The Mid Twenties Drift
Hello all,
To those who have just finished university, or are just about to, I'd like to welcome you to the Mid Twenties Drift. This is a common occurance to an increasing number of people who leave full time education and realise they have no fucking clue what to do with their lives. Some people try to combat this by remaining in education doing more degrees, MAs, PGCEs, PhDs or some other form of high qualification. Some people avoid the situation by leaving the country and going travelling, this is often of the pretext of gaining life experience* but is just a very scenic form of cowardice that only seems to provide cheap funky clothes and anecdotes that only interest those involved.
There are a few who don't even realise they have joined the drift. These people generally believe they have a goal, but go and live with their parents whilst they try and pursue these. It's only after two or three years of passivity where they have everyday comforts that slowly sap their desire and cause them to abandon the chase that they realise they are stuck in the drift.
Some people are stuck in the drift for many years, it is increasingly common for it to be found spreading into the early thirties for example, so what is causing it?
I see all this potential, and I see it squandered.
Goddamn it, an entire generation pumping gas.
Waiting tables. Slaves with with collars.
Advertising had us chasing cars and clothes.
Working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need.
We're the middle children of history.
No purpose or place.
We have no Great War.
No Great Depression.
Our great war is a spiritual war
Our great depression is our lives.
We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars.
But we won't.
We're slowly learning that fact.
And we're very, very pissed off.
By this quote I'm not suggesting we all go underground and beat the crap out of each other, but I think this speech is one of the key moments that stick with the audience and made us connect to the characters. It's a speech that speaks to a generation, one that is often seen as an apathetic generation. I don't believe we're apathetic, lacking in a little hope and scope of imagination maybe, but we are still emotive and passionate. Our main problem is that our emotions are shaped into the wrong outlets, turning us into the annoying melodramitc characters of our own teen drama. How often is it that when faced with a new problem people will act like a character on a television show? Too often, is the sad and simple answer.
So what's the answer? To be honest I wish I knew.
I'm one of the rare few who chose their goal early. I was fortunate to discover my love early on and I'm fully aware of how lucky I am because of that. I've been writing creatively since I was eight and it was at sixteen I realised that it was film that I wanted to focus my skills upon. It was off the back of doing a very poor play at school, which despite performances provided me with such a buzz when I saw people speaking my words and people laughing and scenes I'd invented that I knew I'd found my calling.
My only advice is to follow your dreams, everyone has them some of you have just forgotten.
Here's a true story, my friend Wesley always wanted to be a pilot in the RAF, right from the age of six. At fifteen he was found to had a slight stigmatism in his right eye^ and without perfect vision he couldn't fly for the RAF. Now most people would face crushing acceptance and move on, not Wesley. With special glasses he could still fly for the British Army and he continued in his drive to achieve his dream. Now, at age 23 he is a Lieutenant flying Lynx helicopters in the current missions in Afghanistan. Now as a pacifist I can't fully condone his lifestyle choice, but I'll always admire and respect him for following his dream. I'd also like to congratulate him on his engagement to his girlfriend of six years, Kate, the boy couldn't do much better. He's a man who has life sussed.
So follow you dreams. I asked my flatmate the other day what his dream was, he said to be a sports commentator, but it's too hard to get into. Instead he's just quit his job at a travel agents and is starting next week in a call centre. In two weeks he turns 27.
So I ask you, what's your dream? Remember, if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything.
------------------------------------
*Something I find very hard to avoid wherever I am in the world and whatever I'm doing, but anyway....
^I've always fel guilty about this because he only found out when he tried on my glasses and found he could see better. For a while I even thought my glasses may have caused it
Hello all,
To those who have just finished university, or are just about to, I'd like to welcome you to the Mid Twenties Drift. This is a common occurance to an increasing number of people who leave full time education and realise they have no fucking clue what to do with their lives. Some people try to combat this by remaining in education doing more degrees, MAs, PGCEs, PhDs or some other form of high qualification. Some people avoid the situation by leaving the country and going travelling, this is often of the pretext of gaining life experience* but is just a very scenic form of cowardice that only seems to provide cheap funky clothes and anecdotes that only interest those involved.
There are a few who don't even realise they have joined the drift. These people generally believe they have a goal, but go and live with their parents whilst they try and pursue these. It's only after two or three years of passivity where they have everyday comforts that slowly sap their desire and cause them to abandon the chase that they realise they are stuck in the drift.
Some people are stuck in the drift for many years, it is increasingly common for it to be found spreading into the early thirties for example, so what is causing it?
I see all this potential, and I see it squandered.
Goddamn it, an entire generation pumping gas.
Waiting tables. Slaves with with collars.
Advertising had us chasing cars and clothes.
Working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need.
We're the middle children of history.
No purpose or place.
We have no Great War.
No Great Depression.
Our great war is a spiritual war
Our great depression is our lives.
We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars.
But we won't.
We're slowly learning that fact.
And we're very, very pissed off.
By this quote I'm not suggesting we all go underground and beat the crap out of each other, but I think this speech is one of the key moments that stick with the audience and made us connect to the characters. It's a speech that speaks to a generation, one that is often seen as an apathetic generation. I don't believe we're apathetic, lacking in a little hope and scope of imagination maybe, but we are still emotive and passionate. Our main problem is that our emotions are shaped into the wrong outlets, turning us into the annoying melodramitc characters of our own teen drama. How often is it that when faced with a new problem people will act like a character on a television show? Too often, is the sad and simple answer.
So what's the answer? To be honest I wish I knew.
I'm one of the rare few who chose their goal early. I was fortunate to discover my love early on and I'm fully aware of how lucky I am because of that. I've been writing creatively since I was eight and it was at sixteen I realised that it was film that I wanted to focus my skills upon. It was off the back of doing a very poor play at school, which despite performances provided me with such a buzz when I saw people speaking my words and people laughing and scenes I'd invented that I knew I'd found my calling.
My only advice is to follow your dreams, everyone has them some of you have just forgotten.
Here's a true story, my friend Wesley always wanted to be a pilot in the RAF, right from the age of six. At fifteen he was found to had a slight stigmatism in his right eye^ and without perfect vision he couldn't fly for the RAF. Now most people would face crushing acceptance and move on, not Wesley. With special glasses he could still fly for the British Army and he continued in his drive to achieve his dream. Now, at age 23 he is a Lieutenant flying Lynx helicopters in the current missions in Afghanistan. Now as a pacifist I can't fully condone his lifestyle choice, but I'll always admire and respect him for following his dream. I'd also like to congratulate him on his engagement to his girlfriend of six years, Kate, the boy couldn't do much better. He's a man who has life sussed.
So follow you dreams. I asked my flatmate the other day what his dream was, he said to be a sports commentator, but it's too hard to get into. Instead he's just quit his job at a travel agents and is starting next week in a call centre. In two weeks he turns 27.
So I ask you, what's your dream? Remember, if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything.
------------------------------------
*Something I find very hard to avoid wherever I am in the world and whatever I'm doing, but anyway....
^I've always fel guilty about this because he only found out when he tried on my glasses and found he could see better. For a while I even thought my glasses may have caused it
VIEW 24 of 24 COMMENTS
the mid twenties drift.
that's what's happening to me!!!!!!!!!
Hows things ?
Yeah I know ive been a stranger (*sits back and awaits relevant comeback) but i am planning to be out next Sat evening. Same time place as per usual. hope you are up for it.
JD