The reputation Era

There will be no further explanation.

There will just be reputation.

Taylor Swift

Reputation is everything. It’s more important than anyone ever seems to realize and no one seems to care about their own impact on anyone else’s reputation either. Your reputation can determine your standing in society. A good or bad reputation could make or break you and influence how other people treat you. Positive public opinion may lead to closer consideration for better jobs and leadership roles in work environments as well. However, there are always those who will tarnish a reputation in order to maintain their own reputation and importance in their social circles and the gullible people who will believe what they hear from an unreliable source. The first thing we need to know about reputations is to question what you learn about people from those who don’t necessarily know the whole story or have a biased opinion. Some people will see what they want to see and declare it as the truth. The truth varies depending on who you ask so it’s best to ask those who would know the closest version to the actual truth. Though why some people feel the need to insert themselves into others’ stories for no reason is beyond me (and I swear I’m not looking at certain people in particular *sips tea*). The important thing that must be remembered is that the people who stand by you when your reputation is at its worst are the people you want to keep in your life.

Big reputation, big reputation ooh, you and me, we got big reputations,

Ah, And you heard about me ooh I got some big enemies

Taylor Swift, Endgame

In reality, it should be easy. Your actions should define you. If you are a good person or at least try to be, you should have a good reputation, right? No. Wrong. And you’re crazy if you think that. The way in which people judge you defines your reputation and, regardless how you treat people, some people will inevitably see you as the villain and ensure that their opinion of you is public knowledge. However, there is a lesson I have learned over time: You can’t be everybody’s cup of tea but you sure as hell can be someone’s shot of whiskey. The fun thing about this lesson is I don’t like tea but I do drink whiskey (just not the local brand because I’m a descendant of great grandparents from a county with better whiskey). The thing is that, wherever we go and regardless of what we do, some people will see our actions, innocuous as we think they are, as a slight against them or intentionally hurtful, cruel or malicious. Et Voila! Bad reputation incoming. The fun part about it all is that the more you try to influence your reputation directly, the more out of hand it gets. So it is time to accept that you can’t be the good guy in everyone’s story but that doesn’t mean you have to play the part of the moustache twirling villain because someone sees you that way.

Reputation precedes me, in rumours I’m knee deep

The truth is, it’s easier to ignore it, believe me

Ed Sheeran, Endgame

AND ONE MORE THING!!! On top of all that concern about your reputation, for some unknown reason, if you’re a woman your reputation matters more. Guys can do and say things a woman would never get away with. A man is strategic, a woman is manipulative though. A man makes plans, a woman calculates and schemes. A man is a player, a woman is a sl*t/wh*re/easy (care to notice which side I had to censor and which side I didn’t *sips tea again*). The list goes on and once you notice these…uh discrepancies (we’ll call them that for simplicity’s sake), they’re hard to ignore. You know, for such emotional creatures, women sure are cold calculating bitches (*cue the tea sipping again*). Could you imagine the calamity if men’s reputations were as closely scrutinized as a woman’s (and one last time, with gusto *sips tea*)? Things would be more than a little different. So before people start running their mouths about people dating and hooking up, remember: guys and girls are capable of being friends and siblings exist and can get along remarkably well. Guys and girls can hang out in a platonic manner. You don’t have to be dating your friends and, if a person that you like believes that you are dating someone based solely on the fact that you hang out with someone, then you must have a lot of girlfriends, boyfriends and theyfriends if you date everyone you hang out with. Granted, your dating life is only the business of the people you decide to share it with. Besides “he is not the love of your life! He’s literally just a guy! Hit him with your car!!” Not literally! We’d never condone such actions (in a public blog post) O:)

And I’m so sick of them coming at me again
Cause if I was a man Then I’d be The Man

Taylor Swift, The Man

Never forget: Kill ‘em with kindness. Peace!