Hey.
It’s me, Rudy. And it’s Monday.
I figured I would start a weekly trend of things that are in my mind. Things that are on the mind of a photographer. Things that deal with the industry. Things that deal with my life. Things that deal with anything that’s directly correlated with me. Many of you know that I’m a nerd. I follow things out of the ordinary. Consider this my little corner of the internet. My little place. Everyone is welcome. Everyone can voice their opinion. Just no hostility please. I apologize if I offend anyone with my views. I call this Me Monday. It’ll be where I rant/share/enlighten. Anyways, here goes.
There are people that will tell you that I’m a hippie. In many ways I am. My views on society and the way that we’re put into an almost anatomical formation that dictates whether or not we’ll be successful or not in life are consistent with what I’ve done with my life. If we follow norms and do everything everyone else is doing, then we’ll be okay. Or so we’re told. People fear to be different. People fear to speak up. Everyone has dreams. Everyone wants to be something amazing. Maybe it’s childish, but I’m not going to stop simply because society says that it’s hard. Or that society says that I can’t make a living doing what I love.
I’ve met plenty of people throughout my life that have told me to go to school. To work for someone else. To pour my blood and sweat into someone else’s business. I hate that. I literally despise working for someone else. It’s almost like renting vs. owning. You go from corporation to corporation collecting a paycheck each week, but can quickly cut ties and go elsewhere. Yet still, you remain unhappy with your day to day activities. There is no fulfillment in work that doesn’t directly benefit you. If you were to do something that you love, and become something more, then maybe your outlook on life might change. Then maybe you just won’t be another mindless employee listening to someone above you. Maybe. Just maybe…you’ll be happy.
***SPOILER ALERT*** There’s always someone you answer to.
I feel like America as a whole has lost sight of it’s values. That we were built on the principles that we can be whatever we want to be. We can do anything we set our mind to do. Many of my friends are starting their careers, but I feel that in ten years they’ll be regretting their decisions. That they’ll be wondering if whether or not they made the right choices. At that point people will probably have a family, and that the livelihood of their children will weigh into their decision. At that point, you swallow your pride. Go into the job. Get yelled at by your superior. Hate it. Drown your sorrows in alcohol. Lose track of friends. Lose track of time. Hate the work life. Money doesn’t buy happiness. It buys comfort, but how many tangible products will you have to buy? How many drugs will you have to take to be happy? How many kids will you have to have in order to create a false sense of happiness to cover up your true feelings?
I say no. I say break the trend. I say think for yourself. Don’t do things because others are doing it. Question why they are the way they are. Question why things are being done a certain way. Before you jump, you should look where you’ll land. Your life is ahead of you. You’re in control. Don’t let someone else take the wheel.
-Rudy
