Am I a wise man with years upon years of experience behind my back? No. Am I a scholar with worldly knowledge constantly probing me to excel in whatever field I endveavour to take on? No. Am I wholesomely observant so that nothing slips by me, not even a single newly dyed hair on an under-confident girl? That'll be a no with an Amen from all the girls that have known me personally, professionally and intimately.
But i can see what's in front of my eyes.
The whole world suffers from - and I condemn god for ever creating such a phrase (and I don't even believe in god!) - Peter Pan Syndrome!
Nobody wants to grow the hell up. Or, given that, nobody wants to let anyone else grow up.
You spend the first 21 years of your life trying to grow up as fast as you can; I've seen you girls try to dress older; and everyone starts drinking well before the minimum legal age limit; then you try that infamous tug of the putrid cancer stick. And you know what? You guys are cool. And what is cool? It's being unique. Yup, all 98% of you bastards are "cool".
Why is no one pointing out the irony to kids these days? Someone out there, some media asshole has bombarded the masses with this idea of "cool" and everyone strives to achieve this bullshit notion. Whether it's with labels or getting laid it's doesn't matter - because that's not what cool is about. Remember when "cool" first started coming on the scene? Cool wasn't the popular kid at school, he was the dick that all the popular kids hated. Why? Because he did what he wanted and didn't do what anyone else did. River Phoenix wasn't a slick socialite, and a great athlete. He had a passion for music and for the rights of his fellow man and the animals on earth, but he also didn't talk any shit - he was opinionated. He was also human, which showed clearly as he died in the gutter after speedballing (taking heroin and cocaine), but then tried to take diazepam, which is a drug used to stop ODing - however, it's effects are countered when heroin is taken and he collapsed never to wake again. The consequences aren't cool, his passion, his standpoint, his views - regardless of what everyone thought - that is what made him cool.
The more i think about it the more I dislike the word "cool". It has this androgynous appeal about it to youngsters...and simple minded elders. It neither defines you as a person, nor benefits you as a human.
Yet we aim, we yearn, we flog ourselves to try and achieve this status. I put my hands up, I'm not exempt from this. I too used to try and be cool back in school. Turns out i was just the guy that nobody disliked. But I accepted that a while ago and I feel like I'm a better person because of it. Because I didn't have to meet these expectations I got to do what I liked as a kid. I played football with my mates, on the night before "the exams that define your life" (or so your lead to believe in school) I was busy throwing a ball at Ben's head (one of my best mates) just talking about nothing and everything until it got too dark to see; I'd never gotten drunk until a couple of months after my 18th birthday...whereas I know all the "cool" kids in my year had been doing it for at least 2 years; and I didn't get my first proper girlfriend until my first year at college. And I believe I am a better adult because of it now. I know I'm a better person. Because I lived as a kid, I got what i wanted out of my carefree days; I didn't put myself through an extra two years of going to nightclubs and getting drunk because I know I don't like it - the only reason i like going to nightclubs is to dance!; and not being one of the cool ones I wasn't pressured into getting that girlfriend and doing all the stuff that's expected of you at a much younger age than I would have wanted it to or would have been ready for. I grew up at my own rate, I grew up with only my expectations and my beliefs in what I could achieve and I don't seek anyone's approval except for the ones that matter - from my friends and family...and myself.
For those who were pressured into these situations they got forced to grow up so quickly that they feel like they left that carefree side of themselves behind a long time ago, that they never really got to experience it properly and now they can't accept that they are moving on and growing older. These are the people you see crying in a night club on their 30th birthday because they're getting older, plus because it's 5am and it must be bloody difficult to party til 5am when you're 30...I can't do it now! They're also the people that can't appreciate not going out on the town in any given month or not get wasted and make a fool of themselves; they can't appreciate the joy of meeting up with your friends and just talking to them and having that sober interaction; these are the people that refuse to accept that it's good to get older - and I keep getting better as I get older. I'll keep telling myself that until my mind gives up on me and my heart stops beating as a I die a happy man living my life as I wanted to. They'll keep telling themselves that they're happy with their lives until their body physically can't keep up and they're left exhausted with life, organs bruised from binging too often, looking older than they should for their 40s sulking thinking it's all over and having nothing left to live for.
The 15-30somethings are being convinced this way of life so many people indulge in is the "cool" way to be. I don't judge anyone who lives their lives this way, but for their sake i hope they see their errors sooner rather than when it's too late.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, the god-forsaken Peter Pan Syndrome.
Now, where are my slippers?
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