The majority of art students I have met have been very intelligent,

They're doing what they want to do. It's not that complicated.

>>1393903
no one has told them or showed them often enough that they will make no money. no one has explained to them or impressed upon them what it means to be poor. no one has carefully explained to them that no one gives a fuck what they draw or paint or create visuals of on a canvas or piece of paper.

to make matters worse, to the contrary, they've probably been told to go ahead and pursue whatever their heart desires, or whatever interests them.

what stops them from doing so? ignorance, naivete, misguided encouragement from baby boomer parents. they'll know what it means to live in the real world soon enough when their parents stop putting up with them or their bank-loan paper funny money starts coming due.

For some people, their career is a means to achieve their goals. For others, their career is their goal.