3 Apr 2008 @ 20:25, by FreeSociety Project
I'm 17 now, just about to take my A-levels. I do well, I get into the university I want, get a degree, get a job. Welcome to the rest of my life.
I was at a party recently. Kids with dyed hair and catchy tshirt slogans. What are they going to be doing in 10 years? Most of them, I think, will be sat at a desk, thinking back to those good times, wondering where everything changed. And you say 'Well they have the choice to do something different.'
Do they really? Sure you can have green hair now, you're 17! you are just learning how to express yourself. Green hair after university? Good luck getting a good job, friend. Good luck having a comfortable life. You can be different, as long as you are different in Their way. As long as you are the same as everyone else, you can be different.
Back to the ratrace. Remember your first day of school? Wasn't it amazing? There were all these people, and a nice lady to tell you exactly what to do. There's no point in not doing what she says, she's smiling! Sometimes she might give you some colouring to take home and bring in the next day. As soon as you get home, let's sit down and do that work! You love colouring, and look how your parents smile!
Now you are 10, the work is a bit harder but hey, you've been doing what they tell you for five years, why stop now? And after all, they obviously know what's best... they get PAID to do this kind of thing.. and they are so old and wise. Sometimes theres a kid that might do something reactionary, maybe that kid was you. 'What do you mean you didn't do what I told you? Your parents are going to hear of this!' Not the parents. They are so disappointed. And everyone knows. The WHOLE CLASS. You'll probably never be able to go to school again because of the embarrassment. No way are you going to do that again.
17 now are you? Well done, you got all the way through, and even carried on when it 'wasn't compulsory.' But everyone knows that's a lie. It's compulsory if you want to have any kind of life at all, desperately searching for that Easy Ride. You might be thinking to yourself that some things the teacher says is wrong. You definitely don't enjoy doing all that work they tell you. But you suck it up punk, otherwise you're going to fail your exams. That's right, FAIL. And you'll be worse than those people who didn't even get here. You'll have wasted our time and yours.
So you get the results, you worked your ass off. You are at the University you want to be at, doing the degree you want to do. Everybody's telling you that you are Free. Fucking yeah. You are free to have the most fun you possibly can, and meet new people. You might even like some of them! If you are really lucky, you might even learn something that actually interests you.
But those years... they've flown by. You have a degree now mate, what are you going to do with it? You are a full-blown adult now, you should probably grow up. Don't be immature! Get a job; we need more monkeys at the typewriters: Othello hasn't quite been finished yet.
Oh who's this again? I remember you from my whole life. You were 'teacher' before, you've changed a bit. I have to call you 'boss' and you won't teach me anything any more. Still though, you tell me what to do, and what to think. It's a good job I accept this otherwise you'd have to tell the WHOLE OFFICE. I'd probably never be able to go to work again because of the embarrassment. Anyway, my whole life people have been telling me that this is what's going to happen. There's so many of them... and they said it so loudly. Who am I to speak up against them?
-- Xaz.
|
|
