Rogerian Argument Essay
A month ago, my brother and I had an argument about whether he should study law or journalism as his major in university. He is in his final term of senior high school and expects to graduate by next month.
My brother has always had a passion for journalism ever since he was a kid. His interest is in this profession field. However, due to peer pressure from his classmates and friends, he wants to study law. The friends tell him that journalism is overcrowded, and the law profession has more money when compared to that profession. He says that most of his peers suggest that becoming a lawyer is more prestigious and fun than being a journalist. Nonetheless, I strongly think that he is making a huge mistake by letting his friends decide for him what he wants to do for the rest of his life. I believe that he should do what he is passionate about, and this led to an argument between us.
“So you are going to apply for a bachelor’s of law degree instead of journalism in university?” I asked him. “Yes. I don’t want to do a course that my friends think is not paying well and over-crowded. I would rather study law and be cool like them” She retaliated.
“Yes, I agree with you that lawyers earn much more than the journalists. I also accept that journalism is crowded with everyone wanting to enter the industry” I told her.
“So you are okay with being in a profession that you don’t like for your entire lifetime?” I asked him. “I believe my attitude towards the profession will gradually change with time” she replied. “What about if you find out that your attitude towards the profession cannot change when it is already too late?” I insisted. He hesitated a bit then answered, “I have not thought about that, but I hope my attitude will change with time”. I told him this, “It is best if someone does what they love rather than what their friends like. You will only be good at what you are doing if you have the passion for doing it daily. If you love journalism, you should do it. You will notice that you will be perfect at it because of the love that you have attached to it to the extent that you will be earning more than if you did law. Imagine being a law that hates his job? You will probably win few cases in court, and this will frustrate you always.” I made it clear to him that he will only earn good money if he is doing a profession that he is passionate about being a member.
He is a grown up, and his actions and decisions should not be tied to anyone’s opinions or preferences. I just wanted to advise him on what he should consider before making such a huge decision that will determine how he spends the rest of his life. His classmates and friends probably are passionate towards the law profession, and so their decision should not in any way influence his choice of career. He said he would think about it and make a final decision. Our discussion was not competitive, and nobody was coming out as a winner or loser. It was purely to advise him on his career choice.