Self-Absorbed
For years, my sister has been calling me self-absorbed. Today, I finally decided to stop being so self-absorbed and actually look up the definition of self-absorbed and concluded that yes, I am kind of self-absorbed. But why does self-absorption have a negative connotation?
Mirriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary:
absorbed in one’s own thoughts, activities, or interests
Was there ever a successful man who wasn’t absorbed in one’s own thought, activity, and interest? This is how you become successful: to keep thinking and building an idea until it manifests into reality. What is the alternative? Absorbed in someone else’s thoughts, activities, and interests? Should I live vicariously through someone’s life? Maybe watch some Jersey Shore or all of these retarded MTV shows? Nothing ever gets done if you are absorbed in other people’s lives.
But who cares what the dictionary says. What do people think self-absorption is?
Urban Dictionary Definition 1:
A person who cannot stop thinking about themselves, and constantly reminds all others around them of their good and bad qualities.
I don’t typically think of myself, I think of ideas and concepts. I do however remind everyone of how creepy I am.
Urban Dictionary Definition 3:
Simply stated, it is an individual that is so consumed with their own selves that they become oblivious to, nor do they care how their actions or words impact others.
One should never be oblivious, but caring is different. You can’t always care about how your actions will impact others because someone’s always going to get hurt. You can’t limit yourself to peer pressure, and in fact you shouldn’t let anything limit you.
Then there’s the personality type definition which is extreme and doesn’t apply to people’s perception of “self-absorption”:
does things primarily for the benefit of themself, puts their feelings first, can’t do anything when they don’t feel good, swayed by their emotions, more concerned with themself than others, prefers personal glory over team victories, pleasure seeker, uses their looks to get what they want, gets angry when they don’t get what they want, dramatizes their suffering, wealth seeking, superficial, manipulative, narcissistic
Yeah, for sure I’m not this type of self absorbed person. The point is that it’s okay to be self-absorbed, but like everything, it must be in moderation.