Regular adulthood activities seem to perpetually revolve around splattering, blabbering, and spitting out verbal spew in the name of appropriateness. It's as if everyone's brought about some traumatically punishing consequence by being brutally honest about something once, and now they're just not risking it again, nu-uh. What's with all the affectation, the pretence, and the same single-digit number of droned out phrases drawn out through grinded teeth in harrowingly fake smiles?
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| "Ah, sah sahrry to hear thaaaat" = "Ah ma Ghad, let's totally meet up some taaaahm" = "Ahm so happy for you, congratulatiaaahns" = ... |
I'm not saying that angrily. At 23, I feel the need to conjoin any significant newly gained experiences with my rapidly distancing teenage angst, and to develop a progression of understanding of the universe, in my mind, to feel as if my change of outlook in those years signifies I've actually learned something. As opposed to, my brain as a physical organ, has simply finished growing and developing now, and certain glands in my body have stopped producing insane amounts of certain hormones so that the system is regulated to much more stable and rhythmic existence altogether.
Which is why all adults don't care anymore and are full of bullshit. I agree, teenage me. They are! For all I can remember, we were insanely mean and insensitive to one other, but that was also a time when we knew our generation was in this briefly suspended moment with a vague consensus of misery and helplessness joining us, at least partly leveling everyone out. Then the moment everyone finished school, the comparing began: who got into what university, who's acquired a better job, and who's managed to move away from our mostly be-hated home town the furthest. Bottom line, that was the last time that I can remember being fairly sure I knew what people were actually living like, let alone what they might actually be thinking.
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| Look at them! I bet they at least get called "emo faggots" and get advised to "kill themselves already" collectively! Where were my fellow emos when I was a tubby, casually jeansed, vision-impaired-by-hairdo teenager? Solidarity by style, that's whatI'mtalkin'bout. |
Now, alas, social life of the current generations has become solely about bragging - and I don't even want to get into that in the context about social media! But even in the professional world it's not about your academic achievements or skills you can demonstrate so much now, but more about just how cool you think you are, and in how many various ways you can phrase it. As someone currently going through the wringer of applying for and "performing" at job interviews quite frequently, I'm getting the itch of shedding this new snakeskin of a 2-dimensional "Worker No 4" character that they seem to be behaviourally conditioning me into. The faker and more predictable a character I "play" while talking to them, the better it all seems to be received. And no funky hair colours! Because that's... different! (And how absolutely dare you be different!)
Fit in but stand out, show confidence and determination - even tenacity - but stay humble and respectful, wear a skirt and giggle but be professional and focused. Seriously, women are expected to adhere to myriads of layers of said cow manure even beyond the usual dose, and often beyond basic logic: show him you like him but don't let him know, look fantabulous but not like you are trying to, be independent and stand up for yourself but also be submissive and quiet next to your man (otherwise you're embarrassing him and looking silly trying to take control). But I don't mean to get into the feminism talks right now either.
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| This is how an applicant is to measure her hiring potential, although to help through the interview, |
Final point is, adults seem to try too hard to be accepted and fit in (while standing out) and consequently get lost in their identity. A lot. As teenagers we were at least aware of being uncertain, but now it's just not allowed apparently. Sure, all of a sudden I'm all "determined, resilient, and motivated". Because that's how humans work, of course: one day you just know, everything, as soon as you turn 20-ish or something.
I don't get why adults often emit this embarrassing squeaky wheeze when talking about how innocent children are, and that they can't lie (proven to be false [1]). Everyone lies, or embellishes, all the time. Let's just... adorn the bullshit cake with a nugget or two of straightforwardness, casual no-makeup days, random confessions, and occasional miscellaneous candour. Though I understand being completely candid is a little like going out in a plain snow-white shirt: one tiny smear, and it's ruined. And everyone thinks you're a clumsy slob all a sudden, and you're embarrassed and sad and all that. But I don't believe an occasional moment of being real with each other, even at work, is going to bring down civilised society. (Though we can always try and see).
*Slenderman, I mean Slenderman, look him up.
1. This is just a fringe study, but proving my statement anyway: http://jbd.sagepub.com/content/24/2/213.short
Ha, it actually says: "Conclusions: Lying is common for
6- to 8-year-old children, but more frequent for males." Deceitful little bastards.
[Gif: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m79i44atZ61r3ty02o1_250.gif
BEWBS: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/23/3f/cd/233fcdb620784fca3d938dc1f22d2a2e.jpg
Slenderwoman:http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/090/3/1/slender_woman_by_manga51-d5zvanr.png]
