Dreams, Ambitions and how being an Indian can ruin those dreams!!!!!

As a child I have always wanted to be an entertainer. I still remember the time when in fourth grade, my class teacher asked me what I wanted to become when I grow up. My answer then : A Cricketer. Few years down the line (Somewhere along the ninth grade I think) we were asked to write an essay on our ambitions. I wrote an essay on how I wanted to become an actor as good as Jim carrey so I could make people laugh. Then came along music. I felt a complete sense of satisfaction. All through the years though my so called "occupations" changed but at the end all i wanted to was make people happy and entertain them.
Amongst the millions and zillions of Indians, I am pretty sure I am not the only one. Also I do have a few friends who are in the same boat.
We have heard of people like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs making it big, though they were not really academically inclined nor did they have an awesome degree to their names.
Being an Indian is a different thing altogether. You have a small little dream, you get excited discuss it among your friends, your family etc and then a person shall come who shall pee all over the dreams and send you back to "Chasing the Great Indian Dream".
All throughout our lives we have heard the term " rat race" quite a few times. Parents, friends ranting about how its a rat race and winning is so important to be successful. Unfortunately it ain't a rat race here in India, its more of a crab race amongst a bucket of crabs. You may be good enough to win a rat race but a crab race .. you may want to think again. One crab goes up putting in all efforts only to be pulled down by another crab, so not only you are racing, but you'll need eyes at the back of your head to see who is on the verge of stabbing you.
The criteria for participating in the crab race takes into account the number of degrees you have, what quality these degrees have. Though there is only one criteria for winning the crab race. You need to be a brilliant political bitch (If you know what I am saying).So bad it is now a days that even a creative needs to have an MBA degree to be amongst the top contenders of the crab race.
Most Indian kids' fates are decided by their parents and relatives. The kind of education , the kind of friends, the kind of clothes, the kind of wife and as far as the names of the future kids!!!!
Most middle class Indian kids straying away from the "path of success" set by their parents/relatives, are struck by the unrelenting wrath of the parents/relatives. What makes it even worse is that the poor kid is not allowed to work his way to getting to his dream. Odd jobs like working at a call center, or doing a waiters job at a local restaurant apparently tend to "demean" the family. Majority middle class Indians feel these odd jobs are only for the cheap lower class... sad isn't it?
According to most elders, the only way you can achieve success in India is by having a kick ass set of degrees(In most cases the "MBA"). For instance, I was giving the CAT in December 2009, a person who sat next to me said : Dude, I am just 21, I just completed graduation, and I have been placed. But my parents are forcing me to give the CAT and do an MBA first!!!.... What the hell!?
It just keeps getting worse. Even banks are ruthless. When I approached a few banks for a loan to pursue my music, they either rejected my loan application claiming music is not "education" or they agreed to the loan application by slapping a huge rate of interest!
Are degrees the only way you can be successful in the country?? Satisfaction of life, happiness does not count  does it?
This country seriously needs a new ray of light. Indians need to open up more, they need to see beyond academics, money etc. Indians need to know working odd jobs doesn't demean the family. The thinking of the society needs to change and needs to change fast!!!

Hopefully it happens, before the country actually goes to the dogs!