Ranty Ranty Rant Rant

Why is it that an assignment with limited guidelines and infinite possibilities causes stress instead of joy? Why is it so challenging to be creative? Because we have been socialized to be terrified of making mistakes and, consequesntly afraid of becoming individuals. The American education system, created by a society that commodifies everything from iPods to a college education, has socialized us to believe that an impressive transcript and resume are the secret to Nirvana. The story goes that if you don't get good grades, you wont get into a goof college. Withought a good college you can't get into a decent Masters program, which is the only way you will be able to land a job lucritive enought to pay off your masses of student loan dept. However, in order to be successful in this quest for grades and first-class educations at exellent institutions of higher education, very few slip-ups can be made. Society has stamped mistakes with a big red X, a color and symbol that we have been taught to fear within the depths of our souls. This fear of error has kept our one-track minds in queue, quelling any shred of inspiration, innovation, or imagination.

We have also been trained to dread idle hands and loneliness. Because of this dread, any time that is not spent in class--or studying to boost those puny B pluses-- is spent hammering away at socially approved extra-curricular activitied (see: nationally recoginzed philantrhropy clubs and varsity sports). These activities don't just look good on transcripts, but also serve a deeper purpose. A full plate of extra-curricular activites keeps you in line, making you too busy for any personal exploration or experimentation, whether it be hallucinogenic, sexual or in artistic creation. Also keep in mind that those who are a little too fidgety from sitting in a desk all day are doped up with Ritalin or another pharmaceutical wonder.

I'm not saying there isn't merit in good grades, working hard or having extra-curricular activities, but there is something wrong with the obsession that surrounds them and what they give us-- a little mark on a trasncript or a note on a resume. A student shouldn't take a class because it will grant them the coveted, "easy A," but because they find the subjects interesting. Community service done soley for the purpose of how it looks on a college or graduate school application is meaningless to the individual and harmful to the community. Slogging away at sixty-hour-a-week jobs and studying for hours on end does not make us better people, it only makes us forget the things we once loved, bringing us further and further from our creativity. A creative life is a passionate and fulfilling one and limiting our addiction to work and our obsession with success will help us succeed in living one.