Post by anticrank on Sept 1, 2011 18:32:05 GMT -5
One thing that I have noticed is that a lot of shy people feel that there is something wrong with them. That is comletely understandable if you've been in situations where you’ve been shouldered out, don't have many friends or relationship experience. On top of that I want to share with you some of the ways in which western society is toxic to your self-esteem.
Most importantly, there is a lot of pressure to look, act and talk a certain way. There's pressure to be 'cool', to identify with a certain image, the pressure to be loud. You know what I mean.
The way a lot of young people are so fucking hyper-judgemental, it's OK to totally write someone off without getting to know them but it's NOT OK to be shy. There seems to be an unwritten rule. wtf?
One thing I can say is that there are a few key elements that characterise modern western society (especially for young people). They are narcissism, shallowness, materialism and excess focus on the individual (related to narcissism), lack of respect for people's feelings (hence why so many of your peers may be so judgemental of you). There is also persecution of those quiet intellectual types in the form of stereotypes such as geeks and nerds (possibly cos they're a threat to mass culture?). Also, thanks to the widespread use of mass media and information technology, a lot of young people have pretty poor social skills. Judging people based on stereotypes, making up an opinion without getting to know someone IS poor social skills. Not opinion, this is a matter of fact, sorry to put it so blunt. It's lazy and shallow, and is but one example of a myriad of behaviours that is actively fostered by the media, peer pressure and the general climate of narcissism, individualism, lack of respect for others feelings, selfishness etc. that characterises modern western mass culture. If you don't do this, then I congratulate you.
Hell, There's even unwritten rules about what your allowed to be interested in! Oh no, can't do salsa dancing that's for old people! Can't be interested in nature or art, or classical music because that's nerdy! Sound familiar? Bloody automaton halfwits.
Even my own grandmother commented how these days young people are not allowed to be themselves. Even in the last 10 years of my own life, I have seen the effects of the power of mass culture. You see young girls as young as 8 into celebrity, beauty and other typically teenage things. Even when I was at school, that was unheard of. What's the result of the commercial mass culture? Conformity en masse. It's no surprise that many young people complain they feel they're not allowed to be themselves! I'm only 25, this is not nostalgia for the good old days you know.
The thing is, you're not really 'allowed' to raise any criticism or discussion of these issues, lest you be branded a 'nerd', 'uncool', or 'old fashioned' etc. It's as if bringing the subject up is an almost forbidden taboo topic. It's a mechanism that works in the same way as political correctness. It elicits and ad-hominem attack towards the holder of the opinion if you try to discuss it (amongst young people that are brainwashed that is). One could argue that it's the most powerful form of mind control, the fear of persecution.
Anyway, this is not a rant, this is supposed to be help, and on that bombshell I will say this, please don't be too hard on yourselves if you struggle to perform socially. Never feel that you're in the wrong if someone writes you off without getting to know you. Never put such people on a pedestal and never feel that you have to try and impress them to gain approval. Please, please take the pressure off yourself. I know there is a lot of pressure to impress, however, people will respect you more if you stay true to yourself. Sometimes being quiet can work in your favour, did you know that? SOmetimes it can give an air of cool relaxed confidence and is highly attractive to some people. There are a lot of shallow, immature little shits out there, though they're not all like that. Oh, and by the way, If you can speak out against the toxic tide of mass culture without fear of persecution, so much the better, people will seriously respect you (depending on how brainwashed they are lol)! DON'T LISTEN to the propagandist pressure to be loud or something you're not!
DISCLAIMER; I do acknowledge that some of what's talked about here is highly taboo and might offend some people. Especially if you're a loud, hip, mind-controlled, sorry don't want to cause any offence. On the other hand I'd also say that people are perfectly entitled to criticise my view, or if people want to stereotype me as a nerd, that's fine too, however, I can't help but feel sorry for people that are like that, or else burst out with laughter at they're lack of emotional maturity. Oh, I forgot doing so would bring me down to their level lol. peace.
