Cause He Told Me To.

Society kind of scares me now. The way the media controls everything. I mean, the president of the United States is doing appearances on Jay Leno, random individuals are becoming internationally famous for performing dumb acts for attention, and the pressure to be perfect is higher than ever.

I hate to say it, but our generation is one of image obsession and self hate. The amount of self hate I see in people shocks me. It has become almost normal to hate one's own body, sexual orientation, or just think they're not worth anyone's time. What ever happened to being content with oneself? Just being carefree and fine? Is it that out of fashion? 

Every time I turn the TV on I see another person committing suicide because they hate themselves too much to even live. I see artists such as Demi Lovato speaking out about their eating disorders, claiming they used to go to extremes by putting their own bodies through hell just to "fit in".

What I think, a lot of people are afraid to stand out.
I learn a lot about the ways humans function and one universally known fact is that we all want to fit the norm. It can actually make a person feel insane if they are not responding or acting the way the rest of the world is. As if there is something wrong with them. Some of you may think "yeah right, I love being different." but do you?

What if everyone in the world were a human and you were a giant green monster? When you'd look in the mirror you'd see your green face and body, all the things that indicate you're different. Yeah you might try to own it, but how would you feel standing in a crowd of normal sized, good looking humans?
Awesome? Confident? Accepted?

That is how all these outcasts feel. They feel like the big green monsters in our world because everyone else lets it happen. No one's accepting of what's on the inside anymore, or even bother to get to know someone unless they fit the "social norm". We've become a superficial world where women who make sex tapes become the highest grossing people in America and even role models to young girls. It's no wonder everyone hates themselves, everything we see and hear about is people becoming famous and rich based off of looks and dumb gimmicks instead of talent or intelligence. 
If you don't appear perfect, you won't catch anyone's attention. If you're not the best or the prettiest, you're not good enough. This is what we're teaching this next generation; that what's on the outside matters more than anything else. That there is always something wrong with us, something better to be.

We turn on the TV to hear about never ending wars and hate crimes. I guess it'd be weird to live in a world where everything is perfect but right now, we're turning into that scary stereotype of a ruined society we see in those post apocalypse movies. The industrial wasteland whose values have been robbed.
So it's no surprise everyone has distorted views on everything now. It's all shallow and dull opinions.

I mean our president...was on The View. Talking about a reality show.

And I've also noticed that our world lacks people who embrace the fact that they're not like everyone else. There aren't enough individuals who are brave enough to march to the beat of their own drum anymore. Can we blame them?
I mean the drop in people who are brave enough to throw their middle finger in the air and go their own way has decreased. Mostly because of all the people telling them it is wrong to do so. The bullies.
And that doesn't just mean those kids in school who take your lunch money. So many people in the world are bullies and many people don't even see it.

For example you could be a big green monster in a middle school but if all the kids smiled at you and invited you to all their birthday parties, then what's the problem? You'd obviously think you're accepted even though you might be a little different because people aren't acting any differently towards you.
But we live in a world of judgement and hate unfortunately and in reality, the green monster gets made fun of, tormented, and alienated by the others for being different.
Which is no wonder he may think that who he is is not right. I mean there must be something wrong with him if nobody wants to talk to him or invite him anywhere, right? If people judge him just by looking at him?

That's where all these suicides come in. Because of all these close minded people having the nerve to make others believe that they aren't worth any space in this place. All because of who they like, what their religion is, the way they dress or act.
And that is why this generation is falling into a never ending pit of self hate and bullying each other.
Yeah, we all feel like the big green monsters at one point in our lives during puberty or what have you, but others reassuring us that we're not as "good as they are" only distorts our view of ourselves more. And it doesn't help that the media stresses us to fulfill a certain role either. I mean these models are getting skinnier and skinnier, now it's fashionable to look starving. Why can't fuller looking women do high fashion? I mean if you were to look at pictures of the woman who was considered the most beautiful woman alive in the 50's: Marilyn Monroe, she had the body of a normal looking woman. Yes, she was gorgeous, but I don't think women would look at a picture of her and throw up their lunch.
Why? Because she wasn't imaginary. She wasn't impossible. And people were actually intrigued by her because of her interesting personality, not because she had a pretty face.

Now you hear stories in the news about models dying of starvation.
Dying by preference, of something that people are paying millions of dollars to end in Africa.

So why should we wonder that more teens are becoming depressed now more than ever?
They're being told by everyone around them that they're not good enough. They're not special. They're not skinny, they're not pretty, they're not smart, they're not talented. Not only by the people around them but by the things that surround them.
Soon enough it can eat someone alive, when they look in the mirror and loathe the person staring back at them.
Who do you think taught them to hate that person?
We have enough self conscious and socially awkward people just trying to figure out who they are, hell that's all high school is.

The last thing teens need are more people making it seem like those years of torment are what's expecting them for the rest of their lives. Cause it's not. Believe it or not, life goes on after high school. It goes on for a long while after that stupid place. You probably won't even see those bullies ever again. Which is why it pains me to see these young people ruining their lives when they're merely children, before they even get to live. Nobody is there to tell them that these are only four short years out of their long lives and that it gets better. We're all conditioned to believe that life is one big struggle. Nobody lives in the forests naked anymore or gather in giant fields for festivals. It's all stress and anguish and surviving day by day.


I mean sure, there are those celebrities who make webcasts blowing kisses to those suffering from depression and then they return to their lives, but they don't know what anyone personally goes through.

