I've never fully agreed with the quote, Show me your friends, and I'll show you who you are. Sure, in a you are what you eat sort of concept, it works. But I have a problem with it, because the blunt phrasing isn't more obvious about how this phenomenon can be true. You're comperable to your friends because who you chose to be as a person indirectly influences the kind of people are who attracted to or detracted from you in your life.
Or, less delicately put, if you're having a lot of assholes in your life, you could be held responsible for them being there. If you're wondering where all the good people are, well, you could be responsible for being in the wrong place in your life.
The most obvious hypothetical situation I can conjure up involves a hypothetical girl with a hypothetically materialistic life. Okay, I understand this is easily a cycle, but let's just begin at the girl's perspective. Say that she places a high value on name branded purses and owns them. Regardless of how wonderfully eloquent she could explain specific detail and quality on a Burberry bowler bag--or even if the best she could explain is that she just really likes the check design (though she doesn't favor a single other tartan item)--the simple fact is, she owns a purse or two that is known for its price and branding. That's not the only reason why everyone buys it, but that is what it is known for, right?
Here's the thing, Burberry purses do matter. Not to everyone, maybe not even to a majority of the human population, but it matters... to somebody. So the people who have a huge problem with Burberry will notice and react adversely with their own opinions about materialism or priorities, or whatever. Ok. Meanwhile, the people who think that Burberry really means something, well, they're probably going to stick around, either for encouragement or objections. But they're sticking around for it. While Miss. Burberry can argue that she doesn't care what people think, and that she means to buy the purse for herself, there really is an indirect cause and effect from the choices she makes. Maybe she's right, people should really mind their own business, and there's probably that third group of people who just didn't care and didn't respond to the Burberry purse at all. Sure, whether they're sticking around or not is related to a different factor. But imagine the people who did care. Now she's just making friends and attracting people who are facilitating that kind of atmosphere. So in a way, it does matter.
So then you're going to tell me, Hey. So what, so she likes Burberry. Big deal. To each their own. I like Burberry anyways. And you'd be right. But I wanted to bring this point up because I am always hearing complaints from people about the people they don't like. I'm sure you've at least heard the popular: I hate people who love drama. Now, I'm thinking, unless you're still in grade school, and you're legally required to see these people every day of your lives until you graduate, then ok. You're stuck with immaturity for a few more years. We all gotta put in our time for that. But if you're a grown-ass adult, what in the world are you doing with your life where you even see people who are still this way? Do you really hate it when these people you're hitting up the clubs with are being "totally lame" in your life, or are you right there with them, reluctantly trailing behind while texting and tweeting about how you're totally over it? Also, why are you in a club anyways? What is this, Night at the Roxbury? I couldn't think of a better analogy than this?
I know I'm using some pretty extreme examples of immaturity to explain my point. But I hope the hyperbolic imagery served its purpose in explaining how ridiculous we can all be sometimes. I mean, if you don't like something in someone else, why be that way yourself? Or, if you can recognize that you don't want to become a certain way, break the cycle. Direct your energy towards something else. That little bit of time to self-reflect can save you a world of sanity and, who knows, could bring you a step closer to being in a place you actually enjoy being in. Now, if only the Old Spice guy could lead you through this path of self-discovery...look at me, now look at you, now look in the palm of my hands. It's the tickets to that show you wanted to go to!!
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