If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? This is a common question throughout childhood in any culture. Children have been asked this question for generations, but it seems their answers are changing. A recent study has highlighted a dramatic and rather worrying shift in children’s ambitions.
Twenty-five years ago the most common aspiration of American children was to be a teacher, followed by working in banking and finance, and then medicine. Today’s younger generation most commonly say they want to be a sports star, a pop star, or an actor. While many would argue that there is nothing wrong with having such ambitions, others feel that this trend will ultimately lead to dissatisfaction as more and more people are unable to reach their goals
According to the survey, children desire these jobs largely because of the excessive wealth associated with them. However, according to experts, such ambitions are likely to place a strain on the individual. Julian Rotter, an American psychologist, proposed an aspiration theory, in which people assess how likely they are to achieve a goal before they make the effort to achieve it. If people link happiness to wealth and status, they are more likely to work hard to achieve them. However, the satisfaction is short-lived because once the goal has been met, the person no longer has a sense of satisfaction. This then creates a pressure for the person to keep pushing to achieve more targets, which places the individual under greater stress.
Unfortunately, fame and fortune do not always have a positive impact on an individual’s life. Many careers in the spotlight are short lived. For example, many athletes’ physical peak only lasts a few years and singers can have a very limited career. The field that was once the sole focus of their lives becomes something they have little or no involvement in As a result, they have a feeling of worthlessness and a complete lack of control. It can also be difficult for them to a normal everyday life because they have been so far removed from it for so long.
So despite the drawbacks of being rich and famous, there is greater ambition than ever among young people to attain that status. In many ways this has been brought about by cultural changes. Globally, more and more TV shows feature talent competitions where winners can achieve wealth and fame in just a few weeks or months. This quick route to fame and fortune creates a celebrity culture. People unrealistically believe that a celebrity lifestyle is easily attainable and leads to great satisfaction. It is perhaps not surprising that this is especially attractive in societies where youth unemployment rates are between twenty-five and fifty percent.
It is no longer enough to have simple aspirations. People are not satisfied just making a living-they want to be rich. In the past, people had more modest, sensible aims such as earning a steady income, not being unemployed, and enjoying their work. Job satisfaction was important. Parents and teachers, rather than TV, had a greater impact on children’s ambitions. Unfortunately not everyone realizes that it takes talent, skill, and hard work to be good at a sport or at singing. As a result, many people won’t fulfill their childhood dreams, and this could have a negative effect on their happiness.
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? This is a common question throughout childhood in any culture. Children have been asked this question for generations, but it seems their answers are changing. A recent study has highlighted a dramatic and rather worrying shift in children’s ambitions.
Twenty-five years ago the most common aspiration of American children was to be a teacher, followed by working in banking and finance, and then medicine. Today’s younger generation most commonly say they want to be a sports star, a pop star, or an actor. While many would argue that there is nothing wrong with having such ambitions, others feel that this trend will ultimately lead to dissatisfaction as more and more people are unable to reach their goals
According to the survey, children desire these jobs largely because of the excessive wealth associated with them. However, according to experts, such ambitions are likely to place a strain on the individual. Julian Rotter, an American psychologist, proposed an aspiration theory, in which people assess how likely they are to achieve a goal before they make the effort to achieve it. If people link happiness to wealth and status, they are more likely to work hard to achieve them. However, the satisfaction is short-lived because once the goal has been met, the person no longer has a sense of satisfaction. This then creates a pressure for the person to keep pushing to achieve more targets, which places the individual under greater stress.
Unfortunately, fame and fortune do not always have a positive impact on an individual’s life. Many careers in the spotlight are short lived. For example, many athletes’ physical peak only lasts a few years and singers can have a very limited career. The field that was once the sole focus of their lives becomes something they have little or no involvement in As a result, they have a feeling of worthlessness and a complete lack of control. It can also be difficult for them to a normal everyday life because they have been so far removed from it for so long.
So despite the drawbacks of being rich and famous, there is greater ambition than ever among young people to attain that status. In many ways this has been brought about by cultural changes. Globally, more and more TV shows feature talent competitions where winners can achieve wealth and fame in just a few weeks or months. This quick route to fame and fortune creates a celebrity culture. People unrealistically believe that a celebrity lifestyle is easily attainable and leads to great satisfaction. It is perhaps not surprising that this is especially attractive in societies where youth unemployment rates are between twenty-five and fifty percent.
It is no longer enough to have simple aspirations. People are not satisfied just making a living-they want to be rich. In the past, people had more modest, sensible aims such as earning a steady income, not being unemployed, and enjoying their work. Job satisfaction was important. Parents and teachers, rather than TV, had a greater impact on children’s ambitions. Unfortunately not everyone realizes that it takes talent, skill, and hard work to be good at a sport or at singing. As a result, many people won’t fulfill their childhood dreams, and this could have a negative effect on their happiness.
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