I was just going through my facebook feeds today, and I noticed that one guy who had gone to engineering school with me had posted a nice video on donating one's eyes. Now this guy was one of the most low-profile people in college. He was ultra-shy, never used to speak with anyone, was below average in acads, came from a small village in Rajasthan, did not do any of the 'cool' things kids of his age did, never used to hang out in groups, no one used to initiate conversation with him, and as far as I can recall, he had no real friends either. In other words, the world was completely oblivious of his existence.
Today, as I 'liked' his video (because it was actually good), I wondered whether his life was less worthy than the others. Does his almost invisible existence make his life any less valuable to this world? The knee-jerk reaction was 'obviously not!', and maybe it is true as well. But I do wonder at times what is it like to be in this world all by yourself, unnoticed and unremembered. What is it like to be not-as-successful (we define success in conventional terms here), not-as-outspoken, not-as-confident, not-as-cool as your peers? How does it feel when you have no witnesses to your lives? Does it lower your confidence level to zero? Does it make you want to give up on life and all that it brings with it?
I can understand that all of us need different amounts of attention to be content. Some of us are complete attention-whores, while others are fine (and actually more comfortable) with little amounts of attention and recognition. But is it possible that a person is satisfied with no attention being bestowed on him at all? Maybe. But it is definitely difficult to imagine how do these 'invisible people' lead their lives, and what keeps them going.
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5 comments:
umm... I guess I'm one of those 'invisible, low-profile' people. i don't know how to define success but i'm satisfied with myself, i'm not outspoken but i try to put my word across, i'm quite but i'm confident, i look cool but i'm hot as hell, my confidence level is not zero but goes up n down like the sensex. i don't want to give up on my life. i learn something everyday. No i don't need pity. i revel at the lack of attention. i will go miles to avoid it actually. but it doesn't mean i do not like your friendship and attention. i guess i answer for the 'invisible people'.
ps: thnx for droppin in my blog, didn't know u had me blogrolled :)
My experience says that those who get less attention are most of the time better human beings.
Personally i have seen that by giving more attention to someone we make him/her a self centred person..that selfless quality comes to others only.
Came to your blog from Renu.My first time to your blog...smiled at the Blog Title...idealists are invaribly reclusive....yet they get attention.
As for your classmate..I think his life is not less worthy...he did make that video..right?..Less or more..he has made his life worthy...and gained attention.These so called invisible people may be invisible to us, but maybe visible to some.As for attention getters, how do we know that they are satisfied..for all we know they might get all the attention from all, but from the one they most want...Life is all about ..Keep going, attention or no attention.
Will catchup with your other posts
such people are where...they are just unnoticed!
I know what you're thinking. There are actually a few people like this in every class. The ones who are neither smart, nor pranksters, nor popular, nor good looking. They just are a name and a face to it.
But I guess, everybody tries to live his life to the full with whatever he's got. Like, they may be invisible in school but at home, they would be as much the centre of existance of their parents or wives or husbands or children as the others.
And ya, they are obviously not less worthy.
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