Reputations

Note: Originally posted on 16 June 2013. Transferred from ME aGAiN on blogger.

I don’t know if you know this, and it might be really obvious, but people really care about how others view them. Lately I’ve noticed just how much people care, and it’s crazy! It’s completely understandable.. but it’s crazy! A little while ago I was venting to my best friend, Summer, about something this guy did that really kind of made me angry. He found out that I told Summer, and he flipped out at me! His exact words were “What are people going to think???” They are going to think that you’re a jerk that’s what. But that’s not even it. First, she’s my best friend and I’m going to tell her everything, that’s just a thing. Second, you can’t expect people not to find out about your actions. You can’t hope for a good reputation when you aren’t doing things to build that reputation. Third, is that really the first thing you’re worried about? What are people going to think? Yeah, seems legit.

Anyway, this post isn’t just about that. How many times have you heard someone say, “Please don’t put that picture on Facebook”? I totally understand this situation more than the last one though. There are definitely pictures out there that I’m embarrassed about. And it’s particularly suckish when someone happens to catch a picture of you doing something you aren’t very proud of. But still! No one looks great in every picture, and every one makes mistakes. The only reason I can understand being worried about pictures on Facebook is because now-a-days colleges and job interviewers look on Facebook to check out their applicants. Oh! Another thing about Facebook pictures. Now that it’s summer time, there are a lot more beach pictures being thrown up on Facebook, which means topless guys and girls in bikinis. This isn’t proven or anything, but if you look a little closer at those pictures, it definitely seems like all of the guys are flexing and the girls are sucking in. Which just cracks me up. Of course every one wants to look good and show off how good they can look, but come on. By sucking in, it’s not like I’m all of a sudden that skinny. And it’s not like I’m obese in the first place! But yet, I worry, just like every one else, how I’m going to look in this picture. So why do we care so much? I don’t know. We’re in college I guess.

Another thing I’ve noticed is how scared some people are to be themselves in public. I’m definitely guilty of this so I can understand why people do it. Summer and I are crazy when we’re together, but would I act like that around someone I just met? Probably not. I don’t want them to think I’m some lunatic or something! Even if I am a lunatic, I don’t want them to think that haha. But what if they are a lunatic too and if we both acted like we do with our best friends, what if we would get along super well??? This kind of reminds me of Shel Silverstein’s poem called Masks.

I don’t know if I’m still really talking about reputations or masks or public images or what. But hey, that’s what I’m thinking.