"I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY KIDS TODAY HAVE QUARTERLIFE CRISES IS BECAUSE WE’VE SEEN HOW LITTLE HAPPINESS THE MYTH THAT A HOUSE IN THE SUBURB WITH 2.5 KIDS AND A DOG AND A “COMFORTABLE” JOB HAS AFFORDED OUR PARENTS AND MAYBE EVEN ALSO OUR GRANDPARENTS. WE HAVE THE SELF-AWARENESS TO REALIZE THAT JUST BECAUSE THIS IS THE IDEAL THAT HAS BEEN SOLD FOR 60+ YEARS, THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT THE RIGHT LIFESTYLE FOR EVERYONE, THAT IT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT LIFESTYLE FOR US. AT THE SAME TIME, THOUGH, THERE IS LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF LIFE. AT EVERY TURN, PEOPLE TRY TO PUSH YOU BACK INTO THE MAINSTREAM. GET THAT 9-TO-5 JOB. BUY THAT HOUSE. SNAG THAT HUSBAND. HAVE THOSE BABIES. DON’T FORGET THE DOG!
THERE IS ALSO, OF COURSE, A FEAR THAT IF WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE’LL END UP IN A PLACE THAT WE LIKE EVEN LESS, THAT WE’RE EVEN LESS SUITED FOR. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A PHENOMENON ONLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE CERTAIN DEGREE OF ECONOMIC PRIVILEGE TO MAKE THIS SORT OF CHOICE POSSIBLE TO BEGIN WITH, AND FOR THAT REASON A LOT OF PEOPLE TREAT CONSIDERING MAKING DIFFERENT CHOICES AS FRIVOLOUS. AT THE SAME TIME, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT UNDERSCORE THE QUARTERLIFE CRISES SO MANY EXPERIENCE ARE IMPORTANT. THEY CHALLENGE THE IDEA THAT THE STATUS QUO IS THE RIGHT CHOICE, THAT IT SHOULD BE THE ONLY CHOICE AND THE CHOICE TOWARD WHICH ALL PEOPLE SHOULD STRIVE. A PERSON HAVING A QUARTERLIFE CRISIS ASKS: IS THIS LIFESTYLE REALLY ALL IT’S CRACKED UP TO BE?"
Twenty Something: Instead of traveling, writing and trying to figure out what we want, should we be marrying and having babies?
good questions
ReplyDeleteat times i wished i had asked
let me know when you find YOUR answer
Very interesting post Kenz.
ReplyDeleteNice read.
The Journey--Mary Oliver
ReplyDeleteOne day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting
their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.
Just to be sure, I didn't write this.
ReplyDeleteLOVE THIS!
ReplyDelete