I believe there is a heavy movement against the self that is, whoever is waging the war doesn't want you to accept yourself for who you are.

We all want to be something different, never quite happy where we are. “If only I could; look like, or be like, or have that then I would be happy” I do not say “Strive not for more”, more simply put; see the beauty of what you have now and love it because its who you are at this moment, find your peace from within, find happiness from inside yourself rather than depending on the fickle world to deliver it to you because what if you depend on money for happiness, in times of lack of money you will also find a lack of happiness, and this is not only applicable to cash; Dependence on anything works in this situation.

Again I clarify I do not mean to say “Depend not on others and let not others depend upon you” But rather Do not solely expect others to make you happy because that puts a tremendous load on someone else and often times split ways eventually due to the stress of not being able to provide this insurmountable task. How can you love another before yourself? If you cannot love yourself before another it will cause conflict from within, know or not you will question how they can love you when you cannot, you will mistrust their affections as false and this only adds to the burden of trying to provide you with joy. Stop picking at insignificant flaws and comparing yourself to everybody else, didn’t nature teach us this lesson? No two snowflakes are alike and yet they are all beautiful, embrace yourself and love who you are, be true to yourself always and never conform to conflicting ideals. Shine by being your own light rather than trying to borrow from somebody else’s, and share. A candle loses no flame when lighting another candle, spread joy and love. Be abundant in life and share moments with others. LIVE

You know, I give you a flag and star for this.

Here lately, I've been getting some graying in my hair. Premature if you ask me.

You wouldn't believe the number of people who have told me that I need or should dye it. I refuse to do so. I'm not that pleased with gray hair but am big enough to accept that it is a part of life.

Even if I dyed it, I would still know my hair is graying. I am happy with who I am and the way I see it,

If people can't love me for who I am then I really don't want them around me.

I am who I am and proud of it.

[edit on 20-11-2009 by jam321]

I'm happy with who I am, it's everyone else that depresses me.

Secondeth Lineth

I discovered this personally a few years ago, life is much better for it. I don't get infected by the society view of what I should be anymore. I did shave my hair, grew a beard aswell because I wanted to, something which might have been frowned on a bit at work..

For me it was a big transformation from being a poster boy for capitalism, to where I am now - Free and happy (as much as any of us can be at the moment).

I thought I had it all, great career, money, big cars, large house whatever I wanted really. Don't have those things anymore and I feel very liberated, changed alot of my habits as well. Out went the TV and in came long walks and actually enjoying the planet we live on. So no matter how bad things may get it is true that every cloud has a silver lining, it has really opened my eyes.

Still kept one of my vices (astronomy) which is somewhat expensive but its all in the interest of furthering my knowledge so I think thats ok

Originally posted by jam321
You know, I give you a flag and star for this.

Here lately, I've been getting some graying in my hair. Premature if you ask me. ]

thats what they all say. lol

nice try. a touch of gray is always cool in my opinion.

Rise above human nature. stop taking, start giving.

Thanks for such an inspirational message..... It's sad that we live in a society that is filled with a plethora of false images and personas that are revered as the pinnacle of beauty and succes... and that if we don't look, act, say or do the things these archetypes of Hollywood and the media do, we are ostracized and deemed ugly and pathetic... we do indeed live in an illusory world, for we are flooded with all these fake images and personas that exist no where else, but on a poster, a billboard, a movie or television screen... Fools, are those who try to emulate those robots... their attempts are truly pathetic

Ive just turned 30 and have been dying my hair for years, altho going to the hairdressers helps, home jobs make you look like you`ve dipped your head in tar. I have to do it, looking like paulie from the sopranos is not a good look for the under 40`s

I think of this everytime I see an ad in a sports magazine. What once was targeted at a females is now a market for men also. But i dont want to look like those guys. I want to look like me. Anything thats fashionable now will be out of style in ten years.


Star and flag.

Dont be anyone but yourself.

I'm happy with myself just the way I am, sure I could stand to drop a couple lb's but I certainly don't look at (insert your favorite celeb name here) and say man I wish I was that guy. Where I'm at in life is a different story all together.

Long story short my ex was like that, she wanted to be this one or that one always crying over her self image. That lead to the worst jealousy I've ever encountered and ultimately the end of our relationship.

I'm generally not one to throw the blame around, the media this the government that but I do feel we've been conditioned to aspire to a certain look and lifestyle that for most is unattainable and probably leads to so many being unhappy.

Hummm...I guess I'll jump in here with my first ever post on ATS. I got to agree in spirit with the OP, but what is wrong with anyone, male or female, trying to look their best? Most of the women I know would scare me if I saw them without makeup, and most of them are current or former models or dancers....I'm just so used to seeing them "perfect" they would scare me any other way.
I'm 58 and color my hair, I guess I'd be totally grey otherwise, but other than that I just try to get as much exercise as I can, and eat right but I admire those who hit the gym 5 or 6 times a week to stay in top shape....and where would we be without at least implants for the ladies? May as well move to China and wear the old Mayo outfits..same style and color for everyone. No one should HAVE TOO color, make up, curl, implannt or anything thing else, but I sure don't see anything wrong with doing it...To each his (or her) own.

Naturalness and true to oneself avoids a lot of illusion and delusion. The push is to focus on molding peoples emotions. We are either thinking or feeling, seldom both and even rarer to do both well at the same time. Seems like every news broadcast focuses on "feeling the issue" and little or nothing about thinking. People live most of their life asleep and in fantasy. Fantasy is another word for dissociation. Music is mostly dissociation. Image conscious is dissociation. At the same time, the world conditions drive people away from the reality and into escapism (dissociation). People pretending and not being live, natural, real and true human beings deprives them of their spiritual power. It your attention is on pretend then your attention is not on your spiritual welfare even if a person is pretending to be spiritual. Every effort is being made to misdirect the spirit, deplete it and waste the human life rather than apply oneself to the only thing that really matters.

The Century of the Self

It is an old four-hour series....

but I found it most relevant to this conversation..., if you have the time.

(episodes originally aired separately)

Part one

Google Video Link

Part two

Google Video Link

Part three

Google Video Link

Part four

Google Video Link

The documentary speaks for itself. It seems this behavior is very definitely engineered.

You might also want to check out "Manufacturing Consent."

[edit on 20-11-2009 by Maxmars]

[edit on 21-11-2009 by Maxmars]