College was supposed to set me free. No more parents. No more rules. No more curfew. Just me- I was going to do what I wanted without any more worries about what my parents expected.
WRONG.
I am so ingrained with the ideals of my parents, I don't think I could escape them if I traveled across the planet. This is not to say that my feelings and opinions don't differ strongly on more than one level with the rents, but my method of handling problems and my gut feelings on many things are largely based on what I learned from them as a tot. I find them in my thoughts when I am making any decision. However, one comes to mind more than others.
What is my definition of success? I feel that for myself and a lot of Americans the simplest, broadest definition of success would be doing better than my parents did.
As a child of an upper middle-class set of parents, both college educated, both 6-figure employees, this seems to be an incredible feat.
Its funny because when you ask a group of undergraduate students if making $40,000 a year coming straight out of school is acceptable, many of the gung-ho-gonna-make-it-go-get-em sluggers will tell you no. I somehow find this unreasonable considering the statistics on the distributions of wealth and income in the U.S.
So is the question about doing better than my parents, or taking the path that makes me the happiest? I have settled for a road which quells my anxiety for both of those. My major allows me to study business with lots of quantitative courses, while taking courses about public policy from an ethical and moral standpoint. It will prepare me for a career that could help change public policy and affect the world, but will also allow me to pay my bills and continue living in a similar fashion to my current spoiled state. At least this is what I am hoping.
There is a quote credited to Winston Churchill that goes "Show me a young Conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old Liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains."
I am thinking maybe that saying should switch the word conservative with the word realist the word liberal with the word idealist- but the idea remains the same.
How do I balance my idealistic nature and desire to do something with humanity with my overwhelming urge to take what I can and be the giant corporate success my parents so desire?
If this is the question facing many middle-class American children how should it be addressed?
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