Quote:
Originally Posted by seeker5  
That's a very interesting point jaamkie. I like that warning, it helps treat other people as more human. I remember a guy online in my previous life as an online gamer who started to feel that we were just avatar, figment of his imagination, so he didn't care how he treated us. Definetely not pleasant at times.
However, what I wrote in my post is valid even in objective reality. 
The truth though, is for me, I want to be able to know (believe with full certainty) that someones believes the worst thing possible about me, and yet I'd still be completely ok and not bothered by it. To live life caring so much for other people, and yet to be completely unbothered by their perception of me sounds quite lovely. I know some people who are there, and it I find it quite inspiring to aim to be at that level myself. |
I'm all for striving toward whatever "better self" mental image you have
For me, I think I already tend toward unconventional, going off my own way without caring what people think, so this doesn't seem so great to me, and I see pitfalls in completely not giving a damn about your reputation or how you are perceived.
I care about animals, hope by example and by conversation to encourage others to see animals as fellow beings, not objects, but I think people who know me often dismiss veganism because they equate it with my general non-conformity (not having a TV, living simply on a small % of my income so I can save and give to charity like I feel I ought; various political/religious views; being a high school dropout/going to college early; excessive book-a-day reading; drawing nude figure models as a hobby; and on and on) . If they perceived me as more relatable, perhaps my example would have a larger impact. So right now I'm trying to care a bit MORE about how others perceive me, not less.