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If only life were that simple. I've been trying for the last 15 years to find a balance between what is practical and what doesn't make me want to kill myself,

If only life were that simple. I've been trying for the last 15 years to find a balance between what is practical and what doesn't make me want to kill myself, and I have yet to find a solution. My last degree I decided to err on the side of "practical" and got a degree in higher ed counseling - a broad and growing field with tons of opportunity. It was the closest thing to my interests that had practical application. I had some misgivings, but didn't see any other "practical" alternative. So instead of going the sociology-type princess route, I went where the jobs were. During my internship I hated the job so much I began getting insomnia and a variety of other persistent ailments. After graduating I was so burned out I could barely do anything for 3 months. Now I work as a barista making the same exact money I made prior to starting college 7 years ago. Sometimes the choice is between something that makes you sick and something that has no "practical" application. Sometimes what you are most passionate about is not what is valued by your culture. I'd think about that next time I judged someone who decided not to follow the crowd towards a lucrative or middle-class values type of job.

Yuuyake 13y ago
As I said, if you want to do what you love, then go for it. But please don't whine and cry that no one wants to pay you for it if it's a skill that's not highly valued by the industry. As I said in society sometimes you need to clench you teeth and do what has to be done. Then in your spare time you can do what you love. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to live in a world where everyone could do what they truly love but taking into account human nature I highly doubt such an utopia is possible.
eshvk 13y ago
> I'd think about that next time I judged someone who decided not to follow the crowd towards a lucrative or middle-class values type of job. Kind of ironical that you are inherently judging those who hold lucrative jobs as crowd followers or inherently having "middle-class values". One could argue that following the crowd can also be defined as being a poorly paid barista who is doing "art" on the side. There is nothing inherently different from say programming as a day job or working as a barista as a day job and spending your nights doing something creative. Not all who go into this shit are following the crowd or have "middle class" values.

Yuuyake 13y ago

As I said, if you want to do what you love, then go for it. But please don't whine and cry that no one wants to pay you for it if it's a skill that's not highly valued by the industry. As I said in society sometimes you need to clench you teeth and do what has to be done. Then in your spare time you can do what you love. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to live in a world where everyone could do what they truly love but taking into account human nature I highly doubt such an utopia is possible.

eshvk 13y ago

> I'd think about that next time I judged someone who decided not to follow the crowd towards a lucrative or middle-class values type of job. Kind of ironical that you are inherently judging those who hold lucrative jobs as crowd followers or inherently having "middle-class values". One could argue that following the crowd can also be defined as being a poorly paid barista who is doing "art" on the side. There is nothing inherently different from say programming as a day job or working as a barista as a day job and spending your nights doing something creative. Not all who go into this shit are following the crowd or have "middle class" values.