Why do we put so much stock in what other people think about us? When you look at it, it's not what other people think about you that matters. It's what you think of yourself that is more important than what anyone else thinks.
A perfect example from popular culture that emphasizes this is the Dursley family from the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling. This family is so absorbed in what other people think about them that they are unable to see the real world and accept it. Not only that, but they actively try to destroy or suppress anything and everything that they consider abnormal. That's just what happens when we all run our lives the way we believe other people want us to run our lives.
Harry Chapin wrote a song about this back in 1978 called "Flowers Are Red." It's about how society breaks down every individual to make them conform, thus eliminating individuality. A beautiful song, but depressing still for what it says about us as individuals and as a society.
More recently, I received an email attributed to Ben Stein (yes, the Ben Stein). It contains the following quote which is very similar:
I'm not the most religious individual and I'll admit that I don't believe anyone should be telling anyone how to, who to, or what to believe in or worship, but the underlying idea here is that we, as individuals are cowing to our fears that if we send something even slightly religious in an email, or if we mention religion openly, that people will look down on us, but if we live a secular life, we'll be accepted.
Our forefathers must be rolling in their graves!!!!! They were very careful to make sure religion wasn't forced on anyone by our Government, but not to have us throw religion, or more importantly our individuality, out the window.
Without our individuality, we are nothing.
Without our individuality we will never grow.
Without our individuality we are simply clones of everyone else in our neighborhood.
Without our individuality we might as well just pull up the recliner in front of the television and succumb to the Round Mouth disease.
I AM AN INDIVIDUAL AND IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE REST OF THE WORLD THINKS I SHOULD BE.
I refuse to give up my individuality!
I refuse to sit still!
I refuse to be just one of the masses!
If you want to see me, just keep an eye out. I'm the one out there in front leading the pack...
A perfect example from popular culture that emphasizes this is the Dursley family from the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling. This family is so absorbed in what other people think about them that they are unable to see the real world and accept it. Not only that, but they actively try to destroy or suppress anything and everything that they consider abnormal. That's just what happens when we all run our lives the way we believe other people want us to run our lives.
Harry Chapin wrote a song about this back in 1978 called "Flowers Are Red." It's about how society breaks down every individual to make them conform, thus eliminating individuality. A beautiful song, but depressing still for what it says about us as individuals and as a society.
More recently, I received an email attributed to Ben Stein (yes, the Ben Stein). It contains the following quote which is very similar:
| Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. |
I'm not the most religious individual and I'll admit that I don't believe anyone should be telling anyone how to, who to, or what to believe in or worship, but the underlying idea here is that we, as individuals are cowing to our fears that if we send something even slightly religious in an email, or if we mention religion openly, that people will look down on us, but if we live a secular life, we'll be accepted.
Our forefathers must be rolling in their graves!!!!! They were very careful to make sure religion wasn't forced on anyone by our Government, but not to have us throw religion, or more importantly our individuality, out the window.
Without our individuality, we are nothing.
Without our individuality we will never grow.
Without our individuality we are simply clones of everyone else in our neighborhood.
Without our individuality we might as well just pull up the recliner in front of the television and succumb to the Round Mouth disease.
I AM AN INDIVIDUAL AND IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE REST OF THE WORLD THINKS I SHOULD BE.
I refuse to give up my individuality!
I refuse to sit still!
I refuse to be just one of the masses!
If you want to see me, just keep an eye out. I'm the one out there in front leading the pack...
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