I’ve realized in this time of social silence, standstill, and self-examination I’m intensely fascinated with sociology. People, to me, are incredibly interesting; their inner emotions, how they think, what they want, and why they do what they do. This self-prophecy brought on by situational circumstances has empowered me to start a new series called From the Crowd. From the Crowd pieces will ask the same question to an assortment of different people with their answers being relayed to you. The questions will be random, thought-provoking, emotional, and most importantly, relatable. The first of the series proposes a question that both makes me sad and also strangely empowers me at the same time.
Our current time enforces us to abide by boundaries, be sensitive to others, and has exposed economic truths about our society, all which have brought out various emotions in people, both good and bad. In a time of no sports, there are players stepping up and putting the importance on the health and safety of others. In politics, some believe a hoax and not a virus is taking over the world and disregard what both politicians and experts say. Others take it very seriously, are guided by factual evidence, and lead with empathy for the current situation and all those affected.
The unemployment rate has skyrocketed and many of us are now forced to think: what next? Which prompted me to think about my career path and what I would be doing I didn’t do what I do now. My answer was rather easy, in fact I’ve thought about this a lot actually. I would be a comedian.
I have studied comedians in their natural habitats, watched their work, dove in to the inner workings of their minds and I found that three of their most important character traits I have in myself. I am Jewish, from New York, with just the right amount of childhood trauma to make me look at life in a humorous slightly traumatic way. I often find myself rehearsing my very own up stand-up comedy routine in my head and imagine myself coming out on stage at The Roxy to tape my first ever HBO sold out special.
I knew exactly what I would be, I just didn’t know why I hadn’t pursued it. Was it because I did always looked it as a “what if?” or a “could have been?”. Was it because I knew the failure rate was higher than a traditional business role? Was it because I was worried about being broke and constantly let down? I started to ask myself all these internal questions and it began to interest me to know how many other people have done the same. So I asked as many people as I could the same question I asked myself.
“What professional would you choose if you could do anything in the world?” This is how people responded:
Many people imagined themselves working jobs in entertainment industries like being an Actor, Lead Guitarist in a Rock Band, Broadway Star, Movie Director, Pro Athlete, Writer, or a Professional Hip-Hop Dancer. Others were rather specific and wanted to be a Nutritionist for a Professional Sports Team or an Inn Keeper. Some people wished they could devote their lives to others and the world and be an Environmental Lawyers, Marine Biologists, Therapists, or member of the FBI / CIA. Others went a totally different path wishing they could be a professional stripper or Gigalo.
What I noticed was that often times people had to ponder their responses or choose between two. They often started the response with, “if I didn’t have to…” or, “It would never happen but…,” which made me continue to think.
We basically spend more of our life working than anything else, so why are we all doing something that isn’t our first choice? The easiest answer I could come up with myself is that life is messy. It’s not black and white or right or wrong. It’s not as easy as, “I’m going to do this or I’m going to do that.” It’s filled with many challenges, like mounting student debt, work life balance sacrifices, or the ability to settle down. It’s riddled with fears of failure, being broke, not being in control of our own choices, and disappointing ourselves and others which often leads to our own, “what if’s and, “could have beens.”
I know many people love what they do and wouldn’t trade their jobs for the world, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have concrete answers to this question. It doesn’t mean we don’t daydream about our comedy specials airing on Netflix or hitting a walk off home run during a big game.
I urge everyone to ask themselves what would you be if you didn’t have to worry about student loans, failure, fiscal responsibilities, and public scrutiny while further thinking about why we personally never followed through with what it is we actually want to do.
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