When You Try So Hard To "Look Expensive"...

There’s one type of people who announce that “I just bought this Nike shirt for RM150” and nobody believes. They thought you must borrow it or maybe even found it or steal it if it’s really that expensive. Or are you this type of people who when other people ask “Nice shirt. Where do you buy that? What brand?” You answer, “No brand. I bought it RM5 at rombengan” and they reply it with laughter because they think you are kidding and not wanting to reveal where you bought it.

When you know that people rely on impressions, sometimes it feels so stupid when you buy expensive things just to "look expensive" cos the fact is, the people who know you already have a pre-impression about "how expensive" you are . Of course this can be cruel sometimes. I mean, when you can afford nice things, sometimes it makes no difference if this is all about making impressions. Your friends know you can afford a Kancil, but for some reason, you start to feel the peer pressure when most of your friends are using Vios. So what you do is you go fork all your savings, and even borrow some from your parents and siblings just so you can buy a Hilux. Yes, you finally get to drive it. So, what do you expect now? That suddenly your friends think you guys are now even or better than them just because you drive Hilux? So now you can sit with them and not worry when they start talking about cars because you can always brag about yours? No. The thing is, no matter what car or clothes you wear, it usually won't change their impression about you. They know you are still earning RM1,500 per month and now with large expenses on petrol and car maintenance. They know that to afford something like that, you have to squeeze your personal spendings or maybe cut your budget on foods and others. They might even expect you to stop paying your life insurance premium. The worst of all is THEY KNOW that you are doing that just to buy their impression. It won't work.

I write this so you guys know how to do it right next time. I know the needs to be treated and seen equal like the rest and some of you just born like that. You guys can't bear the pressure of being lack than your peers. I mean, if you are in this category, I have a little pity on you. Try to be rational with this and use my reason. When you are hunting for good impressions, you will become so restless. I will tell you the reason why you don't need to do that. Who is your bestfriend? The person who afford the fanciest car or the person who you can simply sit down and have a chat with, not feeling the time slips. I bet your answer is number 2. This is exactly how other people see things, too. If you don't care to be seen through the impressions that you are making, people won't see you that way, either. People will still look for your human values...the most original ones that you have without all the superficial impressions. They will stick with you for these reasons, regardless what car you drive. And pity to those who think they can buy impression, yes you can lie to the people who you meet for the first time, but it won't be long before they know that you actually live not within your means.

I have been that way too during teenagehood. It failed miserably. I learnt from those who did not care about what others think. I salute them because they won't have to learn this value, it's in them. They are not pretty nor rich, but they are accepted and appreciated by those who are pretty and rich. Surprised? The fact to learn is that, sometimes we try too hard to please when people don't even care. They understand that our financial means are different so why try so hard to be the same? It only proves your immaturity and only makes you the laughingstock among them. DON'T. Just be yourself and don't make this an issue at all. I mean, you wear what you like. If it's not expensive or branded, so what? You have comfortable clothes to wear and that's good enough. If the few bad apples comments on your lack of taste, you won't care much if you realize that YOU are not defined by what you wear. There are more out there who see you more special than the rest. Your humbleness makes a lot of people comfortable to be around you. So stop trying too hard to impress. Just go to rest and be who you simply are. 


"It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you are not."

:)