The awkward "out of place"

Have you ever gone with friends and everyone is ordering alcohol, then suddenly, you order for malt or let us say water? How did the rest of your friends react to your order? Can we say that it is "out of place" because the one you ordered for doesn't fit the atmosphere or the overall vibe. Stay with me on this and you will find out the answer and more.

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What does the phrase "out of place" mean to you? Give us an example

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When we say something is out of place, it is like a puzzle piece that doesn't fit or like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. Another very good example will be wearing a swimsuit to a business meeting, exactly it just doesn't belong there.

But then, "Out of place" can also mean that feeling of being awkward or uncomfortable around people because we just don't share the same interests or values as the people around us. For example, if I am at a party where everyone is talking about music and I am not interested in music at all, I might feel out of place probably because I love sports and I'm left alone with no one to talk to as every other person is discussing music.

However, sometimes being "out of place" can also be a good thing as it means that we are breaking the usual, the mold, challenging expectations, and doing something unique outside what everyone knows how to do. But then, most of the time it means we are feeling uncomfortable and unsure of ourselves.

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Have you ever felt uncomfortable being out of place?

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So many times. Like I earlier said, being out of place means we are uncomfortable at the situation or place we find ourselves and this has happened to me a lot of the time. There was a time, I went with a friend of mine to a fancy party and it was my first time attending such a party. But then, my friend on the other hand was super excited about the party, because unlike me, he has always been attending these events and talking about it. I, on the other hand, was a novice and everyone convinced me it will be fun.

On walking into the party venue, I felt like entering a different world as everyone was dressed in sleek, stylish clothes, discussing slangs I barely understood. I felt like I was wearing a mismatched wearing just my jeans and t-shirt looking decidedly casual compared to the designer dresses and tailored suits around me.

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I felt so out of place that even trying to engage in conversation felt awkward, so I would rather just nod politely when someone would speak their slang with me as I had no idea what they were talking about and it felt like a fraud to me as I was pretending to understand something I didn't.

Even though I tried to enjoy myself, the feeling of being out of place was like a persistent itch I just couldn't scratch. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad feeling per say, it was just that I was uncomfortable and unsettling with everything around me being my first experience.

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Do you consider that paradise is an invention of human beings who have always felt out of place?

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It seems common amongst us to dream of a place where there's no trouble, no stress, just smooth sailing and endless sunshine, I guess that is what we call paradise, a place where we imagine all our problems are solved, where everything is perfect and we feel completely at ease.

But then, why do we dream of such a place as paradise? This is common because we often feel "out of place" in the real world and for the fact that life is full of challenges, disappointments, and frustrations so we feel like we don't fit in and we are missing something, of wish we can get in paradise.

Therefore, paradise is just our way of escaping these feelings of frustrations, disappointments and challenges. It is a place where we imagine ourselves finally being in place, where everything is perfect just the way we want and we are finally happy.

So for me, paradise is really just a reflection of our own longing for a better place, a place where we feel like we belong. It is a human invention to help us cope with the fact that we are not always comfortable or content. So, it is like when we are dreaming of a perfect vacation of which we know it is not real, but it helps us to escape the everyday grind and imagine a better world.

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Is it true that, in these turbulent technological times, as people age they become less relevant?

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I don't believe this is necessarily true, for me it's not true that older people become less relevant in these tech-heavy times. But then, we can say that it is not necessarily their skillset, unless they are willing to learn.

For example, there was a time when everyone was obsessed with traditional banking. Now, the finance is being ruled by Cryptocurrencies so you might find that people who grew up in the traditional banks era before cryptocurrencies became popular might not be as good at the younger generation who were born into the cryptocurrency era, and that doesn't mean they are less valuable.

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They just seem to have a different set of skills and experiences that can still be useful with things the younger generation might not have as much experience with.

You and I know that technology is constantly changing, but that does not mean that the older people are suddenly useless, but rather, it just means they need to adapt and find ways to use their skills in new ways. It is just like learning a new language, we might not be fluent right away, but with practice and effort, we can still become proficient.

So, while it's true that technology is changing the way we live and work, it's not a reason to dismiss the value we can get from the older generations, because they still have a lot to offer, and their experience and wisdom are still relevant in today's world.

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I want to take this opportunity to invite @josepha, @saintkelvin17 and @ikwal.

Thank You for your Time

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NOTE: Always have a smile on your face, as you are never fully dressed without one.