Why you should talk more about your garbage
Remember the last time you thought of your dustbin and said something like, “Hey, I had almost forgotten that I ate a pack of chips two nights ago.” or “You know I finally threw those love letters from high school (actually burned down the damn garbage pile after that).” or “The vegetable peels rot way fast man!”?
You don’t, right? Who the hell talks about what came out when they emptied their dustbin into the trash pile last evening? Don’t worry, I’m not telling you to start doing it either.
The garbage that I am talking about comes from the lines quoted below:
“We all love things that other people think are garbage. You have to have the courage to keep loving your garbage. When you find things you genuinely enjoy, don’t let anyone else make you feel bad about it. Don’t feel guilty about the pleasure you take in the things you enjoy. Celebrate them.” — Austin Kleon
It’s important to adore all that’s dumped inside the dustbin of your heart, because all of it is dear to you, the books, the movies, the cartoons, the quotes, the paintings, the songs, the performances, the matches, all of it together speaks of you who are. Don’t lose any of it to the opinions of the world, you’ve already lost a whole lot of other things to them, haven’t you?
When you love something, there’s a different frenzy that overtakes while talking about it, in letting the world know that such a thing, such a wonder exists, even if you didn’t create it, you’re glad to own it as an admirer. If travellers openly flaunt the places they have visited and loved, then why shouldn’t we too speak of what we have read/watched/heard and loved so much?
Haven’t you ever stopped by and joined in, or at least had an urge to join in discussions over something you feel connected with? I have, every time I heard someone talk about Naruto or Harry Potter. And I will be more than happy to jump in talks with near-strangers if they talk about Papertowns, Fight Club, Oregairu, Snoopy, The Fountainhead, Jess Cope, Poets Of The Fall, and my garbage list goes on.
We all have experienced the power of stories to connect us at various levels, the instant bond that springs from loving the same things. It’s easy to talk to people who genuinely understand the things that matter to you, it’s nice to have like-minded people to talk over things and share stuff with. But how do you find these people? You find them by hearing about their garbage, they find you by hearing about yours. But how can we find each other unless we decide to talk about our garbage? We can’t.
I used to be afraid of people judging me over my unconventional likings and dislikes. What if I didn’t like something that’s been established as a masterpiece by others? What if I totally loved something that others in my knowledge have never heard of? I used to wonder if presenting my opinions in those cases would label me with ‘bad taste’.
Most of us are afraid of tags, half the time for the fear of not living up to them, and half the time for the fear of being given those of an outcast. It takes a fair amount of time and conditioning to truly accept that others’ opinion doesn't matter. So that eventually, you can come to terms with the thought that what is precious to you doesn't have to be precious to everyone else too. It’s crucial to learn this as early as possible, else you’ll keep living under the threats of judgement created by your own mind.
When you start feeling free to talk about the garbage of yours, without having to give much thought on how others will perceive it, you’ll stumble across people with whom you’ll have a lot to discuss with, because you’ll find people who know your stuff well, who love it as much as you do. You’ll find this different genre of friends with whom you can discuss a particular kind of stuff for hours on end, and still not feel bored or tired.
May you protect your garbage in your dustbin heart forever, and let people know about it. Amen.
