Not all jobs are really glamorous

Hollywood would do well not to misinform the young generation that certain unwholesome activities or certain professions are fun, exciting or even glamorous. I say this because a few days ago I happened to catch the movies Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 12 and Ocean’s 13. The story revolves around a group of jewel thieves who pull so many heists and yet they get clean away with them. Moreover, each character is cool, makes smart remarks, ends up on a paradise island and gets the girl. Is this reality?

It’s not yet some kids watching out there will think this is the life to have. Steal some earrings from a high profile jeweller and you’re made. What makes the movie more appealing is the cast. I mean which kid doesn’t want to be George Clooney, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt? It appears to send the wrong message to youngsters who might think that as long as I don’t get caught stealing, I’m golden.

The next movie franchise that now makes me reach for the remote are the Bond movies. I was a huge fan of Sean Connery playing Bond. Back then though I was young and naïve but now that I’m older and more mature, I realise that most of what was being shown on the screen was misleading. According to professionals in the field, life isn’t glamorous at all. There are no cocktails or black tie events and certainly no staying in 7-star hotels or driving fast cars. It’s more like cups of tea, living in bed and breakfasts and eating in local cafes, and agents have families back home. Now I’m not saying doing that kind of work for your country is wrong. It’s not but at least the kid applying for the job should not be under some delusion that it’s glitz and glamour.

Another movie that got a bad rap at the time it was released is Pretty Woman. Many criticised the film’s plot for making impressionable girls think that, even in that unwholesome profession, they could be rescued by a young, handsome billionaire. But in reality, it’s extremely dangerous.

Superman always had a strong impression on very young boys. If they were fans of Superman and even the slightest bit unstable, they would wear the costume and think they could fly. Well, at least that’s what other movies have portrayed. Who’s to say it might not be possible since the comic leads everyone to believe that Clark Kent could fly after he wears the suit? Young children should know that there is no such thing as Superman or Spiderman and no human can ever fly unless they’re in an aeroplane.

Even shows like CSI are misleading. When a crime is committed, squad cars don’t just screech up to the crime scene. In reality, the CSI team shows up after the necessary paperwork is done. No, not all CSIs carry weapons, no they do not do all the work of collecting and analysing the evidence and they are not involved in interrogating suspects. All of these are separate roles and no, there is no Horatio Cain.

Another profession that is often misunderstood is that of flight attendants. Many young girls think it’s all glitz and glamour, jetting around the world and staying in 5-star hotels. But that’s not the case. It’s tough always living out of a suitcase and never being able to relax because you’re not on holiday. The flight might be fun if you do it once in a while but as a flight attendant you are constantly at people’s beck and call. You might have to deal with unruly passengers and some of the hotels they stay in aren’t so great. I’ve seen so many posts from flight attendants who are begging for new roles because they found their job physically exhausting and they really wanted to settle down.

And the most over-dramatised of a profession is Indiana Jones. This guy cracks whips, triggers booby traps, rides runaway trains and races alongside freight-trains on horseback while uncovering cursed artefacts. In reality, archaeologists spend months, even years, on sites just brushing away.