Give a couple of examples where you exist between categories rather than inside them.
I think people are way too focused on labels.
“Are you introverted or Extroverted?”
I am not part of either one, I am neither super friendly nor super antisocial. I just like my own good balance of alone time and time with friends.
“Asian or American?”
I am Asian but I am also American. People don’t seem to get this one. They thing that I am either a dog-eating Chinese FOB or a completely whitewashed, american boy with no idea of my culture. I am both, and I truly enjoy being able to be a part of both communities.
“Compassionate or pragmatic (if that makes sense)?”
Some of my friends have labelled my as stern and cold hearted, without feelings. Others have said I am super friendly. But no one has said both. I am a person who likes to get things done, and if feelings are in the way of me accomplishing my task, I ignore them. However, there are situations where compassion is necessary, and that side of me will kick in. No one seems to notice that people can have more than one personality.
What people don’t seem to realize is that there are grey areas in life. Things that can never be defined – things with no set answers. They often think things either are or arent, and they can’t accept the fact that there may be some in-betweens.
The Youth chooses art to bring him closer–what do you think has guided your steps towards The Real thus far?
I think a lot of things have guided me towards “The Real”. But like I said earlier, not everything is black and white. As we saw in the play, the boy kept trying to use other people’s “Reals” as his own and it never worked out. My “Real” will probably never be obtained. Maybe when I am an old man sitting on a rocking chair I will feel as if I have achieved my “Real”. But right now, I am not even sure what that is. Sure, I have world-views, I have beliefs, I have goals and desires, but I don’t think I have a “Real”. And even if I do, it probably changes right now. If I had to guess what my “Real” was and seee what contributed to it, It would probably be a lot of things. My Christian faith, my family, friends, my endless hours of pain spent cycling only to realize I will never be the fastest, my love for sports, my political views, plenty of things. But the one thing, or the everything that has guided me towards my “Real” is my life. My every waking moment, every breath I take, every mistake I make and every experience I have – these things I do every day are what contribute the most to my “Real”.
I still don’t think I will ever know what my true “Real” is.
I don’t know.
What is real?
What is this “Real”?
Am I real?
I. Don’t. Know.
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“Real”
