen to some whiny kid go on.
1111857
Ah, peer pressure. Yeah, I remember that. Welp, the main point is to overcome it, and life gets better! ^_^
1111878
I've been in that same place not too long ago. If it makes you feel better, life gets waaaaaay better after highschool :)
1111883
I just hope your right.
wise words my friend
Outstanding rant!
How bout for artists just rediscovering once shattered dreams?
I still owe you that dedication for inspiring me out of that slump.
I'm confused here. Where does it say that getting a 9-5 means you have to give up on your dreams and passions and accept a life of mediocre failure? It's not one or the other.
This is generally because a lot of people have a very hard time supporting themselves using only their passion, and these people generally care about you enough to not want to see you living in a tenement while you wait for your one big break.
Yes, it's important to not lose sight of creative and spiritual, but you can't focus on that to the exclusion of your day-to-day responsibilities, because you are going to have rent, credit card, and student loan bills to pay.
1111888
That's not really what I was going for. If you like, you can send me a PM about it and I'll gladly discuss it when I wake up :)
I write as a hobby, hoping to one day manage to publish a book.
In the meantime, I study for something I actually want; to teach.
I have always been enthusiastic about telling people about something I'm interested in. So I think I do something I like while still chasing my dream.
I study at a music college right now, learning all sorts of different ways and styles to play trumpet, with all intentions of moving to a city and living off what I make playing live.
Some of the people I meet ask me if I have a backup plan, and I can't begin to describe how annoying/unwarranted it feels when they do. Sure, I'll find something if I need to, but my main focus is music, and that's how it should be, that's how I want it to be. I'm going to work hard, and maybe I won't be famous by any stretch, but I'll be doing what I love and living well enough by it. And that's all I really need
Yet majoring in English won't get you jackshit this day in age. I'm going to still follow my dreams though, and those dreams actually lie in a field where there will always be jobs; Meteorology. If I ever choose to seriously write or draw or take up some sort of vocational/creative hobby, I'd still do it on the side. It's harder to get a good original book published than it is trying to break into the music industry with something other than that pop/"rap" that dominates it.
In any case, how does initially having boring jobs make your entire life suck in the end? Unless you die at like 28, that age should be passed and less than a chapter in your life history (what a pun).
Who says you HAVE to define your life with your career? Who says you ONLY have to follow that ONE passion you have? What about those of us with a laundry list of things they love? Personally, I could do any one of a thousand things as a career and enjoy it. Anything mechanical or electrical, I could be a doctor or surgeon, research scientist, maille artesian, graphic designer, gemologist. What I chose to do was delve that list and find the career path that payed really well, and leaves me with plenty of time to my own devices. Comp-sci should net me a job starting past 45k a year, at a simple 9-5 desk job doing work I could do for twelve hours a day, easily.
If I then feel like designing a car over a few months on nights and weekends, then I'll do so. If I'd rather burn said free time on video games or chainmail, then I'd be free to do so. You don't HAVE to get a career in your first love either, having a 'backup plan' isn't a bad thing in the slightest as long as you can still do what you love.
The overall goal here is to enjoy life, you've only got about 60 years of it on your own. Doing it your own way is only a part of that.
I'm a little late to the party here, but I'm gonna give my two cents. First up, a little rant of my own to go with a portion of yours.
You see, I look at a statement like that, and I wonder, why is there so much uproar about wealth inequality when evident truths such as this are sitting right in front of our faces? The reason the middle class has so little money is because they haven't earned it. Do most people just think that 1% were handed their millions and billions of dollars and that they don't do anything to maintain them? It's laudable, the sense of entitlement people seem to feel.
Essentially, the middle and lower classes sound like a spoiled child crying to their parents "But Suzie Johnson next door has [insert object of desire here] so why can't we/I have it too? It's not fair! I know I haven't done anything to earn it, but I deserve it too because fallacies of logic and other people agree with me, waaaaaaah!"
And stop trying to tax the shit out of them. Do people realize that the amount they pay in taxes now totals more than the amount the middle and lower classes pay combined? And how is giving the government more money gonna make you richer?! Come on people, think!
End of rant on problems from America.
Now, on to my real comment. (Warning, some personal content and ranting may follow)
I agree with you in the sense that we should follow our hearts, dreams and passions regardless of what others may say. I realize that you weren't expecting this to apply to everyone. Personally, I'd rather find a 9-5 career that I do enjoy and follow all of my passions otherwise. If they come into conflict with my job, well then, sacrifices can and will be made, and I'm sure they'll be worth it.
Though I'd like to take a moment to discuss motivation. For me, I'm struggling, not with wanting to follow my dreams, but having the motivation to go after them. I have lived my life so far (only 18) pretty much like a background pony from the show. I stay out of things, I don't necessarily take risks without having thoroughly thought them through. And I'm realizing, I'm not really motivated to do anything. I wonder what I'm doing with myself in school. I feel as if I'm caught in some liminal state where I'm not doing good, nor am I failing, but it's not going to get me anywhere, especially where I want to go.
I don't know how to go about changing this, and words of endearment or encouragement aren't going to help much 'cause only part of me will be motivated by them and another part is going to write them off as meaningless drivel (because I am a cynical person, even at 18). So, how do you motivate yourself to really put forth the effort necessary to pursue your goals?
Whenever I think about it, I realize the amount of effort I'm willing to put into anything is markedly below what would be required. I want to pursue music, but I'm not interested in a lot of things that would be required to get to where I imagine. I like to write, but I'm not particularly motivated to do so. I'm good with computer science, physics, mathematics and engineering, yet I still feel like I can't give my all in everything.
