Тонкое искусство пофигизма
Chapter 6
”Why?Becausedespitedreamingaboutmakingalivingthroughhisart,therealpotentialofbecomingAnArtistNobodyLikeswasfar,farscarierthanremainingAnArtistNobody’sHeardOf.AtleasthewascomfortablewithandusedtobeingAnArtistNobody’sHeardOf.
Ihadanotherfriendwhowasapartyguy,alwaysgoingoutdrinkingandchasinggirls.Afteryearsoflivingthe“highlife,”hefoundhimselfterriblylonely,depressed,andunhealthy.Hewantedtogiveuphispartylifestyle.Hespokewithafiercejealousyofthoseofuswhowereinrelationshipsandmore“settleddown”thanhewas.Yetheneverchanged.Foryearshewenton,emptynightafteremptynight,bottleafterbottle.Alwayssomeexcuse.Alwayssomereasonhecouldn’tslowdown.
Givingupthatlifestylethreatenedhisidentitytoomuch.ThePartyGuywasallheknewhowtobe.Togivethatupwouldbelikecommittingpsychologicalhara-kiri.
Weallhavevaluesforourselves.Weprotectthesevalues.Wetrytoliveuptothemandwejustifythemandmaintainthem.Evenifwedon’tmeanto,that’showourbrainiswired.Asnotedbefore,we’reunfairlybiasedtowardwhatwealreadyknow,whatwebelievetobecertain.IfIbelieveI’maniceguy,I’llavoidsituationsthatcouldpotentiallycontradictthatbelief.IfIbelieveI’manawesomecook,I’llseekoutopportunitiestoprovethattomyselfoverandoveragain.Thebeliefalwaystakesprecedence.
