Aiden Hong ’28

I have a dream of a society where people can choose what they actually want to do with their lives. Not what they are forced to do or not what others expect them to do, but what they truly want. I believe that many people today are kind of pushed into the paths they never chose. Sometimes this pressure does not just come from the other person, it comes from society itself. When we think about being forced, we usually think about parents, teachers, or people who influence you in your life. However society we’re living in also forces people through stereotypes, and expectations without us noticing. We are always told what success should look like and what kind of life is considered good. These ideas affect people’s choices, even when they do not notice it. Over time people stop thinking about what they really want and start thinking about what they are supposed to want. I have a dream where people are not judged for choosing a different path. I have a dream where someone can say “this is what I want to do” without being questioned or judged. I have a dream where students are not pressured into careers they do not enjoy just because those jobs make money. Everyone has different strengths, and everyone deserves the chance to find out what they truly want. Living in society can feel like being stuck on a path that was already formed by other people. Once you start noticing that, you are expected to do things you don’t want to do, even if you feel not happy or not sure. If you try to think differently than that, people may think you are weird, not suited for society. My dream is a society where choosing different things is not seen as wrong, but as uniqueness. Life should not be about following one rule or one person’s path. Stereotypes make this pressure even stronger. They tell people how they should act, what they should like, and who they should become. These ideas can limit people and make them hide parts of themselves. When people feel like they can’t be themselves, they lose confidence and feel trapped in someone else’s expectations. I believe a better society is one that gives people freedom instead of a decided path. A society that supports choices instead of controlling them. People do not need to agree with every decision, but they should see them as just different opinions. I have a dream of a world where people are free from stereotypes and expectations, and free to live on their own. This is my dream, and I believe it can be possible.