don't be too discouraged by the economy. do you really want to make a major life decision based on what your parents think they know? and learned before the internet? at the very least, research the topic yourself.
but also, it's not good to have a boolean choice. you can make it less so, on both ends. you might be able to reduce your hours at work, in a potentially temporary manner (they might not like that idea at first, but if they want to keep your hours up, then obviously they don't want to fire you, so you have some ability to negotiate. reduced hours, for them, beats none by a large margin). and you could start on your startup in spare time, to learn more about
A) will it work
B) how long will it take to finish
C) how much you like working on it.
you can also research competitors, look for cofounder now, and other things, without some permanent "taking the plunge".
dont give up on your day job, and dont give up on your startup.
find room for both, and if you find that you are still in love with this project after a month or two, then you have that much more information (and money) to go out and finally leave your day job.
but also, it's not good to have a boolean choice. you can make it less so, on both ends. you might be able to reduce your hours at work, in a potentially temporary manner (they might not like that idea at first, but if they want to keep your hours up, then obviously they don't want to fire you, so you have some ability to negotiate. reduced hours, for them, beats none by a large margin). and you could start on your startup in spare time, to learn more about
A) will it work B) how long will it take to finish C) how much you like working on it.
you can also research competitors, look for cofounder now, and other things, without some permanent "taking the plunge".