Team Alucard
Banned
Following your dreams is for rich people.
Following your dreams is for rich people.
Lol, it was never dated. It's a mantra that helps keep people in their place. A capitalist doctrine.
Work long enough for me and I'll do good things by you. Stick with this shitty job and you'll go places.
Nothing more than promises to control the working class. Give them the stick, keep the carrot. No, that dream is too dreamy, find a more realistic dream. Pull up those bootstraps.
It takes advantage of human resilience and ability to just put up with shit.
Funny I just had a similar discussion about this with my family. For the past 2 years I was unemployed since I was determined to make it as a web developer by teaching myself. I figured ok going to a unaccredited coding bootcamp didn't seem worth it and from meeting bootcamp grads I saw it really only helped those with degrees or those with career jobs. I didn't consider going back to school since hey it's hilariously expensive and the market may change by the time I'm done.
Anyway I'm about to work a data entry job that may lead to a tech/dev job in the future. But so far I'm thinking my only 2 options to pull off a dream for me are go back to school for CS and make myself eligible for internships. Or the other option being doing a trade in which case I'm leaning towards electrician. I also know I'm no super programmer and I'd probably do well if I was trained on the job since I'm terrible with creating things from scratch but I know I can learn nearly anything if given the time and resources.
So far my family outside of my sister seems to think I'm nuts and I should pursue my dream of being a developer no matter what the cost. And anytime I brought in data, reading articles, personal experiences etc they told me to ignore it all. Just keep working hard and things will go great. So I'm sitting there like fuck I'm just trying to be realistic and I'll be happy doing either career, I'm just also tired of wasting away and being broke. But atm I'll likely be going back to a CC to work towards a CS degree this fall and next year I'm going to apply for an electrician apprenticeship when that opens up.
Following your dreams is for rich people.
Hmm... incoming former dreamer turned cynic:
In a better (not even perfect) world, the mantra would serve to empower and embolden individuals to reject conformity and be, well, individuals.
However, the developed world is designed more like a casino, wherein you're told to play big to win from the moment you enter, with supporting testimonials from the 1% convincing you it can be done relatively easily without offering any advice beyond "never give up," and rarely letting you in on the actual rules & conditions, nor what's truly at stake if you put your all into it and fail, especially in America.
Ex: Nobody wants to get through to little Timmy on the horrors of not having health coverage when he grows up, especially if he plans to have a family. Even some of the busiest artist friends I know have shit for health coverage, so it kinda sucks the glamour out of it when they have to figure out how to afford their kids' medication, some of which costs upwards of $800-1200 a bottle (yes, this is real American life). And that's just one factor.
And, hell, if the economic system itself didn't have enough deterents in place you'll be pleased to realize that we essentially live in a "fuck you, got mine" society, where very few are interested in lifting up their fellow dream chasers in fear that they'll undermine or overshadow their own success. These people would sooner give Kanye $30 if he randomly asked on Twitter for no clear cause than $10 to help a "good friend's" genuinely amazing startup company or music album and say it's because 'Kanye gets shit done,' or something.
I still do video production any chance I get, and am even co-hosting a local live show that's recently secured some corporate sponsorship, but I still work my day job and am prepared to do so for a good portion of my life because I now know realisticly how hard it is to even get to a point where one can live comfortably in a studio apartment in bumfuck Ohio on consistent, professional level work alone.
I may go back to school so I can try to teach the stuff I love as a way to fuse the day job with my passions. But I am turning 30 this year and have come to peace with knowing I'll never be well off with this, let alone rich.
I'd just like to have my own garage by the time I'm 40. That's my new dream now. I'll update you guys in a decade.
I attempted to teach myself how to code. Went to all the meetups I could and I networked my ass off. And I tried to teach myself full time through all that. After all that I learned ok I'm probably good enough for an entry level job and enough devs legitimately thought I was ready. But I never made it through the interview process because I drew blanks on all the CS theory stuff or I never got calls back because of no degree. Hence why I'm going back to school or pursuing a trade. I saw the reality of the market since supposedly there's a million jobs and technically it is possible to get a tech job without a degree. But so far it seems I need to be an utter all star otherwise I should be in school and I'm not about to drop $19k for a bootcamp. And I had all the passion and enthusiasm for it and people saw that. But I rarely if ever got an opportunity. Of course now I'm being told I'm just giving up and I didn't work hard enough. And hearing shit like never give up on your dream, take out the loans, go to school do whatever it takes.What did you do for 2 years?
Following your dreams is for rich people.
