Been doing a little deep thinking lately. Most of us are pretty locked into our own little world. We are constantly looking outward. We make judgements all day long about other people. Have you ever stopped and tried to look at yourself from the outside looking in. How do other people percieve you. Do you make thier lives better? Do you make thier lives worse? Are they indifferent to you? Has anyone gave an honest judgement on your own life?
Taking a very realistic view, I probably make a handful of peoples lives better on any appreciable level. I make a couple handfuls of people lives better marginally. The rest of the world is probably indifferent to my existance. I would say over my entire life I have probably made life worse for a handful of people, mostly high school antics type things.
Looking at that, I’m not all that impressed. I mean I think pretty highly of myself, but honestly, that’s just not all that impressive. Does anyone give two shits how the rest of the world views them? Does it mean anything if you make other peoples lives better? If you try to make other peoples lives better, are you just going to get taken advantage of? Experience, wisdom and opinions welcomed.
I don’t know Vegita. Since the Internet is the real world and the physical world is just fake bullshit, how do you view me? That’ll tell me how the world views me.
I think about this all of the time. For starters, ask people you really trust (family members, co-workers that you know on a more personal level) what their perception is of you. It might surprise you, it might not. I did this with a few senior co-workers and realized the person I try to portray is not always how my superiors perceive me.
About improving other people’s lives, if that is what you think will give your life meaning, go for it. There aren’t many people who improve the quality of people’s lives on a grand scale. If that’s what you want to do, maybe start up a charitable organization of some sorts (I’ve been looking into this lately as well).
All that being said, there is nothing wrong with being a family man and not striving to make the world a much better place, so long as you’re not making it a much worse place, IMO.
At my peak I guess I was on an almost-celebrity level. Not like these mainstream actors and shit, but about as popular as a member of a metal band can get. I’ve had people compare me to God and idolize me.
Interestingly, those times were also my most unhealthiest, I was weak as shit and barely ate a thing due to the demands of that type of lifestyle.
Sometimes I miss it, but most of the time I’m happier where I am now.
I can think of only a handful of people who’s opinion of me really matters. My wife, my parents, and my brothers and sister. Other then that I like to hear others honest opinions of me and I hope to make a positive impact on their lives even if it is in a small way, but it is more important to me personally to be the best man I can be for those closest to me then to try and effect the lives of anyone else.
I think if more people concentrated on being the best they can be for their immediate family the carry over to society as a whole would be very positive.
[quote]DJHT wrote:
That is what a good wife is for to keep your ass in line and grounded. [/quote]
HA!..This happened to me lastnight! I need to be reminded to appreciate the positive things and not just focus on the the negative. I was given the nickname “Negative Mike” by my grade six teacher lol. Gawd she had nice boobs.
Aside from my closest family (wife and son), I don’t care what anyone else thinks of me personally.
I do, however, want to be sure my work meets or exceeds the expectations of my clients.
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
I think if more people concentrated on being the best they can be for their immediate family the carry over to society as a whole would be very positive. [/quote]
I agree, and would say to expand that effort to the workplace would suddenly make an exponential difference.
I have a direct and indirect effect on many people, mostly through my job. Whether or not they know it, quite a few people are better off for the headaches I’ve endured, and sometimes given others, lol. It is what it is. I work with small business, (and closely held/run larger investment firms). I literally help people live their dreams on the daily, and the 75-130 people they employ still have a job.
But outside of work, it is mostly my family and a core group of friends.
I would imagine they like me, they ask me to come around, and come over when I invite them.
“We are all serving life sentences of solitary confinement within our own bodies; like prisoners, we have, as it were, to tap in an awkward code to our fellow man in their neighboring cells. Further, when A and B converse, there take part in their dialogue not two characters, as they suppose, but six. For there is A’s real self–call it A1; there is also A’s picture of himself–A2; there is also B’s picture of A–A3. And there are the three corresponding personalities of B. With six characters involved even in a simple tete-a-tete, no wonder we fall into muddles and mis-understandings.”
Just read this essay from F.L. Lucas “What is style” in an anthology last night. Thought it seemed appropriate.
And in case this thread goes off topic, I will only approve of the vixens taking this off topic by saying “the world views me half naked on T-Nation” and then they post said pictures to back up thier statements. This wouldn’t actually be off topic, it would just be a literal interpretation of the thread question.
I do wonder what people think of me, only because I try to be the best person I can be, but to me that means absolutely nothing unless I help those around me. I don’t know how people view me, but I would like to be the person that you can always go to that will put a smile on your face, but also a kick in the ass if you need it.
I want to be the light in the darkness.
and
I want LankEy to be my friend. =(
[quote]StevenF wrote:
I’m pretty selfish and only care about my own happiness. [/quote]
Where has that gotten you in life?
(serious question if you are being serious)[/quote]
I was only half-serious, as I usually am on here. It would be hard to find anybody that would say anything bad about me. [/quote]
Assuming you aren’t married or a father, you are still young enough where what you said isn’t that bad anyway. I know a couple of my friends that didn’t start “real life” until post 30.
In literal answer to the thread question, everyone who knows me loves me.
Whenever we’re out socializing, my wife and I constantly seem to attract the nicest people, and new friendships spark up. I could take the credit, but my wife is probably the reason for this. Then again, since she’s my other half, it’s a reflection on me.
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
In literal answer to the thread question, everyone who knows me loves me.
Whenever we’re out socializing, my wife and I constantly seem to attract the nicest people, and new friendships spark up. I could take the credit, but my wife is probably the reason for this. Then again, since she’s my other half, it’s a reflection on me.
Ha-cha-cha![/quote]
you’re my pet of course people love you. Your name is Mr Sprinkles.