Reflections by Tomasina DeLong

Everyone has heard the phrase “you are what you eat” and I think that this makes sense. How much of what we do should directly reflect on us? I don’t know. Should we be responsible for everything we do? I think that yes, we should be responsible. Does that mean we are responsible, at least in part, for how we are perceived?

 

I thought about this the other day in the car with my brother. I was driving him to basketball and I had on my own music because it automatically started playing my playlist. He began to gawk at my songs of choice, and I explained to him “my car, my music” but he didn’t really get the message. He took my phone but since it was locked, he couldn’t change the music, he could only pause it. I gave up my fight and gave him my password for him to pick a song to play. He proceeded to play a song, which was more of an angry rap/rant in my opinion, filled with swear words and derogatory phrases.

 

Horrified, I glance over at my 8th grade brother pumping his fist and singing/screaming the words to this song. This changed my opinion of my brother forever because I now know that he knows those words and enjoys songs willed with them. My image of him is forever changed and this makes me think of how our actions, even the slightest ones, and who/what we associate with impacts how others perceive us.  

 

I think that when a person expresses themself in any form they are becoming vulnerable. They are opening themself up to possible ridicule or judgement based on their choices. People can either hide their personality or embrace it. I am not a very extroverted person to begin with and I am afraid of judgement, which is why I let my brother and my friends play their own music in the car. This is just one small example of how I let the fear of judgment impact my daily life, but as I get older I am trying to care less about what others think. I often reflect on how myself and how I am viewed as a member of society, understanding that I am my own unique person in a world filled with unique people.

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