When I Grow Up...

For some reason, this theme keeps coming up... Maybe it's just the fact that every time I turn on the radio that DAMNED Pussycat Dolls songs is on. You know the one:

When I grow up
I wanna be famous
Wanna be a star
Wanna be in movies

When I grow up
Wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
Wanna have groupies

Am I weird, world? (er, maybe you shouldn't answer that...) Is it just me? When I was a kid, I never said to myself, 'you know what? I want to be RICH! and Famous! ' Not for the sake of simply being rich and famous... That's not to say I didn't have aspirations. I mean, when I was 8, I was going to pitch for the Yankees. Until I realized a) I can't throw a baseball and b) they don't let girls play baseball. But people. This was because I love baseball. Not because I wanted to someday pay cash for an $80,000 car.

I detest this song. And not simply because any piece of 'music' the Pussycat Dolls puts out manages to make my skin crawl. Mostly because, for me, it embodies many of the things that are so wrong with our society. We place worth on an individual literally based on their net value. How much are they worth? Not as a human. Not in their contribution to society or humanity. But in dollars. We have generations growing up, bowing down to the almighty dollar. They want to be rap stars or movie stars, or simply just rich. Why? Not because they are particularly gifted or passionate about these 'careers'. But because they live in a society that tells them that is what they should want.

Don't believe me?

Ask a teacher how much they made last year.

Now ask a high school student if they would consider being a teacher if it meant they might make that much money for the rest of their lives.