Thanks for all your posts!
pyrogen, you didn't hijack the thread, you actually addressed exactly what I was speaking about! Thanks
I come from a pretty unusual family: working class immigrants but very international. They had several (non-managerial) jobs in the travel trade / hospitality. My parents have an attitude very similar to what you mentioned: "Keep your feet on the ground, since it's safe, and consider yourself lucky for having all those scholarships, etc."
However, the fact that I traveled so much and lived in different countries throughout my life made me learn new languages and become more curious about the world and the people around me. It is this
curiosity that in the end motivated me to work hard at school, pursue university studies and get good grades, scholarships, etc. rather than follow the "safety goal" my parents always set.
Typical situation in my family...
I tell my parents:"Wow, the oral exam of Organizational Psychology was so interesting! They asked about one of my favorite topics!", father replies:"Do you think you'll get an A?"
My motivation was further fostered by my friends. My best friend since 10+ years is from a family that is
radically different from my social class. His father is a CEO and his mother a chief editor of the nations' main weekly magazine.
Perhaps (perhaps!) being wealthy allows rich and well-educated kids not to worry too much about the lower needs and thereby focus on things that will help them get a better income anyway. If it weren't for my best friend, I would have never been interested in classical music, drama/musical acting, and everything related to
culture which my parents would call a total waste of time.
He took me to high class orchestra concerts and operas for free and made me acquainted with a lifestyle I probably would have never learned about.
Most of my peers from my own social class (e.g. other immigrants) are not at university, already working in jobs similar to their parents, and have fun only on saturday when they go out to nightclubs - if I start a conversation about composition, sociology/psychology or science they would get bored and call me "TOO PHILOSOPHICAL" or "TOO INTELLECTUAL" (also my parents call me like this).
However, what I am realizing now is that IF I want to continue the lifestyle I was allowed to live thanks to my scholarships and "high cultural" friends, I cannot become a psychology professor or a researcher.
A typical classical music concert ticket is sometimes 10 times more than a nightclub ticket, and add the elegant clothes you have to buy in order to mingle with the people after a theater, high class restaurants and - perhaps most importantly -
women with a high taste of fashion.
I have developed a good taste for fashion throughout my lucky years, but if I merely pursued an academic job, I wouldn't be able to afford what I wish.
This is a reason why I am aiming at a job/career that would allow me to find intrinsic motivation in the job
and to earn enough money so I can afford high class activities.
What I am unsure about is whether it would be right or wrong to make such a decision
only for the sake of getting "richer women".
After all, I could also try being more flexible with working class women... what do you think?