Vanity

Ever since I stumbled across this keyword it got me thinking of one of my favorite novel “The Picture of Dorian Grey” by Oscar Wilde. There can be no other true depiction of vanity. I love it but not for this reason but how the story unfolds and can talk about if for hours. It’s a great novel not going into details to not ruin it for the readers if somebody is interested in it. While the novel only deals with one form of vanity but vanity is not just to be proud of one’s appearance but it can also be about the qualities, abilities and achievements.

As a child I grew up watching Johnny Bravo a cartoon series of a guy wearing sunglasses, muscular, conceited, narcissist and a womanizer who always tried to go on dates with the women trying to woo them with his physique and charm but usually ended up getting beaten by them in a comedic way. It wasn’t one of my favorite shows to watch but a good time pass every now and then. But even as a child I used to think how come someone think so highly of themselves and make an utter fool of themselves. But after getting older and living in this day and age I not only came across a lot of narcissists but also suffered because of them.

None of us are born vain it’s something that we develop much later but only by the hands of our truly loved parents, peers and people we come across with who shower us with compliments of being beautiful being intelligent or very artistic and with the passage of time one start believing themselves to be all those things becoming narcissistic. In my opinion, everybody is a little conceited in one way or the other these days and I also believe that a little self-love is good for us but when is it too much?

So how to avoid being vain here are a few tips that kept me grounded and I remind myself from time and again. Know the difference between a praise and a shallow remark and always remind yourself that it’s not only you there is something good in every person you meet and they can be better than you in many ways. No need to feel competitive or win the race with every person you meet. You are definitely not the center of the world and don’t be too lost in yourself. The beauty fades with time and even your qualities or abilities are not going to last. And last but not least also avoid humble bragging as I was reminded of it by a good friend once. By the way it’s just my opinion feel free to share your views.

And in the end I would like to express my feelings for the bad guys as I always have a soft spot for them as I think it’s not us it’s our circumstances that shape us the way we are well it’s a debate for a later time. Here is a little dialogue that I had with Wilde only if he was alive to read my thoughts about his best novel ever, once again in my opinion only.

Oh, how I want to talk to you Wilde
What made you write the tale of Dorian Grey?
He was just an abused child.
Why you decided him to be the bad guy?
Did you not see the envy world had for him?
Why you became oblivious to the fact
That he suffered all this time?
No doubt it’s a masterpiece but
What made you decide his fate like this?
Did you also envy him?
Cause he surely wasn’t the only one
But you still punished him the most.

P.s. All the pictures in this post are from Pinterest.