University of Brighton fine Art (Painting) submission

Y tho?

As a neurodiverse person in a neurotypical world I keep forgetting that life isn’t what we’re told it is. We’re told life is fair, but turns out it isn’t. Here are 3 examples:

1. Rules are rules. Rules are sensible and are followed by everyone, especially those who set them. Rules are applied to everyone fairly. Those who don’t follow them are justly punished. Nope, rules don’t always make sense and can even cause harm. Rules are sometimes followed, but those in formal positions of power (politicians, parents) or informal power (popular people, dominant groups) often get a carte blanche.

2. Being good trumps everything. Honesty is the best policy, facts are more important than emotions, being a good person always results in people being good back. Ah no, sorry. Fitting in trumps everything. People are illogical, emotional, and tribal. Being a socially awkward good person is more punishable than being a charming bad person.

3. Good and bad are binaries. The bad people always lie, cheat and steal and can be identified by their maniacal laughter and moustache-twirling. The good people are always honest, true and kind, and they always win in the end. Actually, most people aren’t good or bad, they’re just people. As in the previous points, normally nice humans regularly don’t follow rules, tell the truth or treat others well.

It can be easy to spiral at the unpredictability of it all, so it’s important to keep reminding ourselves that life doesn’t suck, it’s just unfair sometimes. You’re still you, you’re still amazing and you should just keep living within your values and morals. Because in the end it’s what YOU do that matters.