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The "you can be anything you want" lie we tell kids is actually doing them a disservice
I was at my niece's 8th grade career day last month, listening to all these parents say "you can be anything!" to every kid. And I just sat there thinking... no, they really can't. I mean, my nephew is 5 foot nothing and wants to play in the NBA. That's not happening. I run a tree service and I've had guys show up who are terrified of heights. They can't be arborists no matter how much they want it. Why do we keep telling people this? It just sets them up to feel like failures when reality hits. Has anyone else noticed this messing with young adults IRL?
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skyler_jackson276d ago
Honestly though, the NBA example is a little extreme. Most kids aren't shooting for that, they're saying they want to be doctors, artists, or firefighters. Those are totally realistic if they work for it. Don't you think the lie is more about the "effortless" part than the actual career?
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the_ruby6d ago
Totally agree with you, that's a much better way to put it.
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wendy1316d ago
My nephew wanted to be a firefighter since he was 5. Now he's 22, works at Target, and still talks about it like it's just around the corner. The problem isn't that it's unrealistic, it's that nobody tells you the actual grind. Like, sure, you can be a firefighter, but do you know how many exams you gotta pass? How many people flunk out of the academy? It's not about "effortless" either, it's about thinking wanting it bad enough is the same as doing the work. Isn't that the real trap?
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