This is one of those moments.
To complement this grand closure, we’ve started reading Excellent Sheep, which talks about how this generation is--to put it nicely--a bit f**ked up. Since the day we are born, we’re raised to be like sheep, without questioning life. Just like excellent sheep. William Deresiewicz, the author of this book, and ex-Yale professor pinpoints one of the largest epidemics of our time from his experience at an Ivy-legue schools: the miseducation of the elite. His findings--so far--reflect the vibe I feel as a student, especially since I’m kind of outside of it. I’ll start with an excerpt of his that is true for how I feel, at times, towards the mindset some of my peers have adopted: |
How and where along our school careers, did we lose sensibility towards
building upon things like character and purpose? Why is it that we don’t stop to think about why are we getting an education-- not to mention how we’re getting it-- in the first place?
I started coloring outside the lines two years ago, by chance, surrounded by 13 people that do as well, and it’s the only reason why the shiny piece of paper doesn’t call to me anymore. Over the past few months of reflecting with the IA about what I truly want out of life, I realized that for that self-discovery to happen, college is not the next thing for me, not just yet. For my film and media pursuits and formation as a person, it was suddently logical to take a half-gap year. Now that the decision has been solidified, I couldn’t be happier. |
Then I arrive today to my family lunch, and college talk comes in amongst my uncles. They talk about the shiny piece of pape r, how rankings and information on how many of their graduates get a wealthy job is out there. How the return in future income is worth, or not worth tuition. How I should take a look at that; that’s important. I say that’s not my priority. I try to explain my ideal, “Well that’s a way of seeing it” they manage to add. They’re not used to seeing it this way, so they pretend to get the logic behind my plan.
Will they, someday? Sometimes, I think we’re all just crazy.