This is more so in relation to people my age. If it applies to those outside of my peer group, cool.
I noticed that our grandparents and our parents raised a lot of us to believe that life was supposed to be lived in this exact order:
- finish high school
- go to college
- get a decent job
- get married
- have kids
- save for their college education
- retire
- die
This same ideal blueprint of life is the only thing that some hold on to as to what success can be viewed as. In my opinion, it is dated. It does not take into consideration that the world has evolved significantly since our elders were growing into the adults they are today. However, it WILL still work…for some people, NOT everyone.
I see no problem with it until people who had it drilled in their head since they were able to talk, begin to think this is how EVERYONE is supposed to live their lives. Generation Y/Millennials have different ideas of success and it is usually based on what makes them happy. Sometimes it generates unbelievable loads of financial wealth (see: Mark Zuckerberg); other times it simply allows them to live as the person they genuinely are/want to be (see: Odd Future).
I was raised by people who believed in the old ways of doing things. I never really agreed with it because I felt there was more to life than what was listed above. All I have ever wanted to do was LIVE. The way I wanted to do that was not conducive to a step by step process either. So when people tell me what I want out of life, it annoys me…especially when what I want does not mirror anything close to their beliefs.
I respect the next generation because (generally speaking) they are not afraid of LIVING life to the fullest. While it does sometimes involve unnecessary risks, it is STILL their decision. This is what my daughters father and I intend to instill in her. We want her to believe she can succeed at whatever makes her happy. She has just as much of a right to living the best life for her as her father and I do.
It is my hope that my peer group encourages their children to live a happy life…versus the miserable alternative; a life projected on them by others.
