Others' Optimism
As a child in the 1980s, I remember hearing all kinds of famous people having optimism and hope and positive words to say about life in general, and you could hear the sincerity in their words. I remeber hearing icons being tight-lipped about the negative details of life because they simply didn't want to burden anyone with things that wasn't their business. And if I'm not mistaken, I also remember hearing heroes saying basically the same thing over and over, as if the mantras of "being yourself" and "keeping your dreams alive" and "love life" had been repeated since prehistory.
Now, I see the idolized people of our Western world, and they seem less sincere to me. I hear something different. I hear impatience, pride, contempt, and scorn. I hear constant criticism. I see far less inspiration and more self-righteousness. They expect to make people admire them by saying what people want to hear, even if it involves hatred and confusion.
I do not expect role models to simply act the way I do, or think the way I already think. I don't demand to see their flaws just to make myself feel better. I simply try to appreciate the person for what their honesty produces. But now, I am starting to forget how to be honest to myself simply by living in a less and less honest world.
People have not changed. We still have minds that attempt to understand and respond accordingly. But we have changing expectations of the people who make big differences in our lives. We expect them to adhere to an academic, simplified perspective of what it means to be a human being. And we do this because we are tired of asking the big questions that maturity requires.
I suppose I just miss the sincere, blind optimism that was once standard among most of our beloved citizens. Honestly, how many upbeat, positive artists are famous today? How many objective views of the world and politics do you hear from your famous actors? How often do you hear a proactive comment on how to make things better in our lives that doesn't involve blame, selfishness, or radical change?
I could be wrong, as always. Let me know.
Now, I see the idolized people of our Western world, and they seem less sincere to me. I hear something different. I hear impatience, pride, contempt, and scorn. I hear constant criticism. I see far less inspiration and more self-righteousness. They expect to make people admire them by saying what people want to hear, even if it involves hatred and confusion.
I do not expect role models to simply act the way I do, or think the way I already think. I don't demand to see their flaws just to make myself feel better. I simply try to appreciate the person for what their honesty produces. But now, I am starting to forget how to be honest to myself simply by living in a less and less honest world.
People have not changed. We still have minds that attempt to understand and respond accordingly. But we have changing expectations of the people who make big differences in our lives. We expect them to adhere to an academic, simplified perspective of what it means to be a human being. And we do this because we are tired of asking the big questions that maturity requires.
I suppose I just miss the sincere, blind optimism that was once standard among most of our beloved citizens. Honestly, how many upbeat, positive artists are famous today? How many objective views of the world and politics do you hear from your famous actors? How often do you hear a proactive comment on how to make things better in our lives that doesn't involve blame, selfishness, or radical change?
I could be wrong, as always. Let me know.