"Welcome to the Real World" at The Art of Nonconformity.

Brilliant essay. Worth reading in full at the link.

The Art of Nonconformity » Welcome to the Real World:

"Please note: the real world is not reality. It is not defined by facts. It is determined by the collective perception of unremarkably average people.

...Yes, I know it sucks to realize that everything you’ve been told is a lie, but consider the alternative – would you rather spend your whole life believing the lie? Don’t get me wrong, I know there are plenty of people who would choose the lie. They are the ones who say your ideas are unrealistic and you aren’t living in the real world."