We live in a society, where most people "express themselves" through the things they buy. You show personality traits by wearing certain clothes, go to certain restaurants, drive certain cars, use certain apps, ...
But is that really self expression? You might think that "being addicted to Starbucks" is just as much a personality trait as any. After all, if you take all these habits, preferences and tendencies a person exhibits into account, there is enough data to make them uniquely identifiable. But is identifiability really the only thing needed for self expression? Is it truly a unique personality, if it is entirely built from personality building blocks that were designed by big corporations with the intention to make them good personality building blocks?
Think a moment about the human condition. We have the capacity to understand so much about the universe, reflect on our actions and predict the future with sometimes astonishing precision. We can use all this knowledge to in vent devices of staggering complexity or build enormous structures. We have the capacity to create new concepts, explore those concepts and build entire worlds in our imagination. Still, we have no idea why we exist and what the purpose of it all is.
Every single one of us has these capabilities. None of us is given a definitive answer to the existential questions. Yet all of us are unique minds, approaching life with small deviations in similar, yet completely different ways. Our personality is our chance to add something unique to the world. A way for us to use this one life, this one chance we have, into a small piece of what is all of humanity.
So, do you think that it's appropriate for a being with god-like properties to use their one opportunity of manifesting their existence by "driving a Jeep"? "Collecting Warhammer figurines"? "Being a Soccer fan?" ...
Those things might bring you joy, I fully understand that and would not recommend you stop (unless it's an unhealthy addiction). Just don't confuse the things you enjoy with your personality, even though they *are* part of it. But expressing yourself is about more than just enjoyment. It's about dealing with all parts of your personality, including the ones that are less enjoyable. What scares you? What makes you angry? What saddens you so much it drives tears into your eyes only thinking about it? Those things are part of your personality as well. You will never be able to fully express those by buying something.
So do me a favor and create something today. Just try it. I don't care what medium you choose, just do whatever suits you best. And I'm not doing the social media thing where I ask you to share it with me. It's entirely up to you if you show it to anyone. Just don't plan to sell it. If you do that, you create it with the intention that it's valuable to someone else. Create something that is valuable to you.
Just create whatever you would like to create in the moment and see how it feels.
