One of the first things they teach you in writing class is to write to a specific audience. And the narrower the better, compared to one that tries to reach all.
Because if you try to make everyone happy you make no one happy. And as a result, if you actually have a personality –one of highs and lows, things you don’t like and do, things you love and hate– then you also make yourself miserable in the process too.
There’s no one who loves everything and everyone –even Ghandi didn’t like stuff (e.g. that pesky little thing called racism). And despite being credited for the creation of non-violent resistance, Ghandi’s philosophy made him admired by many (including Einstein) but still hated by a shit ton of people too. For being too weak, for being too outspoken, for being too bias towards his community, for being not bias enough. Ghandi was the ultimate proof that no matter what, you can’t win it all (and you can’t please them all either). His idea of aggressive protest was fasting for 3 weeks, as well as renouncing all material possessions and committing himself to a life of passivity to bring change –and shit, homeboy still got assassinated.
Everyone has a strong personality. It’s whether you let it simmer under the lid, and then when catalysed, boil over in an burst of misguided awkwardness, intolerance or even hate, as opposed to showing who you are everyday, true to your best self.
I’m not a Beatles fan, but if you’re worried about people who don’t like you for who you are (when you believe you’re actually doing the right thing and being a good person, that is), this basically sums up how to to live: