Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Andbecausewe’reallquiteaveragemostofthetime,thedelugeofexceptionalinformationdrivesustofeelprettydamninsecureanddesperate,becauseclearlywearesomehownotgoodenough.Somoreandmorewefeeltheneedtocompensatethroughentitlementandaddiction.Wecopetheonlywayweknowhow:eitherthroughself-aggrandizingorthroughother-aggrandizing.

           Someofusdothisbycookingupget-rich-quickschemes.OthersdoitbytakingoffacrosstheworldtosavestarvingbabiesinAfrica.Othersdoitbyexcellinginschoolandwinningeveryaward.Othersdoitbyshootingupaschool.Othersdoitbytryingtohavesexwithanythingthattalksandbreathes.

           ThistiesintothegrowingcultureofentitlementthatItalkedaboutearlier.Millennialsoftengetblamedforthisculturalshift,butthat’slikelybecausemillennialsarethemostplugged-inandvisiblegeneration.Infact,thetendencytowardentitlementisapparentacrossallofsociety.AndIbelieveit’slinkedtomass-media-drivenexceptionalism.

           Theproblemisthatthepervasivenessoftechnologyandmassmarketingisscrewingupalotofpeople’sexpectationsforthemselves.Theinundationoftheexceptionalmakespeoplefeelworseaboutthemselves,makesthemfeelthattheyneedtobemoreextreme,moreradical,andmoreself-assuredtogetnoticedorevenmatter.

           WhenIwasayoungman,myinsecuritiesaroundintimacywereexacerbatedbyalltheridiculousnarrativesofmasculinitycirculatingthroughoutpopculture.