Ive been through some tuough times just like the rest of us. Ive come out alive and for the most part well. The most troublesome thing that I face today is trying to figure out who I am. I know my views on things and how I feel about my fellow man. I just have a very hard time feeling that im not like the rest. I know that I would be classified as a Hippie and proud to be labled as so. Its just that people look at me like they dont understand me. Why should I care about others when they could give two shits about me or why do I shed tears when a brother is harmed or is kicked aside and left hungry because he has a harder time overcoming an obstacle in his life? I guess what Im trying to say is which came first, egotistical man or the hippie? If the hippie, then I guess I wont feel so out of place.
I guess we are all a pretty unknown species, each of us. Look beyond the labels, and see the potential - of each one you meet on the roads of life who gives you a chance to listen, and a look into their eyes - and don't miss to see your own potential either. Be in place within yourself, rather than trying to fit into a society of people who seem to have forgotten who they are. Be the one yourself ! (trying to boil it down to 1 sentence)
Never a truer word said. Once you are at peace with yourself and who you are it is so much easier to see the positive. You can take on the world if you truly know who you are. Please never feel out of place!
Even if you never fully come to peace with yourself, you have to at least except yourself. Strive for being content. The problem is the world is filled with over achievers. Try finding happiness in simplicity, then you won't have to worry about labels and all that nonsense. Just be.
im in the same situation but sounds more severe from your side. find all the little things you like individually, and they could be people, objects, music, smells, anything about yourself, etc. cuz those things make you, you. The certainty of liking all those little things is very powerful in my experience. And i think eventually those normal square people will regret such starch in their life, so let your pride shine even if it is for yourself. it's a good enough reason. and for me, when i feel any kind of melancholy, i compliment someone. try it
Personally, I rejoice in the fact that I am a round peg in this square hole of modern society.I just have to listen, on a Monday morning, to the inane shite that my co-workers deem important, to realise that I am happy to be different. I have few people in my life who share the same views as me but those few are enough to have a good bitch about things every now again. I have luckily decided that if people have a problem with me, then it is their problem, not mine. Regarding other people not understanding you, well just let them go about living their merry little lives and dont worry about it. They make their own decisions. Do you really need their approval? If you are concerned about others being "kicked aside" just help if you want to.I dont understand the dilemma. " I guess what Im trying to say is which came first, egotistical man or the hippie?" You are labelling here... your question is irrelevant. On a more philosophical or anthropolical or psychological note though, I would have to say the egotistical man came first. Our old stone age chums had to think about personal or group survival first (otherwise we would not be here) The hippie tribe who thought that lions looked a bit depressed and thought maybe they could go over and help have inexplicably vanished. Apart from that, young children view the world as revolving around themselves. I view this as a reflection on how the humsn race thought in the beginning of self-consciousness. I could dig out references if you insist but 1 example is if a child runs into a table or something and hurts itself, it will regard the table as being at fault or naughty. This predisposition is one of the major factors in phychological problens being carried forward into later years. A child thinks if it is good , nothing bad will happen to it and therefore, if something bad DOES happen, they must have done something bad (parents' divorce, physical abuse etc,) But, I digress. To sum up my answer to your original question.... Nah.... fuck them... you're fine.
I could tell you but that would take all of the fun out of figuring it out for yourself. You sound like you are at the beginning of that journey. We all have issues about our sense of self. I'll share with you some of the wisdom I've come across. In Buddhism the first noble truth states "Life is dissatisfaction." Dissatisfaction is actually a good thing. It motivates us to move forward. When we are satisfied we become complacent, we stop growing, we stop changing and we stop learning. Another Buddhist concept I find very comforting is impermanance. Everything breaks down. When things are up I know they won't stay up. So I enjoy them more. When things are down I know they wont stay there. So I don't sweat it. "Life's short so love what you got Cause you might get run over or you might get shot"- Sublime I hope that helps. Peace Out, Rev J
"why do I shed tears when a brother is harmed or is kicked aside and left hungry because he has a harder time overcoming an obstacle in his life?" Lend a hand to your brother. I've been doing that all my life and truly truly I'm glad. Sometimes unappreciated, but never times wasted. I guess what Im trying to say is which came first, egotistical man or the hippie? If the hippie, then I guess I wont feel so out of place. It doesn't matter.
I'll give you another hint. Self is a delusion of ego. It only exists in comparison of other. The EGO SELF is just a patchwork of external images that we like, bits and pieces of others we admire the self that you have created doesn't exist. It is really a complex delusion. Peace Out, Rev J
