I have a few facts that have been permanently seared into my mind: people sculpt society, society sculpts minds and the mitochondria is the power house of the cell.
As I've gotten older, I have realized certain things are socially acceptable and certain things are not. This does not include the obvious, such as no screaming indoors or throwing food in public. It has come evident to me that there are certain socially acceptable thoughts, appearances and truths. If you were to look up the definition of "socially acceptable", it would be along the lines of: being in regards of acting like everyone else, to fit in. Is that really how society should be molded?
The social acceptability of thoughts change with age. As a young child, “naive” thoughts of dream jobs as models, presidents and princesses are more than acceptable, they’re expected. That is not to say that if a toddler decided to have the more practical job – let’s say a teacher – adults would be worried about them, but outlandish or unlikely jobs are all possible at that age. If a teenager held the same unrealistic ideas when deciding on a job, it might raise some concerns. Of course, if a 17-year-old is dedicated to being a princess after their schooling, it would be best to inform them that that isn’t really a job or at least not a lucrative one, or is it? It is completely possible to have the amazing job of princesses-ing. The article Weird Job: Bring Characters to Life as a Party Princess, sheds light on the very real job of being a princess at children’s birthdays. There is also the chance of becoming a Disney Princess at Disney Parks which brings dreams to life.
The point I am trying to make is that maybe some jobs are not as impossible as they might seem. Every time someone tells me I can’t, I think of Theodore Roosevelt’s wise words, “Do something now. If not you, who? If not here, where? If not now, when?” To put it even simpler terms, why not me? Why can’t I? This applies to even the most outlandish of hopes, for “If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it,” said Albert Einstein. I agree completely. As we get older, pessimism is sometimes mistaken for wisdom or being a realist. The hope and wonder dies, and if you still hold that optimism into adulthood, you are an illogical dreamer. But why not dream? You’re not stuck, and things can change. All is possible if you allow your thoughts to bring you there.
The way a person dresses can say a lot about them: their job, economic class, age, etc. My skirt over jeans look only told others I was weird, or at least, that's what my parents let me think. I once witnessed a boy get in trouble because his hair was green, and it “caused a distraction in class.” I am older now, and students roam free to have whatever hair color they want, but that is not without looks from passing teachers. I wear a scarf on my head, and I could not tell you a day has gone by without someone staring or asking about my religion. Apparently tutus are reserved for toddler, suits are only for men and my sweatshirt says more about me than my personality. We instantly lose credibility if we don’t fit the appearance requirements for the event. I understand looking presentable, but my corn rows shouldn’t mean I am a troublemaker, and a piercing shouldn't equate to unqualified. It is socially acceptable to look nice most days, “nice” means being relative to your area, but here, it usually means modern brand names. I hope this doesn’t mean my 90's romper is out.
The seemingly simple question, "How are you?" can hold a lot of weight. The automatic response to that is probably along the lines of, “I’m doing well,” or “Fine.” And that is what we expect when we ask the question. So no one thought twice when I said I was fine even as my finger bleed profusely from my fingernail being ripped off. In our society we are not really allowed to be anything but happy. You’ll have sympathy for feeling down, but if it goes on for too long you are seen as a burden. Anger can be tolerated for only a moment before dismissed as moodiness, needing a nap or being on your period, because it’s not like you can be mad for a legit reason. As humans, we feel an array of emotions, and the way we portray them varies from person to person. We might not always know how to help someone, but have to allow each other (including ourselves) to feel what we have to feel. As fellow humans, our goal should not be to force happiness but to be there for each other when they are feeling anything but happy.
Social acceptance is relative to your location, but it's ruled by some unmistakable facts: people sculpt society, society sculpts minds and James Oglethorpe founded Georgia.
