Discussion What’s the point in living if your dreams hold no value

[GirlOfThought06]

While I'm studying medicine to try and be "perfect" and "profitable" I have tried to tell my parents that it's not fully what I want
If I try and say it subtly I'm given pushback. "Dreams don't pay the bills"
And when I explicitly state what I want, that I wish that I could just take a short break from my studies to study art abroad— we have the money— I know we do, but they always tell me it's foolish. It's not worth it.
They always wonder why I'm so ambivalent— why when I'm asked what I want I just shrug and say "whatever works for the family—" it's because I've just been met with disappointment or dismissal when I've said what I wanted. What's the point in living if my dreams are stupid, and don't hold value. I know if I pursue them I won't have any financial support which is a death sentence

 

[Nightfoot]

Your dreams aren't stupid and they do have value. They're just not your parents' dream for you. Taking a year or so to study art, abroad, is not only unlikely to ruin your life, it's more likely to enrich your life as you will experience a different culture than your own. I think it was Mark Twain who also strongly encouraged travel. It's also said that travel is the best safeguard against bigotry. Most people who hate others not like them spend their lives in tiny worlds where they can't experience that people everywhere are just people, no better or worse. Also, your parents may want you to be financially successful and believe traveling abroad to study art is a waste of time and foolish, but they're not living your life, you are.

 

[Benjiii]

Doing things you don't like will only make things worse. I practically had to drop out of university because studying there is difficult for the average person, now imagine adding more problems to that. Could you try to convince your parents somehow? Money seems like a major limitation. I'm lucky that there are many free universities in my country. Although, remember that not everything has to be about money.