By Asabi Rawlins:
Ever since I was a little girl, the words “BE YOURSELF” have been the slogan of many individuals around me. I have grown up and I realize that among the many things that I was inadequately prepared for is society’s unnecessary pressure. “Be Yourself”. That’s what they always said and that is what I believed in my childish folly but how I or anyone else can BE ONESELF…in a world where we are ostracized for every little deviation.
I understand the importance of being “politically correct”. Most certainly, I would not want to offend anyone belief’s unnecessarily but my physical appearance, most of my personal choices, my likes and dislikes have absolutely nothing to do with being politically correct. Very soon, we may all become a marching band of puppets. Everything we do must be magnified and ridiculed if it does not conform to the ridiculous standards set by society’s hypocrites. How dare you tell me I have a spec in my eye when you have a log in yours? How dare you tell me what to say? What to do? How to act? What happened to “Be Yourself”? Have we all forgotten about ‘Freedom of Expression?’
Our differences are supposed to make us unique and beautiful: diversity should be a wonderful thing. Sadly, failure to conform results in extreme emotional pain, internal conflict, insecurity, as well as feelings of inferiority. Slavery is still here, it’s mental amd emotional slavery. Why do we not all wear straitjackets… they seem to be the only missing element, what have we become? We are the same as before; the difference is that we have technology to aid us in our endless exploitation of each other. The internet is flooded with cookie cutter images that no normal person can imitate naturally…The narcissism and egotism funded by the misuse of social networking, as well as  the lack of mental development and cognitive stimulation because there is an ‘app’ or another shortcut for everything is truly horrifying. Technology is neither positive nor negative; indeed our usage of technology-based resources is the determining factor.
You are probably thinking that I am straying from my point but all these things provide a powerful impetus for the ultimate disintegration of individualism. Whatever seems trendy is what we will do no matter what WE really think. It is extremely disheartening that people seldom do the things that are meaningful to them anymore. Instead we opt to do what is popular at the moment.
The race is not for the swift but those who can endure … I hope more people will resist the pressure to conform, be patient and ENJOY BEING WHO THEY ARE instead OF what OTHERS WANT THEM TO BE!!!