I think the best definition for solitude would be a human's desire for a removal from society to either redefine themselves away from stereotypes or to seek improvement in personal goals or talents.
Stereotypes and prejudice infiltrate our very lives. Perhaps you have heard some of the common ones and are unaware of them: Asians are smart, Latino girls are looking for a good time, Native Americans are alcoholics, Black men are criminals, and the list goes on. And these wrongful perceptions of people hurt the victims to the point where they want to feel a disconnect from society itself.
Thankfully, solitude doesn't always turn out bad. Some of the best artistic endeavors and masterpieces come from solitude.
When people retreat into seclusion, they search for hobbies that will help them relieve the anger they feel while being discriminated against. And out of this anger, comes a beautiful representation of what people believe capture their feelings.
Like me, Uldus Bakhtiozina (in the video below) uses photography as a means to find some relief, but she goes a step farther in making sure that her photos undermine the stereotypes against her.
Ananya: stereotypes are definitely a part of our world. Some stereotypes--like blacks are criminals--hurt, while other stereotypes--like Asians are smart--pressure people to try and live up to society's standards. Have you thought about stereotyping based on religion? I think it's awful when everyone decides to paint all the people of a certain group with the same brush, based on the actions of a minute few!
ReplyDeleteYour post is really nice! It is concise and conveys a strong message. I really like how you pointed out that something as awful as stereotyping can provide a basis for something beautiful, like photography.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly amazing! Stereotypes definitely play a role in defining our lives these days and solitude is one of the best ways to let out your emotions in beautiful forms (speaking from personal experiences here).
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