I don’t think any movie I’ve seen has had the same impact on me that “The Truman Show” has. I’ve only seen it once, maybe some 5 odd years ago, but to this day I think about it almost daily.
I know it’s a very self-centered worldview and a completely irrational fear, but there’s always the inkling in the back of my mind that maybe, just maybe, I am Truman in the Rhys show. What if my life is a big prank and everyone I consider to be close friends are really just actors, paid to play a role in my life for the purpose of the wider public’s entertainment?
But I bring myself back to reality, and remember no one really cares that much about me, not in a self-pity or ‘woe is me’ way, but simply in the way that it’s a fact. Everyone is so busy with their own lives, most couldn’t give less of a damn what I do. And that’s freeing.
I love to say “it’s ok as long as you’re self-aware,” as a joke, meaning that if you do something crappy, the impact is overridden by knowing it was crappy. Of course this is merely a quip, and I don’t truly believe that.
However, I think there is a lot to be said for being self-aware. It will not absolve you of your wrongdoings, but people are more willing to hear out someone that is self-reflecting rather than deflecting. Getting feedback becomes futile if you refuse to do your best to take a step back and look at you’ve done. Playing the devil’s advocate against yourself is always helpful to gain some perspective.
I think these things are all a part of not taking yourself too seriously, something I really strive to do. For me, that means continuing to be very passionate and invested in things, while simultaneously understanding that I am not the center of the universe, contradictory to my Truman Show related fears. Since beginning my work on the paper, this is something I’ve found to be very valuable.
I love what I do, and cherish all that I’ve learned in the past year. Every article and every issue takes hours of work, lots of thought, and allows me to do what I love most: hear my peers’ stories. However, as my involvement with the paper intensified, I found myself getting more and more sucked in, and losing perspective of why I was doing what I was doing. I was putting too much pressure on myself, holding myself to too high of a standard, and worried about how my writing would be received and how I would be perceived.
Having passions and interests are really important, but it’s also important to not get so wrapped up in one thing that it’s all-consuming. If something doesn’t turn out the way you envisioned it to, that’s okay. There are so many more chances, and so many more things to try out in the world. And the cliché that you are your own worst critic? 100% true.
Not taking yourself too seriously doesn’t mean not caring. It just means that you don’t get so wrapped up in whatever it is that you lose perspective. And at the end of the day, remember that everyone is the Truman in their own show, and are too busy to pay too much close attention to yours, so live life to the fullest, and dance like nobody’s watching.
Oh, and in case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!
