I was talking with a friend recently and the conversation turned to their feelings about how they were going to be viewed by another group. My instant reaction: “Eff them.” If they’re too busy spending time judging you for your opinions to actually enjoy you as a friend, why would you give them the time of day?
This got me to thinking… Why do we give so much power to those who we want to consider friends? I mean, we can be considerate, that’s a given… But why do we constantly worry about how we’ll be viewed? Is that the driving force in our existence? I’ll admit, I probably worry too little about how the general world perceives me and far too much about how I want to project my “image.” Very often, I get into a mood, like today, where I would like nothing more than to live in a remote cabin, in the middle of nowhere, no internet connection, no television, just some good books and a notebook. I know it would drive me crazy, because I’m a people person by nature, but I would really love the disconnection, for a while.
I think.
Back to the aforementioned topic… Why do we care so much about how we are perceived by others? Why don’t we feel secure enough in our opinions to give them, regardless of “how we look?”
Just a thought.
Still, one of my favorite sayings, ever: “Fuck them if they can’t take a joke.” (Even if it’s not a joke. Sometimes you just have to make your feelings known, say or write what you’re thinking, from the heart or from the head, and those who agree or disagree will come and go as they please. Seeking approval will sometimes just drive you mad.
