Recently, I met up with an old friend and we were swapping stories about our current career interests. Of course I started talking about my hopes of becoming a public interest attorney, and she responded by saying “Wow…that is so cliche!” She felt like this whole idea of wanting to “save the world” or “help people” sounded extremely cliche. (Note: saying you want to “save the world” is derogatory. Skeptics often use this statement in order to belittle those who actually want to make a difference).
I’ve heard the same thing in the past from admissions officers, blogs, friends, and family. If you write in your law school application that you want to use your law degree for good, that you’re going to law school in order to make this world a better place….well, let’s just say that you’re not looked upon very favorably, but are thought to be some idealistic, cliche young person who is stereotypically trying to BS his or her way into law school but has NO idea what the real world actually entails. I can just imagine admissions officers out there glancing skeptically at the essay of yet ANOTHER 21 year old who wants to “save the world” or “make the world a better place,” and rolling their eyes, knowing that this 21 year old in reality would most likely quickly switch over to corporate law once they actually get an offer.
The thing is, everyone expects young people to eventually “grow out” of this idealistic phase in our lives. The idea is that we are idealistic now but soon we’ll enter the “real world” and then realize that trying to make a difference is futile. That it’s pointless, and that we’ll succumb to cynicism instead. Then we’ll join the rest of society in getting a job just to advance, get promotions, and make tons of money.
Well, maybe it’s “cliche” to care or want to do something about the injustices around us. But the only way to take it beyond a cliche phase in a teenager’s life is to actually dedicate one’s career to this work, and never lose this idealism – even as you enter the ‘real world’ and have to face challenges such as buying a house, settling down with a family, or paying for your kids’ tuition. Only by making your passion your work can you show all the critics that making a difference isn’t a cliche, but that it’s actually a career, a life’s calling, and most of all – a possibility. It is possible to better the world, no matter how small. I’m not saying we can “save the world,” but we can contribute in a tiny way to improving the lives of others.
My best friend told me recently: “It’s only cliche when you’re young.” If you’re 40 and you stick to public interest work, you’re no longer going to be considered cliche – but instead, others will see you as someone with a meaningful career, impressive in your lifelong pursuit of social change and justice. You’ll be seen as a true advocate, not a teenager going through yet another “save the world” phase. Your 21-year old idealism doesn’t matter. What matters is whether you refuse to let it go.
Related posts:
