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"I don't care what people think of me!"

How many times have you heard someone utter this phrase? Or rather, how many times have you yourself uttered or thought this phrase? Probably many, many times. Do you know why you said it? Was it really because you don't care what people think? Be honest with yourself now.... wink

So many people say this phrase without a second thought or a hesitation. Never do they really mean it, or at least never in a pure sense. We ALL care what people think. We all want to be loved, liked, and accepted. So of course we care what people think! The question is, why do we sometimes claim we don't care?

I'd love to hear the takes of others before I give my own. 3nodding Or if you disagree with this assertation entirley, explain why. I based this primarily of of a psychological concept of the four fundamental needs of Rogers - which is very similar to Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs, which some of you have more likely heard of than the former.

It is true that to some degree, we all care what other people think of us.
We all to some degree need the love and support from those around us.

I have told myself that it doesn't matter what others think of me -- although I realize that this is only partially true.

I think that we ultimately decide who and what we are, and I think that sometimes we let what other people think influence us a bit too much.

I think that it is important to find a healthy balance of knowing when to listen to other people, and when to disregard their opinions.

-Alezunde

I really can't speak for other people, but when I say that phrase. It means that I'm doing somthing that is looked down upon and I couldn't care less if so and so thought it is a bad thing. Because them likeing me does not effect me. Now if it were giving other peopel that I do care about then I wouldn't say that. But I do agree with you on the fact that too many people use that phrase with out a second's thought.

It is important to be true to yourself, first of all. If you are always going on the judgements of others' then how can you find out who you really are? That is why we say that we don't care what people think. If they don't like you for who you really are, then who are they to judge? Screw 'em.
Yes we all want to be a part of society, we may have to mold ourselves to certain standards to do so (although the degree to which we mold ourselves may differ).
What is important, though, is to first know yourself and then find people that appreciate you for who you really are...

I think that being true to yourself means knowing yourself, and living accordingly.
Knowing yourself will make you aware of your strengths and weaknesses; You can state with confidence what your strengths are, and acknowledge your weaknesses.
(If you so choose, you may work to eliminate the traits in yourself that you see as weaknesses, and you can build upon your strengths.)
Once you know yourself, you may live accordingly -- you may choose a lifestyle that suits you uniquely, and makes you happy.
Happiness and health go hand-in-hand -- and once we are happy and healthy, we may set out to accomplish whatever dreams we have.
All that said, I quite agree that it is very important to be true to ourselves.

Being true to yourself and being yourself does not mean life will become monotonous and boring -- it means that we will become more able to live life to the fullest, which I see as quite the opposite.

In answer to your question Starlock:
It is all too easy not to be yourself.
Oftentimes people or events in our life will blind us to what should be obvious. (Especially obvious to ourselves!)
Too many people have no idea who they are, and they cannot see themselves as who they are.
I know too many people who believe that they are incompetent, or unattractive -- when they are very much the opposite.
We can only be ourselves once we know every bit about ourselves.
(Many of us have unconcious habits that can greatly affect our lives, and we don't even realize we have these habits!)
Knowing yourself - while it should be the easiest thing in the world for any given person to know - somehow remains one of the most elusive bits of knowledge.

-Alezunde

When a person truly stops caring about what people think of them, they become dangerous to society. If you really didn't care what people thought of you, what's to stop you from doing anything you please? After all, you don't care what other people think of what you're doing, right? If they think you're wrong and that you deserve punishment, they're wrong! Their thoughts don't mean anything, right?

People do care what other people think, regardless of what they say. Do any of these people randomly streak? Modesty is entirely based on what other people think. People do care, they just don't want you to know that they do.

I don't care what other people think of me. I care what I think of myself. The cause of most of the unrest in the world is the projection of one's own expectations and demands of how one should act upon other people. Some of this projection can be positive, such as when you expect yourself not to kill other people, and expect the same of the people around you. But when you start projecting your opinions onto other people, that's when you run into trouble. If you start expecting something, and don't recieve it, you naturally either give up or think of ways to make things happen to your personal likings.

No, I really am indifferent.

If people think lowly of me but don't know me, then there is no problem. The opinion is not connected to the actuality and the ignorance of others in now way diminishes me.

If people think lowly of me and they know me, then there may or may not be a problem. It depends whether I agree with them after a bit of reflection or not.

If I agree, then I may change. If I disagree, then that will only be because I've found the cause and discovered that there's no need for them to think lowly of me.

In which case, I would explain why they should not think so lowly of me by presenting my justification.

Opinions are fickle and transient, don't let them rule you.