Life as a product to promote an image...hmm. Well, I promoted a photo of me at the Women's March in 2016 on my FB page for a couple of years, but that was entirely sincere. But I did do something absolutely horrible, secretly in my mind, when I invited two Black friends to my 60th birthday party hoping they would introduce themselves to one another and think I was hip and cool and non-racist. Like, oh look, she has other Black friends besides me. I mean, I invited them because they are my friends and I love them, but also thought of their Blackness as making me special. I know that's creepy, but there it is. So, not using social media in this way, but other people. I also recently broke my toe and was limping down the sidewalk with my two dogs when someone approached from the other direction. I moved to the street, knowing I was exaggerating my limp and powerless over the drama that had come over me, like, I'm going to make you feel guilty because I'm the one who's limping and I'm the one who has made the move to go out into the street to avoid you because of COVID, since you are obviously not going to. So I was creating the image of invalid and trying to instill guilt in this person. Again, creepy, but there you have it. I try to do better and smile now at people as I pass, because I've noticed I have become increasingly entitled as COVID rages on. Who do I think I am?!So, that's how I avoid future such traps - through self-awareness. And forgiveness.
Not sure that's what you had in mind, but that's what came to mine.
On Dec 14, 2020 Polly Hansen wrote :
Not sure that's what you had in mind, but that's what came to mine.