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I teach undergraduate graphic design, and as someone who understands much of what is being said on this broadcast and blog, I can't help projecting and interpreting what my students (19 - 28 yr olds) are going through when they are attending college. The older students are usually going back to school to find something more in their life or add to their "skill sets", especially "skill sets" they think are more commercially viable and "useful", etc. The young students don't even know what the larger picture is about or where they are going. They are mostly following what there parents tell them to do, which is "go to college to get a career, sure you can be creative but go for graphic design/marketing because you can be creative and make money, you won't have to "starve" and you can be self-satisfied". This isn't something I'm making up. I have students write short bios at the beginning of their freshman/sophomore semester about why they are in school, etc. This is the most common reason generally stated. You can tell the timidness and hesitation in their words/voice when they tell you how they are going to subvert what they think they really want to do, for a "career" in a more commercially viable creative discipline. They are stepping in, knowing they feel doubtful, half-believing that they just have to go to college, do what they are told and a job + passionate meaning of life will be waiting for them.  I can't help but think they are going to be in the same or similar situation that today's broadcast is about, because what are we, the one's who have gone through this, doing when we take a job teaching these students? If we continue to promote the same expectations aren't we doing a disservice? In what ways should we teach those younger, regardless of the discipline of study?

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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