The Oxygen-Like Way of Life I Chose After Growing Tired of 'Instagrammability'
There is a dinosaur-like way of living, where you stand out overwhelmingly and succeed.
It attracts people, captivates them, and makes them admire you.
The power to become a symbol of the times, making people think, "I want to be like that."
Living big, strong, and fast, while radiating presence at the center of society.
In this day and age, that way of life is especially visible.
Numbers. Influence. Speed. Enthusiasm. Presence.
Evaluation in this information society is often determined by these things,
and if you open social media, you see dinosaurs carrying those numbers walking about.
On the other hand, there is a plant-like way of living, even if it is not conspicuous.
Plants do not move on their own. They do not make loud noises.
But they adapt to their environment, quietly sink their roots,
change the soil, create air, and before you know it,
they begin to influence the world itself. A way of life passed down not through presence, but through philosophy and way of being.
I am probably the latter.
If I had to choose between a dinosaur or a plant,
I am definitely not a dinosaur.
Honestly, I waver sometimes. Every time I see the power of a dinosaur,
"Perhaps this is the way of life that is needed"
I end up thinking.
Even though I should be satisfied with my own way of being,
there are moments when I inadvertently feel a sense of inferiority.
Only at such times do I try to become something other than myself.
Stronger. Flashier. Easier to understand.
But invariably, at those times, painful signs come back from my body and reality.
"That's not it."
Perhaps the truly important things are invisible.
They aren't flashy, either. They are hard to notice. Like oxygen.
If they were gone, you couldn't live.
I think the things that remain across generations
are unexpectedly things like that.
Not a big name, but a solid philosophy.
Not strong words, but a rich way of being.
That is why I stopped denying myself for not being able to be a dinosaur.
I decided to choose a way of life that can support someone's breathing,
like a plant.