Be content to seem what you really are. [Marcus Aurelius]

I love history, and looking backward in time; learning from those who have come before me provides great insight into my own life, offers different perspectives and the opportunity to think and act a little differently. One such person is Marcus Aurelius [Roman emperor 161 to 180 AD] so here is a series on some of his words. _{image source}

Marcus Aurelius says...

Be content to seem what you really are

I began writing a post about following people on Hive this morning, I hope to finish and post it at some stage over the weekend. When scrolling through quotes for this post I came across the one above and decided it fitted nicely into the follow post concept I'd been working on; here's what it makes me think.

I believe it's fair to say social media is full of people presenting themselves and their overall lives as different who they really are and what their life is actually like.

There's sites that are worse thank others for it, they all have their individual idiosyncratic ways about them, but mostly people present themselves in a manner they feel will garner the most likes, comments, votes, shock-value, fame, notoriety, validation, reputation, or whatever it is that person is seeking. Those social media influencers, (fuck, I hate that term), are renowned for it, especially those marketing products like energy drinks, gym supplements, cosmetics and clothing. They present amazing, vibrant lives in which there's no problems and they're rich and beautiful and people swallow it hook, line and sinker.

People follow, like and vote and often seek to emulate the perceived success of their online hero(s) and present themselves in the same, unrealistic, and misleading manner.

But is what people present on social media [or real life for that matter] actually the truth, the reality of the situation and an accurate depiction of the individual? Possibly, but I think in most cases these people present what they feel their audience wants and what will return them as much as whatever they seek as possible.

This quote is very relevant in today's society and certainly in respect of social media.

I believe society to be very superficial, generally speaking - much more so than in previous times - and so many people struggle to feel relevant unless they look cool, have the latest thing, do the most awesome things, go to the best places and be seen to have an amazing life...how satisfying is that? Superficially, there's some satisfaction I guess...but if it's not real, I'd say it's not all that satisfying, just depressing, no matter what is presented outwardly.

When no one is watching, when they aren't in the spotlight, no one is there to like, vote or comment favourably, it's the individual who has to find contentment, validation and relevance within themselves and if that's not possible, if a person is so habitually deceptive about who they are that they fool even themselves, well...I think it's not going to end so well. It's sad that people follow along with these behaviours and replicate them in their own ways, even when there's no commercial reward. It's sad that people can't often find contentment just by being themselves.

_{Note: I understand that a lot of these internet influencers do these things for money, like a job, and employ photographers, writers, AI and bots to make it all seem legit, but millions and millions of people make nothing from doing the same, other than an ego boost and validation within themselves...all at the expense of reality. It seems delusion is the new black.}

I believe a person must like themselves to be liked by others; accepting who we are as individuals will help us be accepted by others. Sure, one can fake it to some degree, but how genuine are they being with themselves and how genuine is the validation and relevance they feel they receive? Ignorance is bliss, they say...delusion must be too.

Here on the Hive blockchain, I believe people should do the same; like themselves enough to present as their true self. I believe each has something to add and there's space for all of us, and I believe that being true to ourselves, content with who we are as individuals and presenting that to others, is the way to go. It's not only honest, but supports oneself emotionally through being able to view oneself as valuable to oneself and in one's own estimation. Sure, we don't have to pour out every single reality about ourselves, that could be dangerous, but being real, our true selves, should be seen as enough.

That's it today, an old quote that, to me at least, feels very pertinent in today's modern world and one we should all remember and work towards, in my humble opinion.

If you have any thoughts or other ways to perceive this quote feel free to drop a comment below and tell me about it.