"Follow your dreams" is the stupidest advice ever.

[DélioPT]

EricHiggin said:

DélioPT said:

First, those situations are the exceptions, not the rule. And it doesn't seem fair to judge the basis or consequences of an advice based on exceptions.

What you said can be said for just about anything.
There will always be people who will think things will just come easy - even without such an advice.
That's why i think that telling people to follow your dreams isn't a bad thing to say, despite some people reading it the wrong way.

I understand that sometimes that phrase has a "glorified meaning", but again, it's not the rule. And reading too much that way makes you forget of the good that comes with people saying that.

What is the specific rule then? I, as well as many of my friends, were taught that if we followed our dreams, based on what they were, we were most likely going to end up poor, and I don't disagree now. So we were taught to try and find something we liked as much as possible, but that paid an honest wage and required an honest day's work. I know the reason our parents taught us this, was because it's either what their parents taught them, or from experience. So were we all taught wrong, or is this specific dreams rule non existent, considering with certain people in certain situations, it leads to fame and fortune?

It's like saying I think nuclear stuff is good, period. Many people would disagree immediately because they would think of nuclear bombs or nuclear waste. If I elaborated, and said the nuclear family for example, or even nuclear power, considering it's not just a small amount of waste that can be contained, but useful electricity that doesn't pollute the air, and is what powers all large modern military water based vessels, etc, then the response would be very different.

"Follow your dreams" is way to open ended of a statement to expect people to know what that should or shouldn't mean exactly. They will look for context, and when they see the glitz and glam and glorification of where that statement is usually coming from, they will get a mostly false impression. Sure, it's not entirely up to the speaker to justify themselves, your parents and teachers should make it clear as well, but everyone has their own point of view, even yourself, so a worthwhile attempt should always be made, if you really have the best intentions, and that's rarely ever the case when it comes from a screen.

"Based on what they were (…)" 
You can't expect people who tell others to follow their dreams, to know who they are talking to.
It's easier to give a more personnal advice when you know the person in front of you.

I would say both situations are acceptable, given the context.

As i said before, it's to those who listen to see if what they are dreaming about is something that is actually at their reach or not.

DonFerrari said:

danasider said: 

 

DélioPT said:

First, those situations are the exceptions, not the rule. And it doesn't seem fair to judge the basis or consequences of an advice based on exceptions.

What you said can be said for just about anything.
There will always be people who will think things will just come easy - even without such an advice.
That's why i think that telling people to follow your dreams isn't a bad thing to say, despite some people reading it the wrong way.

I understand that sometimes that phrase has a "glorified meaning", but again, it's not the rule. And reading too much that way makes you forget of the good that comes with people saying that.

Do you think that when people give an advice or offer a suggestion, it makes sense for that person to cover all the things that might go wrong/not work?

The advice in itself, is simple and, again, you can't stop people from reading it wrong even if you say "follow your dreams, but…"

As i said above, those that say it as if following your dreams is easy, are the execptions and that shouldn't stop us from using it or supporting it because of the possible negative effects.

When I give advise I don't do it with empty words on small phrases.

Like "stay at school" or "don't do drugs"?
People know what they are hearing and if they are hollow words, it's up to those who use those expressions. Even if they are used as clichés, the ones who are hearing will probably give it the correct meaning and read it as real motivation.