No matter how hard I work to help my community and organize for marginalized people, people say I don't contribute to society or the betterment of humanity. If I were I a landlord or a CEO or even a rich actor, they would admire me even though those occupations do nothing to better the world.
If I read and learn of my own accord without going to school, I'm a slacker, layabout, bum, but if I incur tens of thousands in debt to do it in an official learningtorium, I'm a student and "working to better society" (by preparing myself to accumulate wealth).
If people said what they mean, admitted they just mean I should be striving to become wealthy INSTEAD of striving to better the world, it wouldn't irritate me so much. By dressing up their snide remarks as concern for the "betterment" of "society", they allow themselves to excuse their own narcissistic greed as they scramble up the social / monetary ladder.
videl wrote
like when people say "grow up" but they really mean "conform"