Your dream is stupid
/I recently read an article in Thought Catalog that highlighted a problem I've been thinking about for a while now. It was called The Difference Between Boring People And People Who Actually Want To Live. The article says there are basically two kinds of people, drones and dreamers. Drones have 401ks and work in offices. Dreamers are creatives who feed their souls with artistic endeavors. Although the writer says she doesn't think one is better than the other...the title kind of gives her away.
I'm all for supporting people in their dreams of living a fulfilling life. What I don't like is the judgement of what their dreams are.
I've read a lot about how it's okay, for example, to leave your job at the insurance company so that you can be a painter of landscapes. But, I rarely hear that it's okay to go the other way.
The article says that "Dreamers think bigger than most people, are unwilling to settle for zombie office culture..."
My husband works in an office. He loves his work. He loves PowerPoint and analytics and button up shirts that need collar-stays. He loves the people he works with. His "zombie office culture" makes him feel purposeful. Should I roll my eyes at him and assume that deep down he is actually a boring and unfulfilled drone? The dude sings very loudly in the shower - he's pretty damn happy.
As someone who was a working actor in Los Angeles - a supposed "dream job" - I had dreams of working at a "normal" job with deadlines and sweater-sets. So, I'm a little sensitive to people placing judgement on what is a worthy dream and what is not. I fantasized about the routine and structure of regular life. My dream was to get away from premieres and paparazzi and limos. I never wanted to be famous and I don't think that makes my dream less valid than someone who does want those things.
Why are we not celebrating the fact that people have different dreams? Our society would fall apart if we all wanted to be artists or if we all wanted to be accountants. One friend of mine left fashion to work at a financial firm, another wants to stop the endless grad school cycle and become a midwife. Both finance and midwifery activate my gag reflex - I'm grateful that they can do those jobs, so that I don't have to. Plus, they also get to contribute to society and be happy. Big wins, all around.
So, go ahead and dream of being a potter or goat farmer or a 9-to-5-er or whatever. A dream doesn't have to include professional athletes and movie stars to be valid. I promise. "Normal" can be beautiful, too.
Here's the advice from the article that I liked:
Fuck other people. Fuck their opinions, their two cents, their idea on what is “right” and “normal” and “healthy” and what you “should be doing.”
Amen to that.
--------
Have comments? Please join our conversation over on Facebook
You might also like: