I had the displeasure of covering a young professionals luncheon yesterday that was billed as a way for professionals under 40 in this area to come together and network and learn new ideas of how to take more of a prominent role in our community. Hokey as it sounded, the idea at least had potential -- especially as my city is run by a cabal of old, white dudes.
Instead, the speakers did nothing but talk about how they followed their dreams and never gave up and they were successful, so everyone else in the audience can be too, as long as they work hard. Bootraps(tm), essentially.
What the 35-year-old hospital CEO didn't divulge was that his family has a long history here and his relatives have been involved with the hospital for the last 50 years.
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.
What the old retired businessman-turned-mayor didn't divulge when he was bragging about working his way up in the business world of this community was that he inherited his father's already-successful business and only made his money when he sold it off and used that to move into politics.
So when discussing this with some friends yesterday, I was told I'm entirely too bitter and cynical because I'm of the belief that following your dreams is great for an inspirational poster hanging on the wall in a doctor's office somewhere, but it's just not logistical in today's world. For every one person who "makes it," there's thousands of others who didn't and who are struggling beneath them. I was told that's just because they didn't believe hard enough, or they gave up, or they "settled" for less -- as if settling for a decent-paying, albeit less glamorous job, while having a family is "settling" and is a bad thing.
So is it being "bitter and cynical" to want to say that dreams are nice, but not everyone will "make" it and that doesn't mean your life is a failure, a bad thing?
Instead, the speakers did nothing but talk about how they followed their dreams and never gave up and they were successful, so everyone else in the audience can be too, as long as they work hard. Bootraps(tm), essentially.
What the 35-year-old hospital CEO didn't divulge was that his family has a long history here and his relatives have been involved with the hospital for the last 50 years.
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.
What the old retired businessman-turned-mayor didn't divulge when he was bragging about working his way up in the business world of this community was that he inherited his father's already-successful business and only made his money when he sold it off and used that to move into politics.
So when discussing this with some friends yesterday, I was told I'm entirely too bitter and cynical because I'm of the belief that following your dreams is great for an inspirational poster hanging on the wall in a doctor's office somewhere, but it's just not logistical in today's world. For every one person who "makes it," there's thousands of others who didn't and who are struggling beneath them. I was told that's just because they didn't believe hard enough, or they gave up, or they "settled" for less -- as if settling for a decent-paying, albeit less glamorous job, while having a family is "settling" and is a bad thing.
So is it being "bitter and cynical" to want to say that dreams are nice, but not everyone will "make" it and that doesn't mean your life is a failure, a bad thing?