Daring to be different today equals being part of the pack

So what would you do if you were not doing what you are doing now?
I mean, how many people had dreams of becoming firefighters, game rangers, nurses, teachers or top rugby players during their school years?
How many become what they set out to be?
Does a con man start planning a career, say in Grade 6?
Imagine if your guidance teacher asks you, “So what do you want to be when you grow up, Michael?” and you answer: “A hacker, miss. I want to destroy people’s lives and then go on the run while the police look for me.”
What about a mafia boss?
I would think Al Capone’s teachers would have been a little nervous to ask him in kindergarten if he was keen to take over Chicago once he was all grown up.
Then you get the keen sports boys and girls at school.
They win all the races and are tops in football, hockey and rugby.
They seem destined for the big stage.
And then later you hear they are married, got fat and do not even bother to watch sport on TV.
Then you get the guy who failed Grades 8 and 9, scraped through matric and spent most of his career in the Headmaster’s office.
Years later on Facebook, you read he owns a chain of supermarkets in Australia and jets around the world watching every major sports event.
Gee, how did this oke do it? He was hardly at school.
The teacher predicted he would only be the big chief stamp licker at the post office, and now he probably earns more than the World Minister of Post Offices.
Life does take one down unexpected turns.
As Bob Dylan said, by following your gut feeling, you will probably mystify everyone – including yourself.
The power that sporting personalities have on young minds is especially commanding.
Primary school children can rattle off the names and positions of their favourite football players and even blurt out what their heroes’ favourite food is, but the mysteries of maths’ B + C (D – F) = will remain just that – a mystery.
Fashion and hairstyles are also hugely influenced by sporting stars.
Carving out your own individual style is not high on the agenda of a primary school kid.
In my day, if you were part of the clique who listened to Black Sabbath and Deep Purple LPs, your teacher would immediately whisk you off to the headmaster, who in turn would call in the parents for an earnest chat.
When one hears the lyrics of the rap songs played on East Coast today, it makes Sabbath and Purple seem almost like Sunday school.
But then again, it’s indicative of the now rapid decay of moral standards, based on the chant that being unique means following a well-worn fashion.

HAVE YOUR SAY:
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at dundee.courier@caxton.co.za.  Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394.