Carnivals Mirrors

Hope everyone is having a great week. The focus of this week's blog is going to be on people who find personality in what they consume. So often people look for themselves in a product. I want to peal it back a little this week. Let's get into it.

The inspiration for this post partially comes from my long contentious relationship with people who drive muscle cars. For those who don't know, here is a list of some muscle cars: Mustang, Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger, and Camaro. I've had such a complicated relationship with these cars because the owner of the car is the most predictable driver in the world. God forbid you make eye contact with them as to provoke them to rev their engine and zoom off. It feels like they have an aura of self-importance that's informed through the car they own. I swear I see 20 mustangs a day and they all carry themselves as if they're the only people that owns that car. I have to recognize that people do have individuals relationships with the things they own or love. I know that Thriller by Michael Jackson is an album that I and others all know, but we all have a different relationship with it depending on who we are and when we heard the album etc. However, the difference here is the position these muscle car owners assume when they get their car. They seem oblivious to the fact that they own the same car yet the way they act seems to come from a similar place. A chip on the shoulder mentality, feeling hard, wanting to dominate the streets with a "cool" car. These ads must be doing wonders. I've seen two guys with the same car try to flex on each other while driving the same make and model. What is it about these cars that create this mentality? Oh? Or does it feed a mentality? This post could very well go in a different direction than intended. No, it's cool I'll stay focused. But I do think muscle car drivers are an interesting case for this discussion. The way their car and personalities blend are so transparent, it would be irresponsible of me not to bring them up. But really, what leads people down this road of identifying with a product to the point of it becoming part of who you are?

In my mind there are a few answers to this question, but I'm just going to focus on two. One answer is that people need to do more work to divorce themselves from their interests (which I'm well aware sounds crazy). The other thing being that people are simply projecting an idea of themself and grab from an external idea or product to fulfill that idea or make it come to life. Often times people see their interests as something that defines them. They feel like without those interests they wouldn't be who they are. I understand how people get to that conclusion so easily but hear me out. Have you considered looking at who you are and how that allows you enjoy the things you like? The starting point isn't with the hobby, it's in you. There are characteristics about a given person that informs their interests. As insanely corny as it sounds it's true. I think if we can get a better grasp of what drives us and leads us to fall in love with our interests, we'd find more satisfaction in ourselves. Thus, making our interest a thing we love and have passion in, but also have the ability to divorce our confidence and identity from them. So, walking around valuing yourself based off what you like isn't only annoying, it's also unsustainable. Ultimately, some subsect of people will own or have access to that thing. In turn making you insufferable to be around because you've gotten too intimate with an object that's fairly accessible. That's just one side of the issue though. There's still the issue of people projecting an idea of themselves.

The alpha male mentality is an idea that's existed forever in society. However, today with the help of the internet, that idea is largely inescapable. Millions of men are subscribing to an idea of masculinity that fundamentally puts women and others in a place of inferiority (in their minds). While that mindset is hot garbage and is a topic I may return to another day, what I want to focus on here are the rejects of this mindset. The guys who don't fit these masculine ideas with personality, charisma, body type etc. Basically, the guys who have to talk themselves into being this idea that they fundamentally aren't. They have to do homework and watch videos on how to be an "alpha male" because it's what they want, but it's not who they are. In their "research" they'll find ideas of modeling your identity around The Joker, or Thanos, or even Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother. They'll be told that a mustang, a Hellcat, or any item that they own will project a masculine energy that they want to possess. Never mind the terrible overarching idea that's being preached there. They're being told to surround themselves with masculine things so they can be secure in this idea masculinity they don't have. All these people are following the same twisted ass blueprint in attempt to reach a goal that is built to have a hierarchy amongst everyone that subscribes to it. So, if you don't have money, the cars, the girls, and the respect you're devalued in that space. I get that everyone has their insecurities, but it's best not to internalize it to the point of having a false sense of importance that's fed through consumerism. Ok well this week's post has come to a conclusion. Don't think I'm not talking about you just because I focused on extreme examples. Hope y'all have a great weekend.