When I think of expression, it varies. It’s a term that’s broad and carries different meaning. The interpretation exists within relationships, careers and education, all of which are social constructs that express how society communicates. How we express ourselves is through the arts—either in fashion, music or cinema—with each having different characteristics.
Anyone recall the 90s, a time where music like “Black or White,” “Baby One More Time” and “I Want It That Way” gave you all the feels? Even when you listen to it now, it takes you back. Before we could stream music online, we would have to either rent or buy the latest cassettes or CDs. It was a time when you could recite lyrics from the hottest song and notice that there’s always someone who relates.
Forget social media and its unnecessary insecurities—in order to talk to your crush, you would ask for advice from someone. The real art of communication involves awareness of your peers and being able to read the body language of someone in need of comfort or just a good laugh.
These gestures contribute to the very essences of personal engagement.
Instead, we now have live streams that show us what activities people are doing, almost as though we should be re-educated on how to have fun. The expression of how passionate someone is on a topic is hardly perceived as it was back then. Instead of an emoji, you would have to handle the person, in person, rather than through a text message.
A great example of a fictional character who is uncomfortable with human interaction is Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon is one of four scientists who lack social skills. The irony of intelligent individuals that struggle to express themselves makes for great comedy, but also tells us of how little it is we know of other people. Sheldon is unable to understand how others feel and cannot read body language, pick up on sarcasm or social cues.
Take a moment. Imagine life before technological distractions, where cellular devices were just a myth and think back to communicating with your friends or family. Remember how long you’d talk with someone, read a book or run for hours on end without the thought of being notified by Facebook, Instagram or Twitter that someone has posted a picture or your photo has been liked. Now bring it back to present day. How connected are you with some of your friends? Does anyone care to hear about your day?
It’s a bit blurred isn’t it? I’m not saying the 90s were amazing, but it was arguably easier to be ourselves. Where identifying with your personality and building characteristics that created memories were small chapters being added to your story. So to bring it back to the art, how we perceive our reality and make of the world exists only in experiences. The concept of getting to know someone, figuring out who was for you and what made them special all represent expression.
