The Unstable Tapestry of Human Nature

 

Our lives are woven with events lying on different parts of the emotional spectrum, just like a tapestry. We may not like the colours of some threads, but when all the threads come together, bringing their own shades, they give the bigger picture - called life – its true meaning. A dominant shade can completely alter the meaning.

But you know what’s the interesting part, we change often but always decide what colour thread will continue the weaving. This does not happen to everyone because people tend to look back with regret rather than introspecting and making the correct decisions. We need to take action before the tapestry gets filled with mundane colours.

Is it easy? Not at all.

The human mind, nay, human nature is so unstable; the life of a human is filled with so intricate layers that one does not even realize and falls into the trap of triviality. His life becomes too toxic that by the end, he finds himself in a void with no escape. The only thing he can do by now to go on with this futile life, rife with monotony. Some even end theirs. But life is not a game, that you will respawn at the last checkpoint.

Value your life, get some meaning, and live it to the fullest.

This introspection, realizing the right path, finding a meaning, all depend on the people around you and how you interact with them; how much you depend on them. I just thought to share my thoughts on such things; on the unstable tapestry that is human nature.

 

Fugacity

The fact that we are the writer, illustrator and protagonist of our lives is as true as the fact that the earth is not flat. But sometimes what we are mistaken for is our importance in others’ lives. We fail to realize that our relevance in their lives is transitory – brief and barely noticed. Maybe you are their gym partner or colleague; thinking that you play a significant role in their lives is foolish. People always seek out those whose thoughts align with theirs and whom they feel comfortable with. Not everyone is going to be your lifelong friend.

Please don’t misinterpret me. I am not saying to break your friendship with whom you don’t think is going to be your friend for a very long time. Just stop trying to find your place in others’ lives; finding an iota of importance which will give you a sense of satisfaction; make you feel like a ‘main character’. Just try to live at the moment and enjoy. As the moment passes, you move on. Obviously, there will be ones who remind you the embarrassment you faced in 7^th standard or pull your leg over an old inside joke. But don’t expect everyone or most people you meet to be a part of that ride.

Stop thinking whether you are important for him or her? Whether you mean something to him or her? The one for whom you mean the most is you yourself. The most important part you play is in your own life. When there is no reason left, barring a handful of people, nobody is even going to ask how you feel. It is not a good thing or a bad thing. It is what it is. People are too busy for that. Finding a place in everyone’s life is going to hurt you in the first place, nothing else.

Remember one thing – You may be a villain in some stories, hero in few; but you are nothing in most of them.

 

Hollow

Society as a whole is just fickle, treacherous and mercurial at best. People who once seemed to guide you to paradise will suddenly join the crowd hurling stones at you. Public opinion is swayed by emotion rather than a sense of justice. Making one a hero or a villain is nothing but a spectacle.

Here is what happens when an incident of crime goes viral on social media. People become outraged; they demand for justice. They raise their voices against the system; how it discriminates based on money, gender and so on. And after seeing such uproar, when you just smile and think of what a progressive society we live in, suddenly all the noises go numb. As if nothing happened.

This has happened not just once, but is happening on a regular basis. Social media just searches for the next viral thing to shift their attention to. It picks up an issue, escalates it to pandemonium, and then abandons it. It does not bother to take the case to its ultimate justice. Why? People lose interest. I hope one day justice will be as swift as our changing moods.

We live in absurd times – where a joke is treated as a criminal offence and a criminal offence is treated as a joke. It does not matter if you know driving, what matters is you should have money and practice essay writing, of course.

Society is hollow; no soul. Some innocent people bothering about what society has to say are bound to fail. We always support underrated ones, but once they become successful, we become skeptical of them. We lose our pity on them. This is natural by the way; movies that show the rise of an underdog tend to be celebrated. People feel connected to the hero, but once he reaches his goal, the story has reached its peak. But no one is interested to see him ride the wave of success. Why? People lose interest.

Society is there to exist; it won’t go anywhere. Nor will writing blogs like this make a massive impact. People will have to realize themselves. Society will change then; when majority of us hold a topic and carry it to the finish line.

Talking about the system or traditional media is like beating a dead horse, and I have no interest in that.

 

Schadenfreude

Enough talking about society and people, let’s talk about self now. Peering into me, observing others has given me a notion that we tend to suppress our feelings in times of grief. The most common reason is that there is no one to talk to. Sometimes a misunderstanding can be solved by just sitting and talking to one another, but either or all of the parties are not ready. Either just feel themselves to be too superior or too underconfident for this. We keep bottling up emotions such as anger, grief, and jealousy.

You know what such bottling up and suppression makes us. ‘A Poison Tree’. William Blake wrote a beautiful poem in 1794 with the same name and meaning that I am implying here. Repressed feelings of anger and jealousy can change you as a human. They can make you commit such horrifying acts that your soul may be maligned for life. The person may feel joy while committing that unimaginable and heinous act, but it damages him irreversibly.

When we surrender to such emotions, we fail to comprehend the twofold nature of our emotion. It will not only destroy the other person, but also shred our humanity into innumerable pieces. There is no going back then.

It is better to share your thoughts with someone. If there is no one available, consult a professional. It is better than suffocating ourselves and striving towards a dark path; giving fire to the fallen state of mankind.

 

Agency

I know acting these out is far harder than writing these. But we all can take control of our lives and take a step. The state of happiness is innate in we humans. Happiness isn’t something we need to outsource; we just need to find ways to be joyful. People will remain people, and society will stay the same. But it doesn’t mean that the world is devoid of things of beauty. Things which make such deep impact on us that when we are in a pensive mood, their memories are enough to fill our hearts with joy.

Beauty is, of course, subjective; you may find something mesmerising which I may find grotesque. But it is you who has to find that. And just don’t find one and stick to it for a lifetime; keep on dwelling on the past. Things of beauty are all around us. I have mentioned before that a handful ones may remain for very long time. But it is inevitable that they are not to hang around with you every time. Life moves on, so do people.

But nature is eternal; knowledge is eternal. I can mention only a few things that my little brain can process at the moment. But believe your instinct, be reasonable and just enjoy.

Keep your relations, be it of any kind, simple and meaningful at all times. Who knows, if your relations lose meaning, you might lose interest in them.

Any relationship, if intended to have some meaning and impact, needs trust, understanding and efforts. You know, these small, often unnoticed efforts, act as scaffolding, without them the whole relationship will collapse. Take time, have patience.

The visibility of efforts may fade, but the strength they provide remains intact.

Have some boundaries; don’t be codependent. Don’t indulge yourself in such a way that it self-sabotages you.

Build self-esteem but don’t let it turn into ego. Overpowering others or always insisting you are right is off-putting - trust me.

 

Just stay calm, strong, and rational, no matter what happens. Control your emotions, don’t let them control you. Don’t attach yourself too much. Control what you can, accept what you can’t.

I know it’s not always possible to stick to these ideas. Also, these ideas are not the only ones you have to follow. Create your own path. I just shared some of my thoughts. You will be swayed, distracted, emotionally overwhelmed, everyone is, even I am.

But if you course-correct yourself in the right time, the final design of the tapestry will be a sight to behold.