I have to say that not to my surprise whilst the topic is grim, this thread has turned out to be a very informative and in some odd way positive one.
First and foremost, I am happy to see that even though we all love this industry there is still a sense of integrity amongst us that allows for a critical point of view. Things can always be worse and can always be better. The question is where do we sit in comparison to where we want to or need to be industrywide.
As someone earlier mentioned, it is great to be 21 years old and have the ability to jett-set around the world. However, this will not sustain the goals of most in the long run if you plan on developing past that particular stage of life into a more developed, conventional, and responsible form that the majority of people evolve into.
Not to say that if you dont make that transition there is something wrong with you, but its to say that most will make that transition and since we entered this profession for reasons other then a seasonal gig we need this to sustain our lifestyle and goals through all stage of life and not just puberty. Otherwise its nothing more than the equivalent of working at the ice cream shop during your summers while off from junior high for all the free ice cream you can eat.
After reading all of the posts in this thread, and they are many considering how long it has been (24 hours), I think the general idea is that the industry is broken. Its not what most of us expect out of this career and its not what we would want for our future or for any more time frankly speaking.
We are, unlike the common misconception of our customers, overworked and underpaid by a great deal. I cannot think of any time that I have explained my daily schedule and routine to a person unfamiliar with this industry and ended my rant by telling them how much or how little money I make without them in complete shock. I do believe that most of you out there have shared the same experience in one form or another.
I have been thinking about this issue for a long time and have been asking many of their opinion. The young, the old, the new, and the veteran have all pitched in their thoughts and its been interesting.
The question is why and how did it get so bad?
Im not so much interested as to who is to blame, so please, dont take this opportunity to say what is the easiest or what is been beaten into our heads by self interested parties. Lets think thoughtfully and critically and figure this out collectively regardless of our biases.
This forum affords us an opportunity that is rare in the outside world. It affords us the anonymity of internet which allows us to break away from old hard set political views and biases and brings us the ability to critically and collectively identify the problem, formulate a solution, and create a path between the two.
Share you thoughts and ideas.
I only ask of two thing:
1. Do not fight, patronize, ridicule, or any of above. Its not productive and it ruins the spirit of the discussion.
2. Provide details of your thoughts and solutions. Tell us not only what you think but also why.
I am looking forward to your thoughts.
Cosmo