Humanity = Hypocrisy

We are, as a species, blatantly hypocritical.

In this case, I'm talking about social standards. Or more specifically, "labels."

I find that the best way to get any point across is through context, i.e. example.

So, here we have an average, ordinary, teenage girl searching for her place in the crowd. Let's call her Beth. Let's assume up until now, Beth has no background knowledge of labels, and/or basic social standards and conforms.

Beth is told that appearances determine a woman's worth, but she shouldn't care too much about her appearance or else she'll be too self-conscious, too much of a people-pleaser.

She shouldn't wear too much make-up, if she does that makes her a whore and a try-hard. So she doesn't wear any make-up at all, best to play it safe right? Wrong. Now she's immature and far too plain.

Beth is told to be herself, and she should express herself through style. So she does, she wears simple clothing: sweat shorts and a t-shirt. Beth is comfortable in her own skin in these clothes, they make her feel in tune with herself. It would be fine if she didn't look so much like a guy. She looks too gay. Beth quickly learns that gay isn't, in fact, a sexuality but an insult. Beth decides to wear some of the stuff the other girls wear, but now she's too basic.

Beth is told she should talk to some guys, she should experiment a little, she doesn't want to be a prude, does she? Well, it doesn't matter because now she's a slut.

Beth should have a lot of friends, as many as she can. Otherwise, she's antisocial and "just trying to be edgy." But now she's told it's impossible to have more than a few good friends; she must be fake.

Beth should be confident in her own body, she should learn to love the way she looks. but now that she does, she's too vain, too arrogant.

Beth is confused and depressed. She can't seem to do anything right. She doesn't fit in anywhere.

Maybe it'll just be easier to end it all.

Does this story sound familiar?

IT SHOULD.

When will people learn that people are people? Not just dolls to dress up, paint a face on, and control to their liking? We are all different, It doesn't matter if you're Black, White, Asian, gay, straight, bi, girl, boy, fluid, whatever. You are still a human being, and humans aren't designed to fit into anyone's narrow cookie-cutter perspective of the world.

People are always asking, "why the kids are so depressed these days?"

Well, maybe it's because the world we live in is a messed up place where the weight of our forefather's mistakes and hate weighs down on us constantly. Maybe its because we are told a million different things and told that all of them are right even though there are lies, prejudices, and contradictions woven among the truths. But no, that can't be it. It has to be social media, it has to be technology. It has to be the only thing that can give us a semblance of individuality. But, fear not, we will understand when we are older. Meanwhile, we get to sit in school getting shot by our peers. But of course, we don't have the experience to have a comprehensive opinion on the matter. We are told to sit still and look pretty while old, white, cis, males, solve all of the problems that they've never experienced. We couldn't possibly understand, but we will when we are older they assure us. Well, what do we do about now?

I've been told that when I write, I sound angry, Well guess what? I am.