Historically speaking, composers and musicians, painters and thinkers, initiators of social movements and intellectuals and others who have followed unconventional yet highly creative and helpful career paths have often been left out of the socioeconomic benefits of their own societies. We know that a great number of famous contributors to our modern civilization died in poverty. Composers such as Mozart and Bach, inventors such as Nikola Tesla, artists such as Monet and Van Gogh, writers and poets such as Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe all lived and died unsupported by their surroundings and their societal systems at large. Even Thomas Paine, who laid the foundation of American independence and democracy, died in obscurity with only six people in attendance at his funeral. One may argue that these people lived two or three centuries ago before the age of social security or social services. But has much changed for unconventional career people today? Can they make a decent living with their art or their contribution to the society if their work doesn’t follow the conventional path of income-earning? The answer is usually and unfortunately, no.

Granted, there are some rich artists, authors and adventurists who are able to lead a full financial life, and other pragmatic innovative individuals through their industrious yet unsystematic efforts make a living for some periods of time in their lives, but it is often not sustainable, and those with unconventional lives often worry about rent, health insurance or retirement in old age.

Most people would probably agree that an author contributes as much if not more to the depth of a society than a football player, for example. Yet the financial contrast between artists, thinkers, and authors, and outrageously well-paid entertainers such as sports stars and celebrity actors are nothing short of ridiculous, even disturbing. It becomes very difficult to justify this imbalance, with basketball or soccer players or coaches making millions of dollars a year while authors make middling royalties. 

One important element in our next phase of civilizational maturity – in the Second Enlightenment – lies in protecting and counting these social contributors in the arts and sciences, and social volunteers. They may have been artists, volunteers, inventors, poets, authors or scholars of important, but niche, subjects. Society needs to move beyond judging such individuals as ‘weird’, ‘lazy’ , ‘eccentric’ or ‘less worthy and less deserving’ than those who have a regular job. They may not have worked the conventional 9-to-5 working hours or may not have led a linear 30 years of work, but they have worked hard, creating and offering much to the world. Yet many such gifted individuals barely can pay their rent and are often uninsured. Sometimes parents or friends help out, but old age circumstances become uncertain and worrisome since they often have trouble qualifying for retirement or healthcare benefits. 

We can thus set up a system of salary and retirement plans for these unique individuals who pursue an unconventional career and lifestyle but contribute so much to the vibrancy and life of a society. A new subdivision of the government can be established to identify these individuals in the society and put them on a payroll of the state to support their livelihood as well as arrange for retirement benefits. Such people can be considered ‘ambassadors of civilization’ and as such should be valued and acknowledged in any society.

(photo attributions © virtosmedia, 123RF Free Images )