Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assh*les.” ~ William Gibson.
Update: let’s remember: even assh*oles repent, sometimes.
Don’t try to be cool. Try to be you.
Even if you has small breasts, or a receding hairline, or pimples, or a muffin top, or hair on your back, or thick glasses, or a penchant for some uncool hobby (I collected baseball cards and stamps and coins and played D&D and read scifi when I was a boy)…it’s always more attractive—and more importantly, more fun—being yourself. So go ahead: read that big book in front of the cool kids—just breathe and relax and remember that at the end of the day you’re the one who has to live with yourself, and you’d be best off if you like that self.
That said, learn from the cool kids how to dress and how to be outgoing…it’ll give your true you cover.
Those who chase fame, spend their lives trying to be cool, chasing a fake ideal that isn’t themselves? One of ‘em, Heidi Montag, a C level reality star, just pretended to do yoga with her personal trainer…really a photo stunt to show off her new, well, you know. And that’s all well and good, I hope she continues and learns to love herself just as she is—but, for us, and the young ones among us particularly, well I hope the trials and travails of our reality show friends—whether Jersey Shore or The Hills, etc—may serve as a reminder, that “cool” might be hip, but it doesn’t equal happiness.
D-bagery may seem cool: but what’s truly cool is being yourself, even if you’re uncool.
Bonus:
Incorrect source, offensive, or found a typo? Or do you want to write for Elephant?
Those puppies don't drop to the sides during Savasana anyhoo!
You ever noticed how the coolest people are the ones who just do what they want and feel comfortable doing it, all the time? Or, at least, they make it coz they fake it!
Nobody is cooler than the person who is happy with who they are and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone else… kinda like you Way!
Best f+cking quote that has ever happened. You are a genius Waylon Lewis. Love it. Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assh*les.” ~ William Gibson.
Agreed. Just put it as my FB status.
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Alisa Roadcup this photo is seriously annoying.
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elephantjournal.com Read the post. The people in the photo generously provide plenty of annoyance for us to work with, too! (to put it in Buddhist-ese). ~ W.
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Carl B Salazar The photos are hilarious – and sad. She's "doing yoga" like she saw the poses on a cereal box once when she was a kid. The malas, half-baked "yoga moves," fake boobs, cheap mats..it's like watching the Hindenburg go down. The humanity!
Lynda Wood really grabbing at straws to tie that whole story together, poor writing to grab at sensationalisation
Jane Coleman Cameron And with this, I unsub from Elephant Journal. What trash!
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elephantjournal.com Lynda, Jane, we'll miss your support. Sorry to have offended. That said, you weren't subscribing. Subscribing involves paying. Finally, I hope you'd want to be a part of a "club" that you don't agree with all the time. I thought the quote was amazing. So I featured it. And, yes, I think reality TV stars show our children how to be cool in a way that isn't helpful. And, yes, in junior high it was all about being cool and while I might have been cool in my own way I was far from cool in "their" way and it took me a few years to deal with that—painful, sad, depressing, hard times. I wish I'd had this advice, and the "poor writing – sensationalism" you refer to. ~ Waylon
No like button Waylon- I like your response, love the article and would have liked to read it when I was 15 too. Blessings.
Great quote, great message and jeezlouise…I'll keep my subscription and pay more. Love, D
If "cool" only sees that deep, then COOL gets what it persee-ves. You're welcome to it. Might as well be a manikin! Do you feel it baby……
I love a great body but it has to have somebody home to be loved and love back. Without that, the great physique matters naught.
Since when is making fun of people, no matter how seriously misguided they may seem, part of living the life of a yogi?
Agreed…being yourself and being true to yourself is absolutely the coolest!
http://www.myyogacam.com
Yes. These photos are disturbing and this is pretty much how most yogis in India see yoga in the west. As one elderly teacher professed in Rishikesh "it's just yoga…relax" Try to explain the $100 lululemon leggings, aqua yoga, yoga for your dog, yoga to increase your hamsters self esteem, yoga on your iPad etc etc etc to indigenous yoga practitioners and you will be met with a chuckle- but usually it will be devoid of judgement which is maybe something we could afford Miss Heidi who needs a lil loving by the looks of things.
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The quote is from Steven Winterburn, a twitter humoritarian, http://twitter.com/#%21/5tevenw cf http://twitter.com/#!/5tevenw/status/42282309981970433 , even Gibson denies it’s his http://twitter.com/#!/GreatDismal/status/119133581598666752
but now the internet says lies!
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I think that quote is funny but have some compassion!!! This is article is just mean and sad – especially from the editor of elephant. I have often noticed that the people who make fun of other people are just trying the easy way to make themselves feel better. That's how this feels.
You know what I think of when I see photos of Heidi Montag? I want to give her a hug and ask her to come spend some time with me, my family, my friends, whatever… everyone has things to learn in this life – a path to walk and who are we to judge someone's path? Who knows in the end who learns the most?
I had to laugh reading this and seeing the photos, and I agree with "Don't try to be cool. Try to be you" wholeheartedly. However, I do agree that the post seems pretty mean and lacking compassion.
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What do you mean by "That said, learn from the cool kids how to dress and how to be outgoing…it’ll give your true you cover." ?