a lot of people aren’t really living their own lives. they’re living secondary ones—constructed in reaction to how they’re perceived, or misperceived.

most of what people call a personality is just defense. protection. a way to avoid being seen the “wrong” way.

you can feel it. in their movements. their voices. the constant readjusting, the overcompensating. gen z in particular—no one can sit still. not because they’re restless, but because they’re being watched, even when they’re alone.

and it’s deeper than insecurity. it’s not about being liked. it’s about survival. when your identity gets built inside a distortion, everything about you bends to correct the error.

they’ve been secondary so long, they think it’s all there is.