How society defines who we are as a person.
“Once upon a time, a friend of a friend remarked that I looked as if I was gaining weight. This remark should have been no big deal, but given the fact we all had been drinking and I was ovulating, it really hurt my feelings. After they had left, I could feel myself start to cry, and even though it might have been true, I couldn’t help but feel anger toward this person. Thoughts like: Who do they think they are? What a bitch, I would never say anything like that! All of these things raced into my mind, and as I continued to cry, I stopped myself and wondered why it was I was crying. I was fine with my body until that person said something, so what was the problem?”
~Anonymous~
Why is there so much pressure about who we are as a person? Has society really brainwashed us to believe what true beauty is? Or are we all just robots obeying the world’s rules of happiness? If so, I rather be a slave to depression. So where does it all begin?
Stage One: Childhood
Starting at birth, most parents program their children into carrying out a number of steps:
Go to college
Become an important figure in the world (Popular choices: Doctor, lawyer, teacher, police officer, President.)
Get married
Have children
You are now happy.
It is not to say these steps aren’t a way to lead a happy life, but when our plans are already made for us, where’s the fulfillment? Sometimes these steps aren’t the right path for everyone, and sometimes a person can’t always achieve these goals. This in return leads to a sense of failure, low self worth, and unhappiness; things we are programmed to “feel” if we don’t reach them.
Stage Two: Adolescence
Once we are old enough to understand what we are “programmed” to do, television, movies, and magazines plan how we are supposed to look, feel, and act. A person should feel like a loser if they aren’t wearing the right clothes, aren’t skinny enough, or if they don’t look like a model. Fortunately, society tells us not to be worried, because “perfect” is just one scalpel away.
Stage Three: Adulthood
If stage one and two are completed successfully, a person should have a great education, fantastic career, look like a movie star, and be completely satisfied with life. Unfortunately satisfaction sometimes causes a glitch in the system, causing a person to want an upgrade in life: more money, better status, better job, etc. In all reality the cycle never ends.
According to society, money buys happiness, beauty defines who you are, and anyone who doesn’t follow the rules should be cast out, or looked down upon. Want to know the painful truth? Nobody’s perfect. Yes that’s right! Everyone has flaws, vices, imperfections, or shortcomings! The world wasn’t meant to be Eden. (You can blame Adam, or Eve)
So why haven’t we figured out the obvious? The answer: you’re being reprogrammed right now. Don’t believe it? Then flip the switch.
Welcome to Authspot, the spot for creative writing.
Read some stories and poems, and be sure to subscribe to our feed!
