The obvious truths probably still need repeating
I’ve been delving into what I can learn from what I find myself judging others on. Particularly when judging those in a similar lane or in the lane I want to be in.
Through judgement, we start to define the landscape of our worldviews and our boxes: what is success? What is deserved success? Where is my line between embarrassing and brave? What is oversharing? What messages are important? What feels authentic? Why is this ‘uncool’ to me?
I think we’re making judgements all the time on socials. I think the questions are good to ask, but I also think it’s good to question your answers to them.
For me, one of my biggest judgments of other creators and creatives is when they use their platforms to spread messages that, to me, feel like nothing new and, somewhat obvious.
I become bitter and resentful towards them. Especially the successful ones. And for the not-so-successful ones, I wonder at their audacity to champion themselves and take up so much space.
This is the landscape that this judgement creates:
People only deserve to be successful when they are doing or saying something completely new
It is better that creators say nothing than say something obvious
Ouch. Maybe i’m a terrible person…
…or maybe the standards that I hold others to are also the standards I subject myself to.
How many of my own ideas have I discounted based on them not being ‘profound’ or ‘new’ enough. I decide the endings of my ideas before they’ve had a chance to hatch and discard them on the basis that they are not different enough, not new enough, not creative enough, and somewhere along the production line of creativity, there has been a breakdown, a kink in the hose and a choking out of the creative spirit.
Maybe the judgements we use to bolster ourselves up are the very things choking out our own lights. Maybe i’m not able to jump through the very hoops that i’m holding up for others.
Could it be that we play integral roles in defining the landscapes that we live in?
I think I disagree with the person who said there’s nothing spiritual in judgement, I think there’s a lot to find if we can venture into the root of our own judgements. Judgement is a wolf is sheep’s clothing, a hurt human with it’s guards up.
Now instead of saying: ‘is this new or is this different?’, in the face of ideas, I ask: ‘is this important?’
And more often than not, it is, and they are and I am too.
And suddenly there is enough space for us all and this creating thing feels a lot more spacious and kind.
Side note - Also, why wouldn’t I want to see good messages said again and again, in all of their iterations, versions, expressions, said again and again. Yes please!
