Gone are the days when the majority of children aspired to be doctors, dentists, scientists, and teachers. Now, when asked what they would like to be when they grow up, the majority of children reply, "A YouTuber!"
YouTube has become one of the most popular sites on the internet, where individuals can share ideas and their lives through videos and gain a following through "subscriptions" to their YouTube channels. YouTube personalities can have the opportunity to earn money from their videos, depending on their viewership and the number of subscribers.
The reality is, the majority of people who go on YouTube will not be successful enough to make a living off of their videos. Many kids do not understand that, and instead of aiming for a career in which the chances of being financially stable are higher and their success in life won't be as turbulent, they are set on finding success as a YouTube star.
A recent study showed that 75% of children who were asked what they would like to be when they grew older wanted to be a YouTuber.
The top ten responses were in this order:
1. YouTuber
2. Blogger/Vlogger
3. Musician/Singer
4. Actor
5. Film Maker
6. Doctor/Nurse
7. TV Presenter
8. Athlete
9. Writer
10. Lawyer
The most commonly stated careers are careers that are not often seen as stable and are difficult to get into. Almost all of the careers listed in the top 10 are related to the entertainment industry as well, either relating to the arts or public speaking.
Do you think it is unreasonable for the youth of our country to have such aspirations?
Do you believe it is necessary to inform the children about more stable career options, or do you think their career choices should not be taken as seriously when they are younger?
I do not think it is unreasonable for the youth to dream big. However, most successful Youtubers claim it took several years to gain the recognition they have today. We should inform the children on other career options, or at least provide them the idea to have a back up plan if anything goes wrong. Usually children are most likely to change their career path as they head into high school, leading into the realization that becoming a successful Youtuber has low probabilities. Once children find their passion, they will soon find who they want to be when they grow up.
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ReplyDeleteChildren are naturally ambitious, and will inevitably be naive when it comes to choosing a financially stable job. At some point or another, we've all wanted to be a princess, astronaut, or something of the sort. Although being a YouTuber may not be as obscure as being a space explorer, there is a sense of wonder from our sense of aspiration. As Michelle had pointed out, children grow out of their rather unreasonable dreams by the time they become more self-aware as they grow up. Allowing children to dream big really promotes something to strive for, which is especially important in someone's formative years of life. I believe those children who are wishing to be YouTubers or bloggers will become adept at public speaking or unleashing their creativity. Let kids be kids and dream big; premature reality checks can in fact squander the potential that many kids have.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a problem at all for kids to believe they can achieve these things, because whether it's hard or not, it's possible. When kids start to grow older they start to change their mindset anyways. Most start to have more "reasonable" or "realistic" dreams. I feel that if they are still going after their dream at an older age, there is nothing wrong with that, but they should at the very least, have a backup plan in case it doesn't work out.
ReplyDeleteI think if kids wish to be a you tuber then they should go for it. I think that they don't give it much thought before becoming one. First,if your not out going and don't want to talk to people, you need to find a new dream job. Second, it takes hours upon hours of editing just to make the right video for you and without editing its unappealing to the audience. Third, after your done with your video, would you have the confidence to even post it on youtube or wold you think its to cringy or whatever and not post it.
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