In response to an article...

Article About Creative Disruption

"...it’s simply false to say that the choices are only (a) get a degree and get a comfortable middle class knowledge job, (b) luck out as a massive statistical outlier (Gates, Zuckerberg, Jobs, etc.), or (c) work at McDonald’s.

There’s a fourth choice, (d): Become a part of the disruptive generation creating workable, realistic self-employment on the free-agent knowledge market."

In response:

If I could be 17 again would I do it differently and skip college to go straight to work? Probably not. Because at that age there is more to life than the rat race and salary hikes. There is value to college that you cannot receive from (most) public high schools. In my experience, high school is where you learn and practice social skills, and college is where you learn how to think, write and participate. Then you face the reality of paying bills and are forced to apply what you've learned to make money.  I think more interesting than this outlier who obviously has incredible confidence (a.k.a. parents), is the idea is that all of us--with or without college degrees--live in a society that is more accepting of flexibility and encouraging of a work/play balance than the generation before ours.

Figuring out how to apply what we've learned is work in its own right. Gone are the days of people happily walking into corporate America and saddling up for a lifetime career in the same building. We (my generation and younger) crave the variety of life. We grew up playing sports, taking art and music, traveling in minivans and speaking whenever we wanted. Our parents were hippies who let us be free--and selfish. Now when we're asked to suit up and be responsible, are you really surprised at our resistance?

A creative, self-administered "job" is not possible for all of us. Especially if we want to get paid. But it's a worthy goal that I hope will become easier over time. I'm a 27 year old freelance copywriter who chooses to get paid less and have no health insurance in order to take off of work when to mood strikes. Maybe in a couple years I'll need that insurance and will be looking for something secure. But I predict that in the future we will have less giant corporate monoliths, and more communities of self-sustaining and hard-working individuals who are more than happy to forfeit a few 00s on their salary in order to go surfing in the mornings, take month long trips to Spain, and work in an environment that is both challenging and enjoyable.

Maybe we need a new word for "work"-- something less pejorative and more meaningful.