I disagree with somebody on the internet.

I saw a comment on Facebook today that I feel like overreacting to. To paraphrase, my friend wrote something to the effect of: "My life's goal used to be being in a touring band, now its having a swimming pool in my backyard." To which someone I don't know replied, "I believe that's called becoming an adult!", a most likely benign, slice-of-life type of response I'm sure, innocuous to probably everyone who saw it except for me.

Well I'm sorry, but that's bullshit. I fucking hate the prevailing attitude that giving up on one's dreams and/or talents are synonymous with adulthood. Its this derision that people who have never had any ambition beyond owning property and popping out kids place on people who's lives mirror their own in many ways, except with some some extra passion or talent or whatever, the pursuit of which obviously makes them fucking children. Guess what? Anyone can have kids, and that's great. I want kids too, but that doesn't automatically necessitate that you abandon your dreams, and that alone certainly doesn't qualify anyone for adulthood except in the most biologically strict sense of the word. Its like there's the majority of people out there, anxiously waiting for anyone with the slightest spark of creativity to give it all up and join them so they can validate their middle-class anonymity and notions that anything a person could do in this free society besides procreate and mow his own fucking lawn is a pointless waste of time.

Its so painfully obvious that our society has spared no expense to devalue art, music and even fitness. These things are the first to be cut out of any school curriculum despite evidence that they all increase brain functions and learning capability in students. Chinese children are learning complex Kung-Fu forms and playing piano sonatas in their schools, and we're firing gym and music teachers, and yet ironically telling people that music and so forth are juvenile pursuits.

I think people should be respected for not giving up on their goals as they start families. Doesn't it show more commitment and responsibility to be able to balance something that makes you happy with caring for others? Wouldn't that be a more adult example to set for your own kids than just saying "fuck it", getting fat watching football and getting your primary satisfaction from lawn care?

I think so. But then again, I'm just a kid who's goal is to be in a touring band. And maybe one day, my kids will be proud of me.