The Chinese Man

"In China, there was once a man who liked pictures of dragons, and his clothing and furnishings were all designed accordingly. His deep affections for dragons was brought to the attention of the dragon god, and one day a real dragon appeared before his window. It is said that he died of fright. He was probably a man who always spoke big words but acted differently when facing the real thing.” Tsunetomo Yamamoto, Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

This passage reflects much of how I feel toward the state of most people inhabiting this world. To sum it up, people are fake. There are so many out there that talk big game and in actuality are saying it just to gain acceptance or gain something. They put on a facade and hide behind a mask. Whether it's the guy that puffs his chest out, talks big game and never backs it up; or the gal who acts all nice and sweet to everyone and as soon as she gets home talks about how much she hates everyone and wishes they'd all go away. People aren't being genuine and I think it's tearing us as a group apart.

In society, if you don't follow the norm you are seen as an outsider and can even be cast-off from the herd if you're seen as "out-of-line". Modern technologies make it even easier to keep people in check. With how easy it is to spread information through the internet, many people might live in fear of doing, saying, or posting things that offend others. Especially in mediums such as facebook or twitter, a lot of us might hesitate to say what's really on our minds. This includes our views and philosophies on life as well as opinions on favorite books, TV shows, and sports teams. Some are afraid to say anything at all at risk of losing what connections they've made.

Due to our nature as social beings, I think it's very natural that most people want to be accepted by others and be seen as a part of the group. However, I think it's that this desire to belong makes it that much more important to be yourself. The late Terence McKenna, a man who had a unique perspective on life, once talked about finding the others. In short, when you look to find others like you, you will find people who will let you be genuine and accept you the way you are. Instead of having to follow a bunch of social norms, you can just be.

In the last few years I've been looking within and finding what it is I want in my life. In doing so, I've discovered my passion for art. It's something I naturally look to increase my mastery in without it feeling like a chore. I've meet some of my closest friends because of it. I love video games, and many of my closest friends are fellow gamers. I've bonded with people at the gym who are also interested in improving themselves and we've become good friends. Instead of trying to be something I'm not, delving deeper into my interests has enabled me to create so many invaluable relationships.

If there's anything to learn from the story of the Chinese man, it's that you should be true to your words and your actions. There's plenty of research that shows that people who actively do what they love end up being so much more satisfied with life. To me, a big part of achieving that is learning to be genuine. Not just to others, but to yourself as well.

                                                                                                    Peace

If you are always hiding behind masks, how can anyone truly connect with the real you?