If we’re generation-I, instead of generation-Y, and you think it’s because of the “Internet” and not “Irony,” as I’ve theorized, then allow me to offer this solution:
Generation-I … just want to draw pictures
Our generation, from first grobbly sentence, was told to express ourselves. Our hairy-armpitted, LSD soaked, Eagles-listening, parents sent us to “creative” pre-schools. Our high school teachers rounded down to the dunce before handing us paintbrushes and guitars and sending us off to liberal arts schools where we were free to “find ourselves,” well into our thirties without stigma. God forbid should we actually graduate, and land in the face of actual work, the Internet was there to save us.
Without Generation-I … just want to draw pictures, the Internet may not be in the ubiquitous, shitquitous* state that it is today.
You see, drawing pictures, playing guitar or writing stories is a perfectly viable way to make a living, and I fully support them as careers. Most people pursuing them, however, are missing that “career” part of the deal. The plan laid out in Art Schools, Sociology Programs and Pre-Schools all over the country looks a little like; Step one, draw a picture; step three, profit! The hippies forgot to mention that in order to carve out a living with your art, it’s going to be a lot of work. It will probably be much more work than if you were to build cars, crunch numbers or rivet things.
So now we have millions of teens to mid-30s, sitting around doing something they feel is a waste of their creative energy, in front of a computer and connectivity. A few of these people are talented, and their day-job is a complete waste of their time – but I can’t find them because of all the people whose mothers think they’re the next Clay Aiken … like Clay Aiken.
*mine.
Few people will ever be as talented or work as hard at their careers as Clay Aiken. That’s where they go wrong.