Well, maybe not exactly just like you, but they share similar interests, dislikes, personality quirks, tendencies, etc.
So, true or false: There are a hundred people just like you. No, you're saying, I'm original; I'm unique. There's just me, no one else like me, one in a million, a beautiful snowflake, and so on.
Last time. True or false: There are ten people just like you. If you're still saying false, for whatever reason, you may want to reconsider. I believe that there are at least 10 people more or less just like me. I may not be able to tell who exactly, but I could name a few off the top of my head.
"So why, Paityn" (No, Google, my name is not spelled wrong), "are you telling us this? You must want us to not feel special." Not in the least, you beautiful, special snowflakes. Let's do this first:
You wake up one morning, and everyone that is more or less like you now has a glowing dot above their head. And now they know you're more or less like them. Now, all of a sudden, you can relate with them, right? You'll be best friends forever! Maybe. Perhaps some of them also share your love of pretending to be a slug at 3am, but maybe the others are like you for a more sinister reason. What if you could tell- would you still want to be with them, or would they want to be with you? You're the same, after all.
What I'm trying to say is that Hester was surrounded by people more or less the same as her. They all knew what she had done, but for some, and only some, she could tell what they had done. She wasn't alone--lonely, yes, but not alone. So, and I am legitimately asking, why didn't they approach Hester? My guess is because then the others would know what they'd all done, respectively.
So, this leads me to wonder: if everyone could relate to some sin that at least one other person had done, wouldn't that mean they all knew they were all sinners? And if they all knew, why were they all so judgmental? Besides the obvious, "everyone loves a scapegoat," I'm seriously asking. Let me know what you think.
To answer your question, I'm telling you this, my opinion, because next time you do something awful or wonderful or kick yourself for telling the waitress "you too" when she tells you to enjoy your meal, or you mirror the person's trying to pass you movements or you false start or get a best time or eat all of the food or barely touch dinner because it's just one of those days, but you're "fine," I think you should remember to take a deep breath, and look around at everyone near you and realize they're not so different after all.
I adore your comic and your premise too. I think it depends on the person if they would like to be around themselves or not. For instance, bossy people, I'd wager they wouldn't particularly enjoy hanging around themselves.
ReplyDeleteA. I'm fairly certain I'm incredibly unique, I don't think there's another person who is even remotely like me. I am impossible in that I have a bunch of traits that don't tend to go together, but I've managed to make them work.
ReplyDeleteB. Maybe I don't want to be similar. Maybe I see other people and say, "Man, I'd rather not be like them."
C. Why in the world would you ever answer "you too" to anything? Just say thanks.
Good point. Thanks to the society of the time, associating with Hester means admitting that you're like her. That you deserve to wear a badge of shame. And in a world where doing so truly isn't something you can easily brush off, no one wants to be like that. So no one associates with Hester.
ReplyDeleteI agree that all these differences make people just like others; unique and quirky. I like the first paragraph when you asked the audience about the central question to make them wonder. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI am a beautiful and special snowflake. Let me impress upon you my individuality. Wow, that was an awesome intro, very creative. And you pose a good question, why do humans love to judge, despite making the exact same mistakes?
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