Kanye has this picture on his living room wall:
And it’s there because as he says, ‘Well, I gotta cheer for me before anyone else can cheer for me.’
But isn’t that relying on something else, something out of your control, to give you self worth? Say the picture gets destroyed or gets moved, does that mean he can’t possibly believe in himself anymore?
And that’s even before dealing with criticism and facing up to his flaws.
Isn’t it healthier and stronger to be able to stay strong and maintain your balance and tranquility in the face of insults, challenges, criticisms and trials. Instead of relying on a picture to prop you up?
Facing your fears and flaws and simulating hardship, where things are out of your control, and decided by life or by other people, can build a strength of character that can potentially withstand anything life throws at you.
That’s kind of what The 1975 do here…
This video is filled with insults and criticisms that have been hurled at them online. They choose to face them and acknowledge them, not avoid them and pretend that everything is great and life will always be perfect and in your control.
I’m trying the opposite of what Kanye does
It’s easy to do like Kanye with the picture on the wall and all, but doesn’t that mean that your natural state, (away from the pic) is vulnerable, tenuous and fragile? Does it not make us stronger to practise maintaining your regular state of mind in the face of insults, criticism, trials and challenges?
I don’t really know. But that’s why I’m trying the complete opposite. This is what’s on my bathroom mirror at the moment:
The ability to be strong comes from standing resolute (and maybe even laughing) in the face of challenge, criticism or insult.
Sidenote: Any song that mentions homeboy Socrates (and Socratic examination, ie. irony) in it, I’m going to love no matter what. Even though it’s sarcastic and lead singer, Matty Healy’s taking the piss out of himself (which, by the way, Socrates seemed to do all the freaking time):
It’s not about reciprocation, it’s just all about me
A sycophantic, prophetic, Socratic junkie wannabe
There’s so much skin to see
A simple Epicurean philosophy
And you say I’m such a cliché
I can’t see the difference in it either way