Broken Dreams

Kind of a downer topic to kick this whole thing off but it does help explain why the world drives me crazy.  Earlier this year a kid I know was getting ready to head off to college, and to start a conversation I asked him what his plans were.  The same question we all heard from every adult when we graduated from both high school and college.  This is the answer I get: “Well I am majoring in journalism. I want to be a sports writer.”  Stop right there.

Being the dream crusher that I am, I interrupt him.  “Why would you pay a college to become a sports writer? That is a dying industry, my friend.”  He then goes into detail about his plan to start out small… then build up some kind of Media Empire that will rival ESPN.  Hearing this, I turn to my little sister’s boyfriend, who is sitting next to me, and I tell him he needs to try and remember this moment.  Because one day we are going to see this kid again he is going to be working some random job nobody cares about.  Maybe he will be a sportswriter, but he will still wake up every day thinking the same thing we all do – how much we don’t want to go to work that day.  (If you are the one person in the world that likes going to work then please go every day, and give me the money built up from all the paid time off you didn’t use. Also, you should probably stop reading now for your sake.)  

At that moment we were on the ground floor of a dream on its way to getting broken.  It made me think back to my broken dreams coming out of high school.  When I got that standard question from adults my response was that I was planning on becoming a lawyer.  Of course, the more I would read about law school and hear about it from lawyers I realized maybe this “dream” wasn’t going to happen.  Now I realize how dumb I must have sounded to every person that asked what my plans were back then.

I think adults ask recent high school and college graduates what they are planning to do with their life not just to try and make conversation with someone they have nothing in common with, but rather as a consolation in their life to realize they will not be the only person in the world who has had their dreams crushed.  I bet that helps them get through the day.  In fact, I can’t wait to be that stupid adult figure at graduation parties that can’t relate, and asks the kids what they are planning to do with their lives. In fact, I am going to store those memories up for the day when I see the aged and bitter person that has replaced those kids.

Where does it stop? Once you are out of college, old people ask what is going on with your career.  It is such a stupid cycle. I don’t even tell people what I do now. My response is basically that I work in a cube. I know they don’t really care about it.  Are they trying to eek out more enjoyment from seeing my even further broken dreams? Maybe my new standard response will be that I work 8 hours a day to accumulate enough income to buy my weekly lottery tickets.  How sweet would that response be from some kid in high school? I would give them an extra $20 to go along with their Con”grad”ulations greeting card they already got from 30 other people solely based on the fact that they already know they have no chance.

So how many dreams have to break for you to give up hope? Should parents start early? Maybe parents are all diluted into thinking their kid is special.  Little do they know they are severely handicapping their kid’s future.  Don’t lie and tell them they can be anything they want to be.  If your kid wants to be a pro football player and he is 5’4” weighing 140lbs… maybe you should send him in a different direction.  If your genes are going to make it impossible for your little girl to be a ballet dancer, why not use your brain and tell them why it can’t happen.  Honestly, it is going to end up being better than you driving your kids around for special practices and camps.  Paying fees to other losers with their own broken dreams who are taking advantage of parents who can’t admit that their kid just isn’t going to make it as an athlete, dancer, etc.   Not only will you save yourself a bunch of misery from having to hang out with all the other kids stupid parents, you are also giving your kid a chance to find something they might actually be good at.  Don’t lie to yourself that you are being a great parent because you pay all this extra money for elite classes, leagues or whatever they are called.  If they don’t have the talent you are just setting them up for failure.  (Please don’t tell me it is going to be different when I have kids, that isn’t the subject and you are probably right.) 

People should encourage their kid to do something they actually can and the unachievable dreams won’t be there to be crushed. If some parents just took this little step, when I go to the bar on a Friday or Saturday I won’t have to listen to some jackass play in a loser band because they think they have a chance of making it big.  Listen guy or girl……..but usually guy.  You suck and your band sucks.  Feel free to keep playing in your garage with your friends.  It is a good hobby.  But if you are going to come play at the bar, please make sure your cover songs don’t suck ass and only play your original music if you want me to ask the bartender to never invite you back.  Also, realize that I am at that bar to drink, not see your stupid ass play in concert.  So don’t let it go to your head that the bar is packed.  It is the weekend and we are either tolerating your music or making a mental note to never come back if you and your crappy band are here.