Worst Human Disease

Whenever I think of doing something, a mental checklist pops up, and in the top 3 is - What will people think? These people aren't just strangers, but also many I know personally - my friends, my family, relatives, etc. Very recently, I have realized that this is the disease that causes me the most harm.

Let's delve into it further — its psychology and my philosophy.

🧠 Psychology behind it

Humans are social beings, seeking (sometimes craving) social attention. They naturally try to be part of some group, a trait rooted in our brains and DNA due to our evolutionary history. Thousands of years ago, humans needed to be in a group to safeguard themselves against predators. If the group disliked you for some reason and kicked you out, you were surely on the way to becoming a tasty predator lunch.

Back then, it was mandatory to please people and groups to ensure you stayed alive. But those same instincts are still there. We still crave being in a group and want people to like us, appreciate our views, and think only good about us. We often think - ‘What if I take a risk and fail? They’ll laugh at me and think I'm stupid. Am I not cool enough?’

🖕 My Philosophy

My simple philosophy is - DON’T GIVE A F*CK. Period.

Well, I'm clearly not a badass deity descending from the heavens to reveal 'The Badass Way'. I'm just a human, prone to these 'What people think?' problems. As I became more aware and conscious, this mental disease affected me more. But eventually, as my consciousness reached a certain threshold, I started seeing things more clearly and thinking independently from others.

But what do I mean by the peak of consciousness? (By the way, most of it is philosophical.) 
Philosophy, for me, is understanding the nihility of this world and everything in it. The moment I realized how short we live on this Earth - for instance, I have about 2500 weeks left in my account - and the moment I realized it, I became more protective of myself. I don't want to waste even one week just thinking about what someone will think about me or my decisions. When on my deathbed, I don't want to regret thinking, "I wasted most of my life thinking about what others are thinking about me."

Then, my decisions weren't determined by people (d ≠ f(p)). I even stopped concerning myself with others' feelings if it meant I had to suffer because of it. This may sound villainous, but believe me, it gives you complete control of your emotions and decisions. And there's nothing better than having full control of yourself.

When I ask someone, "Are you in full control of yourself?" Almost everyone says, "Yes, obviously!" (unless they're a psychopath).

But can we truly call ourselves 'in control' if someone can influence our minds with just words? The next time you get mad, remember you're relinquishing control to someone else.

That's all. Thanks for reading. Hope you found the suggestions helpful. Stay in control, don't worry too much, and have a super Happy New Year.