General
Image Is Nothing!
In today’s world, image is made out to be everything. When you get to know someone who has cultivated a very good image, you soon realize they’re hollow inside—a person completely unrelated to their image… Getting to know them up close brings only disappointment and disillusionment…
I’ve had an experience in America. When it comes to image, they have no equal in the world. Their sole goal is to be the center of attention for everything. Packaging is their greatest achievement. For example, New York is just a facade in my eyes. It’s a beautiful city, but it’s not the kind of city it’s exaggerated to be in those movies. It’s nothing like they make it out to be…
It’s the same for people, too. Some people we see from the outside project a perfect image. But then you hear them say just a couple of words, and you realize how shallow they really are. We’re heading toward a world where people place far too much value on appearances. Everyone chases after empty images in an effort to be like those who are loved and admired, without even considering whether it suits them or not. The majority of people are becoming more and more alike.
Duplicate Lives
The same type of people are everywhere, as if they’d all come off an assembly line… Just because it’s “fashion” doesn’t mean everyone has to do the same thing. If you’re at peace with yourself—if you can look in the mirror and say, “I’m happy just the way I am”—then how fortunate you are. Some images are literally imposed on us through perception management. Obsessions like, “Everyone’s growing a beard, so I’ll grow one too,” or “Short hair is in style—all the famous women have cut their hair, so I’ll cut mine too…” distance us from our true selves and our real character. They turn us into people who copy others. We become dependent on the approval of others. The desire to look like everyone else becomes an addiction. Sometimes, to avoid being excluded by society, we find ourselves compelled to imitate others without even realizing it. The “I don’t care” mindset is about being at peace with yourself and being exactly who you want to be. It’s not an obsession.
Your Body Belongs to You
One of the images imposed on us regarding physical appearance is body measurements… Demands like “You must weigh this much, have this body shape, or be this height” are on the rise. Body measurements have become so important that people are going on diets—and even undergoing surgery—while disregarding their health. Your body is yours. You decide what it should look like. If you want to lose weight—and since it’s something you want for yourself—the most important thing is to do it in a healthy way for the sake of your health. Furthermore, body measurements aren’t the only thing that matters. You also need to take care of your character. Your personal growth and human values are just as important as your body measurements.
You’re going to create an image—make sure it’s truly authentic and reflects who you are; most importantly, be genuine and original. Ask yourself, “How much of myself am I showing?” It’s not about the image; what matters is that you’ve found yourself.
Be at peace with yourself; be self-aware. Do you know yourself? When you look in the mirror, is that really you? Or are you just an image created by those around you? An image is like a fantasy. We only recognize the true value of a person, an object, or an event when we get to know them closely. Similarly, we can only recognize our own true value when we get to know ourselves closely.