Sunday 12 January 2014

depth


To struggle is to be human - yet, just like everything else, we are judged through the kinds and types of struggles each all of us face.

I have to agree that the struggles of youth in the 21st Century tend to be egocentric underscored with a sense of vapidity. Why is my Professor doing this to me? How can I tell her the truth? What must I do to make him realize I'm the one? or my favourite for ultimate melodrama - Why does everyone hate me?

Sure, we may think it's a bit silly and undermine the course of these insecurities. Yet in and of itself, how do we actually measure and compare emotional suffering? Realistically, the trauma of a natural disaster would naturally be of a higher intensity than perhaps the end of a 5 year long relationship, but does that mean that the pain of the latter is inconsequential, less real and of less worth than that of the former? You can't compare pain. It exists sovereign and alone.

There's a reason why I chose to study Psychology; I want to be able to understand the human condition a bit better. Despite its various complexities, the field very much advocate that emotional suffering is an extremely subjective experience to the sole individual. The words of Atticus Finch holds true, "you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them". Senseless insecurities actually stem from an interplay of various real problems. It won't be as straightforward as directly impactful events but there's something else hidden behind what they're saying.
You think you know someone, but you don't.

Of course, this is just my two cents worth. All I know is that if you see someone with their own struggles for reasons that may seem a bit silly, your first instinct shouldn't be to shut them down and be dismissive over their problems. Acknowledge that they're hurting because it's true - life can suck but we're all in this together anyway.

P.S. For those who have been asking, whenever I exclaim about how everyone hates me, please know that I don't really mean it. It's sort of a half-joke. Partly because I'm also a Theatre student so I have a flair for the dramatics. The other half...well that's a story for another time but no I don't think everyone hates me because even if they do a) I'm not worth the effort and b) I'm too busy to take note unless they email me about it. c) I won't be able to care until the end of the semester

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