So if you see someone in need just be a friend, or just smile, or just
don't participate in bullying. It's just not necessary. And the easiest thing to do which nobody seems to believe, is to just be accepting. Just to… not hate. To not discriminate or make another person feel like they aren't worthy.

Because if people put the same amount of energy into being nice that they use making someone's life hell and focusing entirely on their own image, I really think the world would be a much more pleasant place to live.

Just Want Some Satisfaction.

Reciprocation.
Big word for such a simple meaning- just doing the same amount for someone as they do for you.
Doesn't sound so hard right?

I never understood how some people can take advantage of others. Whether it's their love, their advice, even their gifts.

In fact, some may say that that sort of selfishness is a sign of immaturity.
I guess I agree. I mean at some point in our lives whether we're 3 or 30 years old, we all have moments when we completely block out someone trying to help us, or overlook the effort our friends or families make for our needs.
Moments, I can understand. Constant resentment, not so much.

I mean, the best feeling in the world is feeling appreciated for the effort we make for others, right?
And the worst is, well…feeling the opposite. Forgotten, taken advantage of, used up.

And usually when we feel those emotions, we retract. We no longer want to be around the source of those bad feelings or the people or things making us feel them.
So, we get away from them. Not only because of the exhaustion from providing so much and getting nothing in return, but also because of the frustration those people soaking up our kindness bring to us.

Who wants to give someone everything when they don't even give an ounce of appreciation in return? It's quite discouraging, I'd say.

I always say, in a friendship or relationship, there should be reciprocation. I mean, those are what relationships thrive on, don't they? If everything was one sided, the person giving would grow sick and tired, and the person receiving would become overwhelmed. That's why everything functions so well when there's balance. That's why it works when we give back, and make efforts for our loved ones or tell them how much we appreciate what they do for us. Even if it is something as small as running an errand.
Because as humans, we adore satisfaction. Hell, it's what we rely on. We love feeling loved, and needed, and most of all appreciated.
That's our fuel for giving to the world, and that's what will always keep us contributing to making our loved ones happy and satisfied.

Surprise, Surprise...

Boo!

I don’t know about you but I sure do hate surprises. The whole spontaneity-not-having-control-thing doesn’t really work for me. At least when it has to do with people who turn out to be something you didn’t expect them to be.

It’s funny how some people can judge a situation entirely without knowing one thing about it. How someone can simply make something – an entire story- up from the top of their heads based on the surface that meets their eyes, rather than the actual story behind it.

The worst part is, we can’t keep anything to ourselves anymore. Because if we do, people will judge us. They say, “What does she really do?”

“Does she even work that hard?”

“Her parents pay for everything.”

As if they lived your life, in your shoes, every day, every second.

Kind of aggravating isn’t it?

Like they know everything we do in our spare time or what we’re doing towards our careers. Suddenly, people decide to make up what they think you are, or what they think you’re doing, instead of just letting it be, and being themselves and not caring. And you panic of course, cause you don’t want to be seen in such a way, or even in the slightest way that you’re not. I mean, we’re ourselves for a reason, right? So we can be ourselves. And communicate ourselves to others. We don’t work this hard to construct an identity just so people can revoke it and replace it with their idea of who they think we are. But then again if you think about it, why should we tell anyone anything about our lives?

For the approval? Nonsense. It’s up to you to be happy and know that what they say is only out of boredom or jealousy or pure ignorance. If anything we should feel sorry for those who are so impaired that they cannot take the time to actually get to know us and resort to spreading lies for their amusement. It’s our job to just keep our heads held high and keep moving.

Because after all, if people want to bring you down, they will find their ways to bring you down no matter what you say.

And just when you think you can trust them, they go and surprise you again. Boo.

Road Trip.

“It’s time to grow up...”
“But you’re too young to do that.”

It seems as though reaching the peak of adolescence is a never ending maze. We’re given hints on which way is the right way to go, only to be found at a dead end, forced to change route and wander aimlessly towards the exit that seems so hard to find.

Eighteen.
Such an odd age in America, isn’t it? We’re old enough to kill ourselves with cigarettes and live alone, but not old enough to rent a car or drink some champagne.

It’s the year most of us graduate and move onto bigger and better things. “Life”. As if entering high school wasn’t confusing enough, as soon as we think we’ve finished the rigorous journey, we’re thrown into another challenge.
The real world. I don’t know about you, but I thought I was in a real world already. Why the name? It sounds as if we’ve been living in a fabricated, cushioned cell for the past 18 years of our lives and now we’re finally opening the door to see life for what it really is.

When did this become the Matrix’s storyline?

“Stay calm, you’ll be successful” they say. How the hell are we supposed to stay calm when society makes the “real world” sound like a tank full of sharks with laser beams attached to their heads waiting to feast on us the second we turn the tassel on our graduation cap?
No wonder everyone has a crisis at 18. We’re at the middle of the road on where one side is our childhood innocence and the other side is…well, the real world.
We’re just standing there looking back and forth, waiting for some kind of answer to fall from the sky, but already knowing which way we have to go. We can’t return to the past. Which is what scares us because as much as we know we must move onto another chapter, we still can’t take that bookmark out of the page we were on back then and just keep reading.

So, we have to just brace ourselves and accept that we will be thrown to the sharks, and will be lost and scared and maybe even devoured. So it’s up to us to make it out alive.

Every man for himself.