"You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small"
- Cyndi Lauper
The other day (maybe yesterday) I got one of those circulating email quizzes. For lack of something better to do, not only did I reply to it, but I read the replies of others as well. Invariably, I saw the same thing over and over. When asked whether or not they viewed themselves as attractive, almost all of the people replied either, "no", "I'm just okay" or something to that effect? I almost felt vain answering yes. Almost.
What world is it that we live in, that not only will society judge us harshly, but we judge ourselves even MORE harshly? When did it become taboo to find yourself attractive? To see the beauty in yourself? I mean, no, I'm not Halle Berry, or Gabrielle Union or whoever the kids are into these days, but who says I have to be? Chocolate cake and fried chicken don't taste the same, but I'll be damned if they ain't both delicious.
Now I'm sure that some folks gave the "aw shucks" response out of some sense of modesty, but, the question remains, why can't you express a positive sentiment about your looks just because you don't fit into some imaginary mold?
I can guarantee that there are at least 40 things that a person can pick on me about in the looks department and you know what? So what. I'm going to get thousands of messages via the media that points out one deficiency or another. Therefore, opinons on the aesthetics of Mamba are little more than lips flapping in the breeze. Yes, I DO like to be thought of as pretty. Yes, I AM flattered and get giddy when I receive a compliment. But when all is said and done, that doesn't validate me anymore than an individual telling me that I'm ugly makes me void. I would like to think that my looks convey my spirit, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is a beautiful thing.
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small"
- Cyndi Lauper
The other day (maybe yesterday) I got one of those circulating email quizzes. For lack of something better to do, not only did I reply to it, but I read the replies of others as well. Invariably, I saw the same thing over and over. When asked whether or not they viewed themselves as attractive, almost all of the people replied either, "no", "I'm just okay" or something to that effect? I almost felt vain answering yes. Almost.
What world is it that we live in, that not only will society judge us harshly, but we judge ourselves even MORE harshly? When did it become taboo to find yourself attractive? To see the beauty in yourself? I mean, no, I'm not Halle Berry, or Gabrielle Union or whoever the kids are into these days, but who says I have to be? Chocolate cake and fried chicken don't taste the same, but I'll be damned if they ain't both delicious.
Now I'm sure that some folks gave the "aw shucks" response out of some sense of modesty, but, the question remains, why can't you express a positive sentiment about your looks just because you don't fit into some imaginary mold?
I can guarantee that there are at least 40 things that a person can pick on me about in the looks department and you know what? So what. I'm going to get thousands of messages via the media that points out one deficiency or another. Therefore, opinons on the aesthetics of Mamba are little more than lips flapping in the breeze. Yes, I DO like to be thought of as pretty. Yes, I AM flattered and get giddy when I receive a compliment. But when all is said and done, that doesn't validate me anymore than an individual telling me that I'm ugly makes me void. I would like to think that my looks convey my spirit, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is a beautiful thing.
2 comments:
I used to say I was man pretty, but my wingman says that's to metro.
Wow, man pretty? I'm not the expert, but I think that is a lil metro.
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