Conforming to Society

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to stop allowing what people think of us, define what we are?

A kid could be a painter, he enjoys painting, he loves colours, and him painting is a means of conveying his emotions and feelings. In a way, painting is all that defines him, his joy, his love, his passion. Come one day, his art teacher deemed his artwork as unworthy and deserving of a fail during art class in primary school. And so from that very day, he got depressed and told himself that in the eyes of many, he shouldn't paint because simply put, he's just not good enough.

A man could be the best pilot there is, he loves the freedom, he loves the thrill, and he has no problems with navigation. Being a pilot was all he wanted to be, getting through interviews and eventually passing the medical with flying colours. But come one fine day, the authorities deemed that his clearance wasn't good enough and that he was too young, eventually clipping his wings forever. And so from that very day, he lost all sense of direction, his sense of purpose as all he wanted to be was a pilot. All this happened because the authorities think he is not cleared enough.

The kid could be a painter still.

And the man could be a pilot still.

If only people's opinions did not change how they see themselves.

The man above is August Landmesser. Although he was a Nazi Party member, he refused to perform the Nazi salute at the launch of a warship in 1939. Married to a Jewish woman, he had been found guilty of "dishonor to the race" and had come to oppose Hitler's regime. August Landmesser became engaged in 1935 with the 1913-born "Jewish" Irma Eckler. She was detained in 1938 by the Gestapo in the prison Fuhlsbüttel. Their children, Ingrid and Irene, were separated.

The two examples above, may be in no way related. (I wondered why I typed that out too, but decided to just leave it since its somewhat related) But what August Landmesser did was commendable. He has got the guts and personal integrity to stand for what he believed in.

And most importantly, he's got the balls. heh.