I'll warn you first before I start blabbing. There will probably be more entries in here with that title, or something related to it, since this is one of those entries that reveal yet another aspect of my personality that I believe I've had for as long as I can remember.
I, more than anything else, positively, completely, absolutely hate all the kinds/types/forms of change.
I know, it's the only thing in the world that's permanent, and I can't do anything about it, but still. I have a hard time believing I will ever like change, because most of the time, I already like things as they are, the first time I see them, or get to know them. I strive for things to never ever change, because it feels good to know, that there's always something you can count on to always be there when you need it--to always be how you left it. And, (at least this is how it feels for me) it feels bad when something you don't expect (or even if you expect it--as long as it's different from what you're used to) occurs, and you're going to have to adjust. I'll admit that I've been constantly changing ever since I was born. But you'll notice that what I said earlier was that I strive no to. As much as possible, I try to keep things as they are--or at least how I find them, because that's how I like myself and the things around me to be. Stable. Reliable. Even, stagnant. Boring, on the other hand it may be, but you gotta admit, sometimes, boring is good. It's safe.
Now, the reason I'm suddenly bringing up my issues on change is this--I've just seen the updates on a Friendster profile of one of the people that I like (Well, now liked) and it's changed a lot, in my opinion, for the worse. See, the first time I read this guy's profile, I remember being so interested, that by the time I finished reading it, I remembered myself smiling, and thinking, "Here is a guy who's genuinely different, and he knows exactly how to show it."
There were no famous quotes in his profiles, no song lyrics, or anything cliche and mainstream. Hobbies/Interests inculded eating and sleeping--not at all impressive, but it's the fact that it's not trying to sound impressive (like reading, studying, soccer, modelling, writing poems (even if, in fairness, there are some people who honestly like these things and are really good at it)) that impressed me. It had 'comics' written under Favorite Books, and names of famous actresses under those people he 'wanted to meet'. And then he admitted to interpreting the question wrong, and amended (without deleting the famous actresses' names) that those he wanted to meet were people with a sense of humor.
The profile was so honest, that just from those short details, I could almost claim that that guy was a sensitive, understanding person who wouldn't judge people before really getting to know them, and can become a loyal friend.
And this was before I even read the testimonials, which, when I did, made me even more interested, as there were several traits that jumped out from the testimonials posted--that he was a sensitive, understanding person who's a very loyal friend.
In case you're wondering about the picture, the primary pic was solo picture of him, and it was great. Not because he was cute or anything, but because it was so simple and basic, almost like an ID picture, but because the background was a couch, and his smile was more friendly instead of formal, it was obviously a casual picture. A good one. And unlike other pics in Friendster where the people are with their cool friends, in cool clothes, at cool places; or just parts of their faces (mostly eyes), or bodies (i.e. hands covering their faces, etc.), this one, didn't at all seem like he was trying to look cool. He was just being himself--in his profile, his picture, and even the other uploaded pics (as they were of cartoon characters he obviously liked).
Boring he may seem, but I found it real interesting, because the impression I got, was that, like I said, he was just being himself and almost saying that, if you liked him, then great, but if you didn't, then that's up to you. He wasn't trying to make a statement or convince anyone about his personality. He was really, just being himself. And maybe this is just my opinion, but I think the world ought to have more people like that--honest, and not afraid to be who they are.
After about a month or two though (and this is where the title comes in), the summer breeze (I told you I didn't like summer) must've done something to him, because the next time I visited his page (yesterday - 5/31/04), his primary pic, was now a picture of a silver convertible (probably a Jaguar--I don't know much about cars). It wasn't anymore the simple solo pic that I'd liked. And the other contents followed suit.
The 'eating and sleeping' hobbies weren't there anymore. Neither was the part about comic books. And instead of the unique, honest opinions on the 'About Me' field, it was replaced with descriptions of his liking for cars, coffee, Dan Brown (author of 'The DaVinci Code'), X-Games (okay, I'm not totally hating him for this one--this is the redeeming factor of the group), and girls who liked to go out and party. The new testimonials were filled with how much girls liked him, too.
For a moment, I checked the page title, to see if it was really the same person as before. And it was, much to my dismay, frustration, and downright puzzlement.
How could he have been the sweet, honest, sensitive guy I thought I knew 2 months ago?
This Friendster page had 'interests' that tried to sound cool, such as his fondness for going to coffee shops, and listening to rock music. And it mentions the DaVinci Code! I mean, no offense to Dan Brown and his fans, I'm sure it's a great book, but it's already gotten so mainstream, that I highly doubt that people are reading it now to satisfy their own curiosities rather than to be able to relate to the 'cool' people and be considered 'intellectual' types.
The 'About Me' part was now so much longer than before; the interests more detailed, etc. but honestly, they were all so typical that I think I found out more about him from his old profile that didn't have as much answers in it. At least that one didn't look as if it was trying to please anyone--get people to like him because he was a cool person based on his Friendster interests. True, it was less likely to receive any friend requests, but hey, isn't everyone always saing that 'those who can't like you for who you are aren't worth being friends' (or something along those lines)? And sure, maybe the whole point of Friendster really is to try and impress people with how much "friends" one can get from having an interesting page, and there really isn't anything wrong with 'spicing up' profiles--the content could still be true after all...
It just saddens me at how doomed humanity seems to be getting because some of those who already have their own great identities are still so insecure with it that they're easily pressured by the majority (whether they're conscious of it or not) to follow the herd, thereby lose their individuality and contribute to the ethnic-cleansing-like discrimination of the minority groups who don't quite fit.
Isn't diversity what makes this world great? So, why conform? Why compromise? Why change?
There's a saying we always used to put in retreat letters when my friends and I were in elementary school--"Change for the better, not for the worse." I admit to writing that a couple of times, but it's only now that I realize it's actually a bit insulting, becasue telling someone to change, is like telling them that there's something wrong with them. And sure, there's probably something wrong with all of us anyway--we're only human, but it's not up to anyone else whether we should change or not, because then, we might be pressured into changing into someone we don't want to be, or we just can't be. Who's to say what's better or worse for us anyway?
As unoriginal as quoting can be, it's merely 'agreeing' to what somebody else said, and 'agreeing' doesn't necessarily result in big changes. So, mainstream though Hilary Duff is, she still made a lot of sense, singing the verse from her song 'Workin' It Out'--
"It's hard enough to be what you are; Harder to be what you're not..."
