Vanity makes the world go round

'We are so vain that we care for the opinion of those we do not care for.' Marie Eschenbach

Vanity! I love this word. It somehow sounds like what it means.

Vanity makes the world go round. I think there has never been a time such as now when men and women were THIS vain. And its not just about painting a facade on the outward scale, as Shakespeare wrote in 'Hamlet'.

Vanity nowadays connotes a gazillion other forms in which it thrives, or in a less positive sound, festers.

Through Facebook and Twitter, and scores of other online sites, people have all popped up as aspiring mini-celebrities. Even myself. But yet, who the heck cares what you ate for breakfast or what music you listen to? Who cares what you think about politics or philosophy or computer games?

Strangely enough, we do keep tabs on what other people are doing or saying or thinking. Even if they're not famous, even if they're talking crap and filling us in on useless, insignificant pieces of information. I think that's the reason why we're SUCH a distracted society. Especially young people like me.

With Facebook on, I just cannot concentrate! I check it periodically, I post up statuses (hoping they are meaningful and not too trivial), I write notes in the mornings on the train. Am I doing this for myself? Or to gain the 'likes' of all these other people whom I barely know on a 'good friend' basis.

Isn't it true? The people of our time and age have become so decadent, self-indulgent and almost repulsively vain that we bother notifying others about our whereabouts and glamorous (usually feigned) undertakings. Like Eschenbach said, we have become so vain that 'we care for the opinion of those we do not care for.'

Its quite unbelievable. The youths 10 years ago didn't have this kind of a form of vanity that is now so rampant. I confess to falling prey to it. Facebook is not evil in itself, it is simply my lack of self-control and focus. Without discipline and self-control, even the most wonderful, sumptuous and useful things can create a horror out of you.

If it is possible, for this coming week I aspire only to write notes and post a meaningful status or two. Hahaha. ;)

Carpe diem,

Janielle