The First Draft of "Me"
A warm reflection on how we become who we are.
In the story of our growth, each of us participated in a universal, secret project during our teens: the urgent, messy, and brilliant task of drafting the first version of our identity.
I. The Global Teenage Project
Were you familiar with the symptoms of this project?
- A pose you thought was undeniably cool.
- The belief that the world was clearer with one eye hidden behind your hair.
- An online nickname involving words like “Darkness” or “Crimson,” which you found deeply mysterious.
In Japan, this is called “Chunibyo.” But this is not a regional oddity; it’s a shared language of adolescence. When the sense of “I” is still blurry, the first step is to make “I” look different.
II. A Messy, Courageous First Draft
We were all trying to write the story of “Who I Am.” And our first draft was… dramatic. It was full of epic plotlines, exaggerated character traits, and a firm belief that the world’s spotlight should be on us.
This first draft might have had a ridiculous plot, cringe-worthy dialogue, and an overpowered protagonist. But we must admit—its creative passion was unparalleled.
It was our first, brave attempt to shout to the world: “I am here, and I matter.”
III. An Early Rehearsal for the World’s Stage
What is the deeper logic behind all this?
The sociologist Erving Goffman gave us the key. He proposed that “all the world’s a stage.” We spend our lives learning to perform our roles.
What we called “Chunibyo” was not a sickness. It was simply our most passionate, all-in early rehearsal for that grand performance.
- The classroom was our stage.
- The bedroom was our backstage.
We were just rehearsing earlier, and with more intensity, for the grand performance of life we are all part of.
IV. A Salute to Our First Protagonist
We didn’t just “grow out of it.” We learned to perform with more nuance.
- The drama evolved into resilience.
- The desire to be special transformed into the drive to be skilled.
- The lone hero learned to find their team.
That early, awkward draft was not a failure. It was the essential, courageous foundation. So let’s not hide that part of our history. Let’s thank that passionate, cringe-worthy, and utterly brilliant first draft of ourselves.
Because before we could become who we are, we first needed to dream of who we could be.
参考资料 | Reference
本文部分灵感来源于视频：别笑….你还说自己没有「中二病」？！【泛式】