The Two P’s of Pride & Prejudice

 

       Every day 6 billion people worldwide begin their individual routines. They wake up and get prepared for a new day, carefully choosing their outfits and hoping for the best. As night gradually falls, a lot of expectations are crushed. Many end up disappointed and waiting for a new day to come, leaving the old one behind.
       We live in a world full of the Good, the Bad, and the In-between. We’re constantly exposed to all sorts of new experiences and events that strengthen our personalities and shape who we are. And last but not least, we live in a world where prejudice prevails.
There is something about human nature that forces people to ‘judge’ others. For some reason, a person rarely overlooks a stranger they consider inferior to them without stating something rather judicious. Everywhere you look there’s already a pair of eyes looking back at you. Whether you dress properly or not, it doesn’t matter, someone is going to comment on your choice of clothing for today. In the light of such an uncomfortable fact, I couldn’t help but wonder:  Is pride an essential part of prejudice?
       There’s a certain feeling of pride and internal satisfaction one gets upon seeing people inferior to them, and this feeling is rarely left unstated and unspoken. Highlighting others’ faults does make us feel superior. However, come to think of it, what do we really know about the people we see every day? No one knows what their lives are like; experiences and series of events that have shaped their opinions remain hidden, for as long as they are strangers to us. Someone once said: “Never judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes”, but here’s a question: what if their shoes were simply… hideous?      
       Every day, we keep on choosing the tidiest, most fashionable pieces of hope and glory as we leave our homes; expecting approval of our choices from our closest friends, to the cute crush you see once a day, to a stranger down the ghetto. Why do we seek the approval of others? Is it something we can’t live without and base our choices upon?  If so, does that mean our entire lives depend on what others think of us?  It’s a long war against bad prejudice where every battle is a step closer to winning back the approval of others. On the other hand, there is that portion of the population, stronger than the rest of us, who have developed a defensive mechanism against society’s expectations and strangers’ opinions. One can’t help but wonder:  Should you care enough to let others’ affect your life style choices? If yes, to what extent?
       In the end, it all depends on the person and their way of thinking. People won’t change, especially for some stranger down the street. The only thing you can do (and I know it sounds like something you might hear in a movie or a classic family TV show) is just be yourself. And if that’s not good enough for others, well, then, let them cry you a river.