Today I want to discuss a question we are all asked as young children; "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Now, I have a few hesitations toward this question, the first one being why the fuck it is even asked!? Let me explain.
So I'm 5 year old Jay sitting at school on a carpet waiting for the teacher to do whatever kindergarten teachers do. The teacher then asks "what do you want to be when you grow up?" And of course this excites all the free spirited kindergarteners. We all yell out "Firefighter! Batman! Godzilla!" What ever possible or impossible thing our speedy imagination can think up. With me so far? We've all been there.
Now why would these 5 year olds who really have no clue what it means to grow up and "be" something say these such occupations? Well we can chalk most of the reason up to environment. Not THE environment, THEIR environment. Gosh, don't be so damn literal. This makes sense, we are exposed to batman or firefighters as children whether it be for Halloween costumes or on Saturday morning cartoons (which were awesome). Okay so despite not knowing what it means to grow up or committing a very long future to destroying Tokyo, we say these things because essentially thats all we know.
Now before you start getting mad at your monitor or phone screen for this outlandish statement I just made, keep reading. I understand the point of childhood is to learn and use that imagination and be a kid, I did it too, we all do. So, moving to the next stage in our quandary of uninformed childhood decision making.
We are told constantly to have a plan and know what you want to do. And yes, it comes up in elementary often but it takes a big step in high school. I remember a grade 9 class that had you fill out an online form that basically gave you the types of fields you may be interested in. Let me tell you that was bullshit. We aren't that ignorant to let a stupid website choose a field for us, so we tailor our answers to what we think we want.
This is okay though since we are in high school and we actually have a better idea, right? WRONG. we're 14 years old here. Do you think a 14 year old kid knows what the fuck is going on in the world. Take a guess.Yeah okay, I know I wanted to do something science related my whole life, but I also wanted to be a police officer, a firefighter, a fucking rock climber. My point is that the system of our education is limiting. We let a standardized system influence decisions because we don't know any better and they.. do..
So its now grade 11 and we're a measly 2 years older, time to apply to post secondary. But we've seen more of the world now to know what we want, right? Wrong again. We never know, we will never know. We aren't so black and white, and no.. that was not meant to be racist. What I mean is that our lives are grey areas, dynamic, free to bend and turn as we please. Yet still we have to make such a firm and uninformed decision at a point in life where we still don't have a clue. The real world is not so black and white, so why are we taught this way? Why do we have to make a decision while the little voice in our head is telling us that we may have made the wrong one? Why don't we ask why more often?
So what am I trying to say?
A lot really. Too much. And that's because I wrote this without a plan. That is my whole point here. You may or may not have a plan, but shit will change as you go.
Be prepared.
Thanks!
I know my choice of topic doesn't fully suit my current audience, but I imagine this is a lesson that can be easily applied to any similar situation throughout life!
Until next time!
Now, I have a few hesitations toward this question, the first one being why the fuck it is even asked!? Let me explain.
So I'm 5 year old Jay sitting at school on a carpet waiting for the teacher to do whatever kindergarten teachers do. The teacher then asks "what do you want to be when you grow up?" And of course this excites all the free spirited kindergarteners. We all yell out "Firefighter! Batman! Godzilla!" What ever possible or impossible thing our speedy imagination can think up. With me so far? We've all been there.
Now why would these 5 year olds who really have no clue what it means to grow up and "be" something say these such occupations? Well we can chalk most of the reason up to environment. Not THE environment, THEIR environment. Gosh, don't be so damn literal. This makes sense, we are exposed to batman or firefighters as children whether it be for Halloween costumes or on Saturday morning cartoons (which were awesome). Okay so despite not knowing what it means to grow up or committing a very long future to destroying Tokyo, we say these things because essentially thats all we know.
Now before you start getting mad at your monitor or phone screen for this outlandish statement I just made, keep reading. I understand the point of childhood is to learn and use that imagination and be a kid, I did it too, we all do. So, moving to the next stage in our quandary of uninformed childhood decision making.
We are told constantly to have a plan and know what you want to do. And yes, it comes up in elementary often but it takes a big step in high school. I remember a grade 9 class that had you fill out an online form that basically gave you the types of fields you may be interested in. Let me tell you that was bullshit. We aren't that ignorant to let a stupid website choose a field for us, so we tailor our answers to what we think we want.
This is okay though since we are in high school and we actually have a better idea, right? WRONG. we're 14 years old here. Do you think a 14 year old kid knows what the fuck is going on in the world. Take a guess.Yeah okay, I know I wanted to do something science related my whole life, but I also wanted to be a police officer, a firefighter, a fucking rock climber. My point is that the system of our education is limiting. We let a standardized system influence decisions because we don't know any better and they.. do..
So its now grade 11 and we're a measly 2 years older, time to apply to post secondary. But we've seen more of the world now to know what we want, right? Wrong again. We never know, we will never know. We aren't so black and white, and no.. that was not meant to be racist. What I mean is that our lives are grey areas, dynamic, free to bend and turn as we please. Yet still we have to make such a firm and uninformed decision at a point in life where we still don't have a clue. The real world is not so black and white, so why are we taught this way? Why do we have to make a decision while the little voice in our head is telling us that we may have made the wrong one? Why don't we ask why more often?
So what am I trying to say?
A lot really. Too much. And that's because I wrote this without a plan. That is my whole point here. You may or may not have a plan, but shit will change as you go.
Be prepared.
Thanks!
I know my choice of topic doesn't fully suit my current audience, but I imagine this is a lesson that can be easily applied to any similar situation throughout life!
Until next time!
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