One fucking mistake. Sometimes, that’s all it takes for your whole life to come crashing down. Maybe you had your reasons for doing it. Maybe it’s only considered a mistake in the eyes of certain people, communities, or cultures. But then, is it actually a mistake if you felt justified in doing it? I guess it depends on the actions that led to the so called mistake.
It’s crazy how quick the world is to judge, even when they know so little about you. For those struggling to face the world on their own, this judgment doesn’t come easy. Everyone has their own internal battles that others aren’t aware of. And yet, there are those who claim to be the “perfect” people of the community. The difference? Those grappling with their internal struggles are honest and true, trying to heal themselves. Meanwhile, the fake “good” people only care about appearing perfect in everyone else’s eyes. Dumb fakes, honestly.
One mistake. Something that may not even seem like a mistake to you…can be the death of you in the eyes of others. Sure, you might think, “Who gives a fuck what others think?” And that’s true to a point. But sometimes, we’re bound by our connections and relationships. We have no choice but to take part in their ideology. These bonds…whether tied by blood, work, friendship, or love…force us to care about what they think. At the end of it all, what matters is how open minded these people are, whether they’ll stand by you no matter what you did.
We all like to say, “Fuck the world and its opinions!” But life isn’t always that simple. These bonds and relationships with family, coworkers, friends etc. are not so easily dismissible.
The Masks We Wear
Each of us belongs to different social groups: work friends, school friends, university friends, neighbors, family friends, cousins, or random close friends we’ve made as adults. And with every group, there’s a certain way we’re expected to talk, behave, and interact. Social class, tradition and religion they all play a role in shaping these expectations. So, we adjust. We put on different versions of ourselves for each group.
What if you find someone who sees every version of you—without judgment, without criticism? Someone who accepts you fully, flaws and all, and makes you feel safe to be your truest self. BUT its not right. Maybe it’s a relationship at work where you can be your true self with them, but society says it’s not appropriate. Maybe it’s your cousin, someone you’re so close to that you feel completely at ease, but because they’re of the opposite gender, people judge your bond.
What if you’re stuck in a dead marriage, and you have an affair just to feel alive? You’re not proud, but who else is going to care about you? Or imagine you have a child who’s your only hope for living, but because of one mistake, you lose custody and are labeled as unfit or unstable.
Maybe you go online to show your body to the world because you’re insecure, and that’s the only place you get validation. You know it’s not who you truly are, but it gives you a sense of worth. Or picture this: you’re at a rooftop party, and after a few drinks, you accidentally trip and fall onto someone sitting on a ledge. They fall. Who’s at fault? Who is wrong? Who’s to blame?
What happens when being true to yourself is seen as a violation of rules you didn’t create? The world is quick to label you, to decide whether you’re worthy or not based on a single moment, a single act. But they never stop to ask: Why?
Therefore in the end no matter how much we want to scream “FUCK the world!”, the truth is, we’re all tied to it in some way.