I highly doubt this debate to go anywhere considering it's more of a self-moral debate and I doubt a large number of the people here are going to act mature regarding it.

This was posted on another forum:


In case you don't get the last part, it's a forum/guild dedicated to helping people.

Of course I'll post my response later if it seems appropriate.

I have a whole slue of philosophical quotes I could write down here, but there is only one that really matters.

"Existence precedes essence". Jean-Paul Sartre.

Your existence comes first, you determine your essence, you have determined it everyday of your life. Whether you know it or not, who you are, your Being has been decided by you. To deny this freedom is to act in "bad faith" and make an excuse for your laziness. Take responsibility for your actions, for who you are. (Existential nonsense ends here)

There are so many double standards in New Age philosophy, this is just another brick in the wall

it's just one of those stupid one liners which are next to pointless

it sounds great and looks like a good virtue at first glance but when you think about it it's cameldung

it makes people think they can behave however they want and not suffer the consequences
(which is a very popular viewpoint in the alternative scene nowadays again)

if you want to be who you are and not change for anyone then you have to take the consequences of that lifestyle too
if you act like an ass expect people to treat you like one...
and don't come whining when they do

it's a lesson several people on this forum could use...

I think it applies in certain situations though, just...not always.

Or, how about, "Be who you want to be". I say that people can do what they want as long as it doesn't harm anyone or anything, and if what they want is to be a conformist with no individuality, more power to them.

If you want to change for someone, then do. Just remember that you can never please everyone, so you might as well just be someone for yourself.


Agreed.

I agree.

In real life, I do change a little, but I think I've now reached the point in my life where all the people who are close, all the people who are good friends, or just friendly acquaintances have finally realised what I'm all about and don't change the essence of me - the bit about who I am. They may change certain behavioural aspects (ie. getting me to calm down a bit ) but they know who I am and like me for that, and I think that just comes with knowing everyone for so long.

People have finally got me - I mean some people haven't, but people will now stick up for me being who I am.
Only on Friday some friends were sticking up for me via the argument "if you don't do something to him he'll be nice to you", which is pretty much true.

Not changing at all is silly, but changing the whole essence of yourself is being a liar.
Adapting yourself is the way to go.

Well, yeah. In my personal experience, I used to (try) to conform to "the norm". Finally, about six months ago, I came to the point where I realized one day by posting that I thought FDR was the worst US president (whooooole 'nuther story there, kids) that it was really quite senseless to try to conform, because I wasn't saying FDR was the worst president just to be a rebel or something, I was saying it because I seriously believed in what I was saying. Trust me, when you get to saying something that is "against the grain", and you realize, hey, I believe this shizzle, that you have to accept that you're not going to conform to X, Y, and Z.

Point being, like Scrum said, you're likely to change over time, but you ARE being your true self.

well put vera.

Why not improve? I ask myself that and respond.

Sorry, but who actually is FDR?
I suppose I've always been that way though. Although I know the biggest moral victories my friends have fought have been stopping conforming to society (ie. making me their friend lololol)


And was that just for post count or some hidden, intellectual reason?
Because I don't see a debate in the post either way here.


Improving is good to do if that's who you actually are. If you want to be stuck in a rut then there's no point trying to improve at anything other than being deeper in that rut; either way you're going to end up in it.

FDR = Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 33rd President of the United States.

And yeah, my biggest thing was not having a little "holy huddle" as most people called the cliques that grew out of our being Americans living in Asia. I never got into a holy huddle, and I never made one of my own. I found a couple of people who I considered close, and that was about it...I still keep up with them, actually, but I never really made a group out of them.

Fact is, according to the people I knew in high school, I can never be "c00l" unless I "save" like 292946724798069024 people by showing a Jesus film or something. Because I wasn't in "The Group" or w/e. So, I figure I'll make a future for myself in college.

I think that most axioms are only good part of the time. They're supposed to sound good, but the reality is that to go through life, you can't just have one saying to carry you through trials and stuff- you have to have a well-thought-out system of inter-linking morals, values, and principles. Not to say that one should ignore these kinds of things altogether, but be wary about making life-changing decisions based on philosophy.

i had problems at school
and well it seems sometimes you need to change for someone
but you really need to find a group you fit in with

ok picture this
ppl hate you and your really smart
then go hang out with the nerds because theyre just people to
and you cant be judged just because you hang out with people

Y'know, the Enter button is there to separate paragraphs, not to show where you'd take a breath if you were actually saying it. Unless you're serenading up with an epic poem, try to keep my eyes from bleeding. Please.

Improve what you want to improve but don't get worse.

Y'know, the Backspace button is there to erase what could be possibly taken as being a complete ass to someone just because they don't type perfectly.

Honestly, I don't see the big kafuffle about the "Accept who you are."

The only point of it is to suggest that it's not necessary to conform to a large majority of social expectations, just for the sole reason that people will look down on you otherwise. It's not saying it's okay to be a murderer if that's who you are inside.

I'm just OC about grammar- the way I was raised. Every time I see no capitalization it's like a needle being jabbed into my skin.

Welcome to the internet. The majority of the users don't know grammar and I'm sure if I go through all of your posts I'll find numerous grammar mistakes, now if you too keep having problems over the way someone types take it to the PMs. Keep your post relevant to the topic.


Like I said before I would post my opinion which is pretty much summed up into a song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7DhzgLQCwU

Yes, I know some people won't like it.

But the title

pretty much covers for me which seems to reiterate Vera:
"Be who you want to be."

I don't think there's anything wrong with things like motivational speeches, even though it's about individuality.