Are We Living or Acting?

I hope I can find the words to explain something that's bothered me for a long time.

There is a movement in society we call the "bandwagon".  It's when people want to be part of what's popular at the moment and will throw themselves into the cause even though in their deepest of hearts they don't agree with it.

People openly and fervently take on interests or opinions that they truly don't give two hoots about.  They might not even be aware that they're doing this because we have the ability to fool ourselves and shut out what we don't want to admit.

I noticed this a long time ago...even in myself...but it seems to have gotten terribly and frighteningly out of control in today's society.  People especially like to take on causes that their own society has an aversion to.  It gives them a feeling of importance that they've discovered what the masses have so far missed.

I read Facebook every day and have noticed that many of the people who I think of as deeply religious go against their own religious tenets by showing a surprising hatred for others.  How can you worship a loving god and still deny your fellow man a chance to survive?  I'm speaking of the present Syrian refugees right now.

There are some who pretend to be what they aren't in order to fit in where they think they want to be.  No wonder so many of us have psychiatric issues.  It's as if the goal is to fit in at any cost.  Those who refuse to fit in are thought of as oddballs but they might be the only natural people around us.

I read what I've written so far and it really doesn't convey what I'm trying to say...but it's the best I can do.

Have you ever wondered why the innocence of children consumes us?  It's because they really are natural.  We recognize it and feel sadness that we've lost that ability.  We've been socially trained to behave in a way that hides what doesn't fit in.  Oh, how I wish I had the right words!!!

One extreme example of false behavior is a politician.  They are never what they appear to be on the outside.  It really is frightening to be in the presence of a politician because what you see is a shell, a facade.  Inside of that shell is a completely different human being that will do it's best to never show itself to the public.  

I've worked on myself for years trying to find and display the real me.  I've succeeded in many ways but I often realize I'm still squelching traits I don't want to possess.  I like to say I'm not the same person I was 20 years ago and I know that's true.  I've become more comfortable in my skin because I've shed a lot of the false personality I was drowning in.  It's a pleasant feeling to not feel the need to pretend I'm something I'm not.

Well, this post hasn't explained anything the way I wanted but I'm going to leave it any way.  It was cathartic to make the effort.