Existence (n): the state or fact of existing; being.
“To be or not to be, that is the question.” Infamously so. We are free to interpret this introductory sliver of the well-known, profound speech in copious contexts. Personally, it is basically stating that one could be an insurmountable abundance of traits and attributes, values and qualities. Or, the contrary -- you could choose to not be any one of those endless features. Defining an existence is to have an ability to judge the present. Never easily done. I like to think that, “to be or not to be,” capitalizes on the philosophy that an individual is under no obligation to be the person he or she was five minutes ago. How supreme to hold that much power -- a power that is often overlooked, neglected, and taken for granted.
Molding to the ideals of a peer, boss, or loved one is occasionally questioned upon request, but most of the time we’ll find ourselves passively changing just to feel good enough to fulfill this planted insecurity. Very often contested with the struggles of essentially altering the basis of one’s being is to appease the desires of a person entirely separate from the self. Yet, this is frequently rationalized. Changing the basis of our being should be considered a crime against humanity -- because, in its essence, that is what is being done. Day in and day out, week after week, one season to the next, even years pass, and in that time we are building up our soul just by being. Granted, there are instances that may wear us down and make us feel as if we have been broken, but it is inevitable that we rebuild and advance forward.
I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. In these sentences and between these lines are lessons that have been taught far beyond our conceptualization of time. I feel the need to reiterate these lessons because of the 21st century. On almost any social platform -- billboards, the Internet, magazines, malls -- there is some reference to an illusion of this person we are supposed to embody. A size zero model with unattainable sex appeal standing at five feet and nine inches. A man wearing an Italian suit and leather shoes with an expensive haircut in a fast car. Yes, these ideals are possible to achieve. Are they likely? Not really. Are they desired? By some. Is it what is expected from society? Absolutely.
The plastic surgery market is currently worth $20 billion and set to reach a worth of $27 billion in the next three years. Not all plastic surgery is purely cosmetic, some is medically necessary. Burn victims are unidentifiable by family members from severe trauma, cancer patients have masses removed because their own has body betrayed them. That is, simply, not $20 billion worth of surgeries. The remainder of that sum lies with those driven by desire. Some want to see a change in themselves, that could mean their appearance-- a certain feature that an individual has struggled with. But, everyday, we see women and men go through unnecessary, painful procedures to alter themselves to fit this expectation society has deemed almost mandatory in order to be a valued member. As a natural creation, it can be seen as despicable to willfully become artificial.
Humans don’t spend enough time enjoying their being. There is too much hustle to prioritize living above work or play. The problem, actually, seems to be a lack of time. It is often forgotten who we, as beings, have to live with everyday. We wake up with this person every morning and descend into our slumbers with them too. Surprise -- it’s our self. Eluding to the profundity of, “To be or not to be.” That is a final determination that must be personally decided.
