From social media clothing trends, there are many new emerging trends in our contemporary world that we tend to participate in. Therefore, individuals begin to develop their own unique interests.
The Pattern
I have also attempted to join in on these trends; however, a common pattern seems to always follow. Every trend comes with an expiry date and any individual that carries on participating in the trend after this is deemed “uncool”. A quintessential example of this would be the infamous “VSCO girl” trend that was viral not long ago with millions of people jumping in on the bandwagon of this trend. However, as soon as people began to get over it, the individuals still participating in this trend were shamed for their interest. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case with many other online trends.
We have created a popular culture where people are reluctant to speak out about the things they love and are passionate to learn about for the fear of being deemed lame, and that is simply wrong. This makes people more vulnerable to admit their interests and passions because it is almost like new stuff that people are allowed to use against you. These interests are something an individual avidly enjoys; therefore, it hurts more when others put them down because of it.
While I think that it is incredibly important to have opinions and self-awareness about what you enjoy and what you donot, it is even more important to respect the differences among your peers and not judge them because of it. Some people even tend to bond over hating each other and their interests because it gives them a sense of superiority. I cannot begin to describe the numerous times I have had people poke fun at my interests just because they were not conventional. It pains me to see how our generation thrives on the power of the put-down.
How to Cope When Someone Disrespects Your Interests
It may be difficult to overcome the moment when your passions are made fun of. However, there are different ways to evaluate the situation and persevere.
- Do not take comments to heart. Assuming you have not provoked the rudeness, it is not necessary to take on every insulting remark. Your interest does not float someone else’s boat – so what? Other individuals simply do not see the attraction, so it baffles them that you like it so much.
- Retain your sense of humor. If someone does not get it – again, so what? Does the fact that another does not share your interest make you like it less? At first you may think so. You may allow that person’s distaste to transfer to you, tainting your enjoyment of your hobby. However, think about it calmly and ask yourself whether you would still enjoy your hobby if the person was not making fun of you or not. Of course, you would! The best defense is to join in. Admitting, “that is right. I am a total geek about it,” takes the wind out of anyone who tries to belittle your interests.
Learning to Accept
When people think of the word acceptance, it often raises thoughts of the larger scale constructs (race, class, sexual orientation, etc.), leaving the small aspects of a person’s “self” perceived as fair game in terms of bashing and ridiculing.
I have come to realize, though, that voicing a negative opinion on someone’s interests, hobbies, and choices can be equally offensive, and we should work toward lessening the stigma surrounding one’s interests and passions.
Life is already difficult for many, and the feeling of loneliness is rampant in our society. These hobbies and interests are all people have to keep them going sometimes. It helps with the anxiety and depression that many of us experience daily, hence it is essential for us to accept other people’s interests and respect them.