Let's hear it for the clueless

By Tom Ehrich

Let's hear it for all the clueless guys and gals who will be graduating from college this month without a clear direction of what's next.

I take it to mean more than a dismal economy for young job seekers. I take it to mean they were paying attention in English class when they read a poet and caught a different way of seeing. Or they thought deeply in history class and saw more to this culture than what car to buy. Or they dared to take a philosophy class and get all confused.

I take it to mean they fell in love -- maybe still are in love -- and don't want to bury themselves in some employer's on-to-the-bank agenda.

Many grads will head straight to 100-hour work weeks on Wall Street or will program night and day in Silicon Valley's heady startup culture. I hope it works out for them.

But I am glad at least some of this year's graduates see life beyond computer and spreadsheet. Such things will come. But first, let's lie on the lawn and dream. Not because we want to be ten again, but because the world needs dreamers.

Even if they do head straight to the job market -- many will have no choice -- I hope they remember to keep on dreaming and not get sucked in to the commercial vortex. Making a few extra bucks for XYZ Corp. won't help the world as much as falling in love and taking the time to start a family with care.

Life is a serious affair. It is way too serious for money-making. Life is so serious that dreaming is required.