Most importantly, there is a lot of pressure to look, act and talk a certain way. There's pressure to be 'cool', to identify with a certain image, the pressure to be loud. You know what I mean.
The way a lot of young people are so fucking hyper-judgemental, it's OK to totally write someone off without getting to know them but it's NOT OK to be shy. There seems to be an unwritten rule. wtf?
One thing I can say is that there are a few key elements that characterise modern western society (especially for young people). They are narcissism, shallowness, materialism and excess focus on the individual (related to narcissism), lack of respect for people's feelings (hence why so many of your peers may be so judgemental of you). There is also persecution of those quiet intellectual types in the form of stereotypes such as geeks and nerds (possibly cos they're a threat to mass culture?). Also, thanks to the widespread use of mass media and information technology, a lot of young people have pretty poor social skills. Judging people based on stereotypes, making up an opinion without getting to know someone IS poor social skills. Not opinion, this is a matter of fact, sorry to put it so blunt. It's lazy and shallow, and is but one example of a myriad of behaviours that is actively fostered by the media, peer pressure and the general climate of narcissism, individualism, lack of respect for others feelings, selfishness etc. that characterises modern western mass culture. If you don't do this, then I congratulate you.
Hell, There's even unwritten rules about what your allowed to be interested in! Oh no, can't do salsa dancing that's for old people! Can't be interested in nature or art, or classical music because that's nerdy! Sound familiar? Bloody automaton halfwits.
Even my own grandmother commented how these days young people are not allowed to be themselves. Even in the last 10 years of my own life, I have seen the effects of the power of mass culture. You see young girls as young as 8 into celebrity, beauty and other typically teenage things. Even when I was at school, that was unheard of. What's the result of the commercial mass culture? Conformity en masse. It's no surprise that many young people complain they feel they're not allowed to be themselves! I'm only 25, this is not nostalgia for the good old days you know.
The thing is, you're not really 'allowed' to raise any criticism or discussion of these issues, lest you be branded a 'nerd', 'uncool', or 'old fashioned' etc. It's as if bringing the subject up is an almost forbidden taboo topic. It's a mechanism that works in the same way as political correctness. It elicits and ad-hominem attack towards the holder of the opinion if you try to discuss it (amongst young people that are brainwashed that is). One could argue that it's the most powerful form of mind control, the fear of persecution.
Anyway, this is not a rant, this is supposed to be help, and on that bombshell I will say this, please don't be too hard on yourselves if you struggle to perform socially. Never feel that you're in the wrong if someone writes you off without getting to know you. Never put such people on a pedestal and never feel that you have to try and impress them to gain approval. Please, please take the pressure off yourself. I know there is a lot of pressure to impress, however, people will respect you more if you stay true to yourself. Sometimes being quiet can work in your favour, did you know that? SOmetimes it can give an air of cool relaxed confidence and is highly attractive to some people. There are a lot of shallow, immature little shits out there, though they're not all like that. Oh, and by the way, If you can speak out against the toxic tide of mass culture without fear of persecution, so much the better, people will seriously respect you (depending on how brainwashed they are lol)! DON'T LISTEN to the propagandist pressure to be loud or something you're not!
DISCLAIMER; I do acknowledge that some of what's talked about here is highly taboo and might offend some people. Especially if you're a loud, hip, mind-controlled, sorry don't want to cause any offence. On the other hand I'd also say that people are perfectly entitled to criticise my view, or if people want to stereotype me as a nerd, that's fine too, however, I can't help but feel sorry for people that are like that, or else burst out with laughter at they're lack of emotional maturity. Oh, I forgot doing so would bring me down to their level lol. peace.
), and I know how I couldn't live that lie. And I also know I've been very lucky to have the friends I have had. Quality is never a bad thing and I know deep down that I wouldn't trade that in for a "what if."