Why We Fear Our Own Simplicity ⋆ LonerWolf

How often have you felt addicted to being, doing, and having “more”? To satisfy the need to be worthy, successful or more awakened? All fueled by the feeling that deep down, what you do, what you say, and who you are is “not good enough”?

This pressure to be “more” is only exacerbated by social media. It’s amplified 1,000-fold by the hyper-connectedness we experience day and night: notifications, pings, follows, likes, follows, comments, and the endless stream of filler content that clutters our screens and lives.

Before we know it, we’re stuck on a self-improvement treadmill fueled by FOMO (fear of missing out) and toxic comparison (“I suck compared to them”). All this creates deep self-alienation and separation from ourselves.

I feel it almost every time I go on social media. And it’s so automatic and subtle.

I recently re-entered the social media arena after a 4 month hiatus as a way to find more readers to support this work. Let me tell you, it’s chaos.

Within 30 seconds, it’s not uncommon to see 7-8 ads, wishful thinking quotes, anger bait, beautiful people doing perfect yoga, dancing cats, creepy memes, beaded men making green smoothies, videos of people in exotic locations…the list goes on.

The lesson here? New for sale. Negativity sells. “Be more than you are” sells.

Simplicity and clarity – no. It’s not cool, it’s boring, it’s boring. This is partly why I believe we are afraid of our own simplicity. We want to be loved, validated and interesting.

But what if we did a 360-degree turn and looked at it differently?

What if a “boring” and “simple” life is the antidote to so much of our suffering and alienation?

U Nietzsche’s Zarathustra: Synopses of the Seminar 1934–1939.the famous psychiatrist (and admittedly mystic) Carl Jung says something powerful,

Most people can’t stand prostate. There are many simple and humble people who would do well if they could be what they are, but they feel that they ought to be something better, that they are not good enough; and so they begin to adorn themselves with feathers and other things, to be great and strange. But they are amazing only when they are simple.

Sounds like a biting commentary and diagnosis of today’s social landscape, right?

What I find particularly profound is the last line: they’re only awesome when they’re simple.

We are biologically wired to imitate each other in order to belong. This is why places like social media are so addictive. Why “keeping up with the Joneses” is a thing.

But someone who chooses to stay simple, to be okay with their simplicity, with their unkempt and bare, is a real gem. what that’s what’s surprising.

There is simplicity honesty. This is the truest way because you are not adding anything to yourself. You challenge society to “do, be and have more”. You stand up for your right to be your imperfect, flawed, sometimes sad self.

It’s pretty damn punk if you ask me.

So today is a gentle message to remind you (and remind yourself) that it is good be clear and simple. You don’t need to add anything to yourself to be likable.

You are worthy just the way you are.

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