School is an artificial environment. All the variables that shape the real world are homogenized. Students are faced with little change. They can rely on their outside world making sense as their paths have already been carved out by society. It starts out with kindergarten and is followed by elementary, middle and high school (describing more of the American approach). This path is safe and predictable. At each new stage of your teenage life you face the same teachers, same students, same buildings, same classrooms, same assignments, same expectations, same tasks…. the variables are laid out for you to rely on safety and predictability within each step of your teenage life.
That is not real life. The real world is not artificially softenend and will not bend for you to make you feel safe. Usually the next step is realizing that almost nothing is predictable when it comes to the outside world. You learn to work with what you can - yourself.
I think this realization, yes I did well but now there are new challenges awaiting me (there are millions of other smart and diligent kids so who am I really), is missing in many people. These days usually what happens to someone who was successful and diligent in school is they come to feel entitled to the same achievements outside of school. This is what I find to be happening now with my generation. Before, when someone smart and diligent failed, they could still somehow see why they were failing or what was to blame (even if they were to blame).
With my generation any sense of self-reflection is impossible. Everyone else is at fault for their mistakes. They can’t see past the teenage illusions of a good life. It’s either this exaggerated sense of self or no sense of self at all - indifference is haunting this generation too.
When I read books, it seems like back in the 60s/70s many illusions would drop at the age of 10 which is very rough. But at age 14–15 they were a lot more conscious and observant of how the worlds all work together. School life, home life, social life, romantic life.. each with their very individual obstacles. Of course I am saying this through a filtered lense not adding in the enormous amount of societal issues.
If I could give advice to anyone in school who is smart and diligent, it would be to use your smarts to save yourself from all that is being sold to you. You can only be successful when your mind is programmed for success by you - say goodbye to any lies, fantasies and exaggerated fears. Live humbly and you will have nothing to worry about. All the rest doesn’t matter.
Nice...Please like and comment on my posts 😊😊