I don't know what it is. Some psychological block maybe? I doubt it, though, as I have asked myself, and half answered, tough questions like Who am I? and What do I really want out of life? I know my mind well, and I know my inhibitors, and I come up short on my lack of motivation.
At this point I'm not even sure why I'm telling you this, in a comment post no less. Oh well, I guess it was just a good way to vent. If you've read this far, thank you. I don't really imagine getting a reply to this, but go for it if you want. How I'll take it is a mystery beyond my cognition at this moment.
I hope all is well for you and in your life. Sincerely,
-Lupo
Preach it, man. /)
Sadly, I don't even have one single passion. Nothing. I am pretty bland
I fear I will end up living poorly/unhappy or not at all...
Ew. When did you get so cheesy?
Ok, serious now. I wholeheartedly agree with your point, but I think you make it just sound quite cliché, what with the death bed argument and everything. No offense meant.
AMEN!!!!!!
Being normal is too boring for me. I'd much rather do what I love. I have always loved video games and want to be a video game programmer. But while writing is my favorite hobby and I enjoy every second of writing, I don't think I'll pursue it as a profession, but I also know that I'll never stop doing it!
Dawn, by God that is no rant. That is a motivational speech! I've had dreams for a while now, but my mom always says those dreams won't get me anywhere in life. I won't have any money, or a decent home, or ability to start a family and still be financially stable. That, and society thinks that what is in my dream should be illegal... unfortunate. It's not even that bad.
People always told me I need to have a "back-up" plan to satisfy my needs. I ask them what are my needs. They say a house, family, food, etc. I told them they were wrong. My only need is to be happy in life.
As long as there's this thing called music, I'll be happy. Whether I'm a bum, or a famous musician. All I need is my music. Then I'll be happy, and have the life I want.
My life is going to be this. Go into the military for said amount of time. and going into college for computer engineering and drawing for a hobby.
I want to be remembered.
To be honest, I'd like to be the best person in my field, but I recognize that it's probably not gonna happen, ergo I just want to be the best at what specific area I choose to do, regardless of whether other people consider it vitally important. Whether that ends up being in analytical chemistry, spectroscopy (I consider it a subset), o-chem, entomology, etc., I dunno. Mostly, I'd just like to live a life that I'm content with living- I don't have to be remembered by thousands, just recognized for how awesome I was at what I did.
Let me tell you a little about my writing DawnBreeze. It stars a pony named Wind Walker, my OC. Wind Walker is a traveler. One day he packed a saddlebag full of supplies, and started walking. He left behind everypony he knew, the town he had lived in his whole life, and began walking wherever the wind took him in search of adventure. I've told people that Wind Walker is pony me, but that's not completely accurate. He's a pony version of who I am going to be.
I'm 18, working as a pool boy, in fact I just got off a(nother) 13 hour day. My short term plan is to work at my current job until I can get three Saturdays in a row off guaranteed, upon which time I will take bar tending classes. Then I plan on moving to Atlanta and becoming a bartender, I'm expecting this to come to fruition roughly around my birthday in July. I will then live and work there for two years, until I turn 21. Then, I will become Wind Walker.
I'm packing a backpack, and traveling. Walking, hitch hiking, train hopping, whatever I can manage. I will go wherever I want. Visit cities and monuments, absorb local cultures, spend nights under the stars, doing whatever I damn well please. I don't know how long I'll do this. A few years, decades, until I end up dead on the side of a street somewhere with my outstretched thumb becoming stiff with rigamortis maybe. And I don't know what I'll do when I stop. I just know that I WILL do it.
I'm not doing this to impress anyone, and I sure as HELL aint doing it because it's safe or normal. I'm doing it because I crave the adventure I read about in books, and see in movies, and this is the closest thing to true adventure I can find in the world we live in. I'm doing this because just maybe, I will find that adventure. I'm doing it because, if I'm lucky, I'll die in a blaze of gun fire and glory taking down an underground crime organization whose works I stumbled upon in my travels, or saving a beautiful maiden from a street thug (or something along those lines.) I'm doing this because I want to.
1113217
Fuck the daily grind!
Unfortunately it doesn't matter how big of a legacy you leave, you will be forgotten with time (by most people). Ever heard of Dennis Ritchie? Nope? The father of modern computers (besides Alan Turning). Without him you have no C (its a code type) with no C you have no C, Objective C, C#, C++, and likely no Java. Without him we would have no modern programs, none of them....at all. Know what? ask people who he is, nobody will know. Sure you may be immortalized on sites like this long after you are dead and the admins may do a good job of maintaining data so none is lost and your (everyone's really) is appreciated for years to come. Even then, by the time you die, there will be way way way more people submitting stories. There was a video by the user on youtube thunderf00t about how data doesn't matter unless there is A LOT of metadata, basically if you have a 1mb file to the cure of cancer and say 500 bytes of data about it (a sentence somewhere) it won't get noticed, however if you say had a 1gb of sentences throughout the internet mentioning it, it would be much more popular.
I'm gonna be the Machinist/Metallurgist that cut his gravestone out of a solid block of titanium and say screw you to the centuries
Thank you so much, Dawnfade. I needed this.
I've been interested in filmmaking all my life so far, and it's the only path that I want to take. I shudder to think of myself stuck in some dead-end job that I will hate for the rest of my life, which is why I'm doing as much as I can to succeed in my passion so that when I do work, it'll be doing what I love.
You speak wise words Dawn, thank you.