And you know, those people are few even as states pour untold billions of subsidies to try and rescue naturally waning industries, subsidize sports in the pursuit of patriotic legacies, while the teams are owned by oligarchs who launder their money with untold billions in bogus art evaluations.

Technically your example applies to basically anything any human does.

Did I say otherwise? I made a comment regarding this specific remark:

It’s not exactly the same but plenty of people make a living playing video games on twitch

Insisting that ‘plenty’ was certainly not that highway to success I think too many people believe it is, based on watching a few successful streamers or influencers… Or, at least that it is not what those two parents in the comics are imagining it is and what quite a few of those youngsters I can hear talk around me about their own future imagine. Which is something that should be a lot more worrying to us, the adults (kids are more than welcome to entertain dreams).

How many millions/billions cook food vs how many are professional chefs? How many draw but are famous artists? How many play football but become a professional well paid athlete?

Once again, I don’t say otherwise. But now tell me this: how many of those amateur cooks (or whatever) do you think imagine they will become chefs (or whatever) just because they like to cook (or whatever)? Not many… which is about right: not many will become pro.

BTW, as an amateur painter and artist I never imagined becoming a pro. I could not care less about making a business out of something I simply enjoy doing ;)