Validation

I was watching the Oprah show yesterday about the American culture and its effects on teenage girls. On how Paris, Lindsay and the other good-time girls are regarded as idols and the epitome of cool (which I am guilty of too of course).

The teenage girls of America now seek validation by being what they think is cool, choosing to be slim, skimpy and sexually careless.

This is definitely not a recent development I think.

And not just teenage girls.

It just brings to mind of how so often we require validation from every walk of life that we are willing to sacrifice our own personalities.

At work, we are dictated to act a certain way to be perceived as high value individuals. We need validation from the boss and fellow colleagues. Misguided bosses whom had fallen into the trap themselves set to perpetuate such vicious cycles.

Even family, love and appearances has a certain set of standards dictated by the marketing geniuses somewhere out there.

Almost god-like, they create what is deemed as a perfect successful loving lifestyle. Good looks, nice house, big cars, exclusive education, cute kids and so on. Having it all validates our existence.

If not, you are a miserable loser.

We are so much into consumerism and materialism that it has become a part of our lives, manipulating us subconsciously. The greatest stroke of genius: we deemed all these desires as our own choices when it is actually not at all.

We have become someone we were not. We do not need technology and advances in life sciences to turn human beings into clones. Just clever marketing.

But how can we overcome it without turning ourselves into a recluse or a nun or some moral high priestess?

And do we really want do away with the Kate Spades, Pradas and Estee Lauders that so very well establishes us in our society?

What happens when they are gone..................?

Perhaps, the real beauty of us emerges when we do not give a care about what people think. When we do not need any validation from anyone to confirm our very existence.