What does any of this have to do with following your dreams?
Brought to mind this xkcd from a few days ago:
I've never been a fan of the chase your dreams mantra. There's no shame in just trying to survive and enjoying the day-to-day as best you can. But some people need to aspire for greatness, even it's unrealistic. There's no one-size-fits-all path to life.
Lol, it was never dated. It's a mantra that helps keep people in their place. A capitalist doctrine.
Work long enough for me and I'll do good things by you. Stick with this shitty job and you'll go places.
Nothing more than promises to control the working class. Give them the stick, keep the carrot. No, that dream is too dreamy, find a more realistic dream. Pull up those bootstraps.
It takes advantage of human resilience and ability to just put up with shit.
you can see it in this thread
people told to keep their expectations in check, to not have too outlandish a dream
the phrase is empty, devoid of meaning
Then use a different phrase? The point of it is attempting to do what you want to do for a living.
well yeh, that's the point...but we're discussing this specific phrase
I don't know how you got "work your way up the corporate ladder" from that phrase. If you're doing that and hate what you're doing, or it isn't leading to where you want to be, then that's not following your dreams.
It is your dream, not someone else's, that you're following.
But as I said earlier the phrase should be followed with "follow your dreams... with consistent hard work and adaptability in the face of obstacles or hardships". If you don't have a goal then you can be easily swept away with all the BS that comes at you in life.
You sound pitiful, OP.
we're talking about the job market right? and the dream is a goal, right? you have to make sacrifices to get to that target, certain things you have to do reach it
exactly, that's bootstraps in a nutshell and the "try hard and you will succeed" that is synonymous with using that phrase in labour context
I don't know how you got "work your way up the corporate ladder" from that phrase. If you're doing that and hate what you're doing, or it isn't leading to where you want to be, then that's not following your dreams.
It is your dream, not someone else's, that you're following.
But as I said earlier the phrase should be followed with "follow your dreams... with consistent hard work and adaptability in the face of obstacles or hardships". If you don't have a goal then you can be easily swept away with all the BS that comes at you in life.
i think this is a little extreme. classes exist and persist for a reason dude. and class upwards mobility is extremely difficult in this country.
Following your dreams doesn't have to refer to the job market.
except in this thread it absolutely does
If you want to find a reason to not do something then you'll find it. If that is the life you want then that is your choice and no one else's.
Trying hard is not a guarantee of success. You've got to adapt your approach in the face of hardship. Think of it like finding a boulder in the middle of a road... perhaps finding a different route may be a better idea than trying to ram your way through it.
You're 29 and you think it's over? I don't know what your dream is, but if you want to be well off you should aim higher than the job title of video producer.
Define rich. You're posting on GAF which means you're better off than most people on this planet. I don't think you're in survival mode seeing as you're here.
You know what will cause the biggest regret? Knowing that you didn't try at all or knowing that you tried but that you didn't spend every bit of time and energy you had at your disposal to make it happen. But only you really know what you're capable of so you and you alone will have to live with it.none of it is a guarantee of success, and the onus is always on that person with the dream to navigate all these ever-increasing challenges like it's some test for them, which is completely unfair
outside of the artists their dreams don't happen in a bubble so you're always going to have to rely on people
lifetime of regret waiting to happen, why didn't I try harder? why didn't I do that at that one time? why didn't I talk better? look better? how many times does one have to "pick themselves up, dust themselves off" before they are allowed to forget the illustrious dream in your opinion?
My "dream" since I was a teenager was always to lead an interesting life. It's pretty vague and it's debatable if I have accomplished it, or am accomplishing it, but I am giving it a fair shot. I think if your dream is money or fame or "success" oriented than you maybe will have difficulty achieving it, if you have a more internal kind of goal then we can all follow our dreams and even reach them.
I'm 32 and American and I've done everything from taxi driving in Australia to documentary photography in Nepal and now globetrotting in the fashion industry and based in China. There have been many times when I've been low on funds, not materially succesful, directionless with regards to career or life path, but it's always been interesting so I'd say I've more or less been able to successfully follow my dreams of having interesting life experiences.
