Never Stereotype Yourself

That's the line I coined for myself ages ago. Was a graffiti in my journal once. Just came back from Saroornagar katta. That's the new adda now. Been spending a lot of time there. The calmness of the lake, the darkness engulfing it and the cool breeze flowing through my hair. Not to mention the trash dumped at the banks and little kids selling cigarettes.

Anyway, this isn't about that. This is about the image we have in the society. Nope, I'm not talking about what someone else thinks about you. I'm talking about what you want that someone else to think about you. That false being within you who you want to be, to be portrayed as cool, clever or arrogant. Get what I'm talking about? Kurt Cobain once said, "Trying to be someone else is such a waste of the person you are." I love that. But its very hard to actually follow it. There's always something in someone which you find so captivating that you wish you had that quality. And after a point of time, without you realising it, you kill the voice in yourself and try imbibing that. There's no bigger sin than that. Throwing away yourself for someone else. There's a difference between being and trying to be something. Being, like all matters of the heart, comes deep from within.

And it is also important not be fixed as something. To be stereotyped. If you are the coolest, most popular guy in the college, the pressure to remain that is so overwhelming that involuntarily, you crush a lot of your feelings. What would they think if they see me with this unpopular girl? People think I'm cool and all, so maybe I should smoke to retain that image? Shit! that guy just saw me walking out of the library, what if he tells everyone else. To hell with everyone else. You want to talk to the girl, don't let anyone stop you. You don't have to smoke to join the 'Coolest Guys' club and for God's sake if you want to read something, go to the library and find the damn book. The problem with being hailed a genius is that you are scared to ask questions, keeping to yourself most of the time and worrying about being the 'know-it-all'. You can never be the know it all and the worst mistake you can ever do after having an image is trying to keep it. Its something analogous to being a leader. I read somewhere that the first pre-requisite of being a great leader is never being bothered about being one. Once you are ready to play second fiddle to anyone, you'd be less paranoid and would concentrate more on the work you are supposed to do.

That's all I've got to say. Never fight for that elusive image and never wish to be hailed as something because that is what you've always wanted to be. Being stereotyped is the biggest curse of them all. Get unpredictable, ask questions and most importantly, listen only to your heart.