I would much rather get to know others for who they are, not what awards they've accomplished or how many friends they have or how popular they are or how great they spout off they are. Greatness comes in many packages. To me, greatness is shown by the love and compassion you have for other human beings. Do you just walk by when someone is in need of a listening ear or a helpful hand? Do you ignore their cries for help? Do you put yourself first above everyone else?
Maybe I'm going about this all the wrong way, but I'm not out there tooting my horn about everything I've done...oh but I could. I've been to 18 countries. Star for me! I was co-valedictorian. Star for me! I went to honor band 2 years in a row and sat first chair clarinet all throughout high school. More stars for me!
Yes, I'm proud of my accomplishments, but does it make me a better then the next person? I honestly don't think so! I don't need to tell the whole world about it and I hate trying to play the "keep up" game. We all want to be liked, loved, and accepted. It's human nature. My suggestion is, stop talking so much about yourself and maybe you'll learn a thing or two about someone else. God gave us TWO ears and ONE mouth for a reason, but it seems our ears are stuffed with cotton and our mouths are rambling on and on.
I recently watched a movie called "The Joneses" and it was about selling a lifestyle that everyone wanted. It dealt with our consumerist society and how easy it is to get people drooling over things. It made me sad. American society is so drenched in consumerism that we would give anything and everything to keep up with the best of the best; to have the best of the best and this is why I feel we communicate the way we do. We communicate in competition lingo. We have to sell ourselves to be the best of the best for fear that our peers won't want to "buy" what we're offering.
I can remember the crazed, overwhelming feelings I would get every time we would come back to the states. It was a shopping smorgasbord all summer long. It was very difficult to contain that urge when I came back to the states to live for good. I actually keep myself away from shopping centers as much as possible because I've been conditioned to want to buy.
Does anyone else feel like this? I've been accused over and over for over-analyzing people and situations way too much instead of enjoying the present. Does anyone else do this? Does anyone else see it this way or am I skewed? Do I see it like this because I didn't grow up in a consumerist culture?