One lesson I've learned from life is to say yes to (almost) everything. Opportunities do come, but you need to put yourself in the position to seize them. A lot of people are cynical and feel that the world owes them, as evidenced by so many threads on GAF. OP says your dreams can be reached based on nepotism or whatever unique circumstance you were born into (yes I know as a middle class white American male I have certain opportunities not available to others)... but OP is wrong because his dreams/measure of success are based on making money or some other external sense of value or achievement. Of course money is important and needed to survive, but money or important job titles shouldn't be your dream. IMO Your dreams should be realistic and based on internal goals/achievements, because in society not everyone can be rich or a CEO or run a successful company. We can't all be the boss. Reach for a goal that satisfies you internally.
saw Chris Rock live recently & he said we should stop telling kids that they could do anything...and maybe tell them "you can do whatever you're good at, if they're hiring for it."
somber, but fair
I attempted to teach myself how to code. Went to all the meetups I could and I networked my ass off. And I tried to teach myself full time through all that. After all that I learned ok I'm probably good enough for an entry level job and enough devs legitimately thought I was ready. But I never made it through the interview process because I drew blanks on all the CS theory stuff or I never got calls back because of no degree. Hence why I'm going back to school or pursuing a trade. I saw the reality of the market since supposedly there's a million jobs and technically it is possible to get a tech job without a degree. But so far it seems I need to be an utter all star otherwise I should be in school and I'm not about to drop $19k for a bootcamp. And I had all the passion and enthusiasm for it and people saw that. But I rarely if ever got an opportunity. Of course now I'm being told I'm just giving up and I didn't work hard enough. And hearing shit like never give up on your dream, take out the loans, go to school do whatever it takes.
You do web dev? You could freelance and do you own business. No client will ask where you went to school. They'll just want to know that you can get the work done. Are you single? Fly over to Thailand and live on peanuts until you have enough clients to make a decent living.
This is my dream too. I actually did finish my first novel, and am working on my second now. I would absolutely love to see them published at all, and the desire to see them become the story of a video game - even an indie style game like the recent Cosmic Star Heroine - is still somewhere in the recesses of my heart (and maybe even my mind, as well). At the risk of sounding too self-deprecating, I doubt they will ever see the light of day or are worthy reads, but I set out to write my own story, and it's there. The whole damn thing. Nobody can say I didn't try. And it feels good, man. Keep writing your story.It's good to have dreams, just be realistic about them. My young dreamy side still wants to end up writing for a succesful video game developer, even though that's never going to happen and at this point I'll be happy to finish my first novel in the next few years. Dreams give you something to strive towards in the long term, some hope. That's never a bad thing.
Follow your dreams is for people with either money, lots of talent or luck. Follow your dreams is about the most bullshit mantra mankind has come up with.
And no I don't have an dreams and never have. I'll settle for what I've been able to get.
Following your dreams doesn't have to refer to the job market. It just means have a goal that you aspire to and keep moving towards it rather than get distracted by other things.
It really isn't that complex.
It is like getting in a car with the intent of reaching your destination. Maybe you'll hit traffic, or the car will break down. If you're determined to get where you're going then you'll find a different route or find a different mode of transportation.
Trying hard is not a guarantee of success. You've got to adapt your approach in the face of hardship. Think of it like finding a boulder in the middle of a road... perhaps finding a different route may be a better idea than trying to ram your way through it.
What the 30-something co-owner of a major local advertising agency didn't divulge when she was bragging about quitting her job in DFW and moving here was that she and her husband both made six figures down there, sold their already-paid for house and then moved to a much cheaper cost of living area, paid for their house in cash and started up their agency with clients poached from their other job.
lol, can you come up with something more substantial than your esoteric bullcrap-boulder story? not trying to be mean, but that "boulder in your way, just walk around it! *thumbs up*" is the same kind of shit like telling a depressed person to just be more cheerful.
"follow your dreams" is such a vague statement, it means everything and nothing. let's say a gaffer wants to compete in bodybuilding and trains real hard. it's a dream that's achievable. he gets in an accident and ends up in a wheelchair. now, how is he going to circumvent that boulder? or was that dream not follow-worthy?
I'm going to follow my dreams, fight me
Cool. Let's say I was unemployed for the majority of my 20s, then at the age of 29 I was fired from Staples after a few months. In the year after that I worked on a feature film, as a runner on the X Factor (where I got to see Simon Cowell), on two high-profile corporate films (where I got to meet gold medal winning British Olympians), and then most recently a horror film shot in Wales, UK starring Anjelica Huston and directed by Melissa Joan Hart (both people I grew up watching).
I got to that point because I was too poor to follow the traditional media production career path and instead went and built myself up as a freelancer.
How's that? Is that a good enough real example of overcoming obstacles? Or are you going to come out with some more pitiful dream crushing excuses?
But with regards to your bodybuilding wheelchair BS: http://wheelchairbodybuilding.com/