Don't internalize the idea that you can't or shouldn't do something. Never limit yourself.
Teachers, bosses, and older folks typically project their unfortunate experiences of life onto us and we typically accept that experience for what life is and then we all wonder why change doesn't happen in our lives, in our country, and world (it is, of course, because we do end up listening to these sad people who tell us "no," we don't change the systems thus our worlds stay the same). These authority figure's experience is their experience and it does not have to be yours. Make your own damn experience and do whatever you want. Seriously. Be idyllic in your dreams for, as David Mamet tells us: "There is nothing more pragmatic than idealism" because ideal realities (or utopias) do not exist and are impossible therefore we will always be attaining our goals and our loves and our dreams and thusly- never giving up on them because their is always work to be done.
Listen to these authority figures and hear what they have to say but don't internalize their thoughts and methods unless those same methods help you make your own method because that's what its all about: forging your own path, as it were. Also- kindly don't assume my ideas here to be a childish hope that is disconnected from reality. This is real, people. So: you don't believe me because I am just a 20 year old college student who is too ambitious or impractical? If these are your thoughts I have two things to tell you: 1. Fuck you. 2. You don't believe me with these thoughts here? Fine. Listen to mythologist Joseph Campbell and then the awesome words of first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt:
"Follow your bliss."
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't."
I have always said, "why not me?" when I look at people who have succeed in the particular field I want to succeed in. I mean they are human beings, not gods. So if they can, then I can. Right?
ReplyDeleteYes. You are so much in the right. I like to think we can do whatever we like whenever we like. Its that old adage of "truth is stranger than fiction." So you or I living our dreams...well...stranger things have happened I suppose and the people who tell you or I "no" may have had unfavorable experiences in similar fields as us, which sucks but that doesn't make their exp doctrine.
ReplyDeleteps- I hope you are well, Mike. Happy thanksgiving. :)
this is so strangely relevant and means a lot, thank you.
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