Confidence on DND, Insecurities on Loudspeakers
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Confidence on DND, Insecurities on Loudspeakers
Aarushi Patnaik
FY B.Sc
Reading Time – 8 minutes
Source: Isha Foundation
In The Parable of the Madman (1882), Friedrich Nietzsche delivers a message that still resonates today. He tells the tale of a man who rushes through a town, shouting, “God is dead.” But Nietzsche wasn’t just pointing out that people were losing their religious faith. As traditional beliefs and moral frameworks crumble, we’re left wandering, trying to find new ways to make sense of the world. It’s like when the foundation of an old building starts to crack. The structure doesn’t collapse immediately, but you can feel it shifting. Nietzsche’s madman warns us: if we pull away from the things that used to give life direction, what comes next? What do we build in their place? It’s not just about losing faith; it’s about the messy, confusing process of redefining meaning in a world that suddenly feels a lot bigger and emptier.
Nietzsche’s recognition of the “death of God” wasn’t just a statement about the decline of religious belief, but about the profound existential crisis it triggered for humanity. For centuries, the divine had been the source of meaning, morality, and security. To live without God was to lose the foundation on which human beings had constructed their entire understanding of existence. Without this transcendent source, humanity found itself thrust into a position of deep insecurity—untethered from the eternal truths and assurances that had once provided a sense of direction.
In layman’s terms Nietzsche called humanity a herd without direction. Humanity must now take full responsibility for creating its own meaning, morality, and purpose. Without the divine, we enter a new era of insecurity, as we no longer have preordained answers or external authority. Nietzsche warned that this could lead to nihilism, the belief that life is meaningless, unless we have the courage and strength to create new values. This shift presents both a profound challenge and an opportunity: to rise as creators of our own destiny or to fall into despair, seeking external forces to fill the void left by God.
This might feel like a completely different perspective on ‘insecurities’, but Nietzsche’s idea of insecurities is metaphorical, related to the idea of insecurities to what we experience today.
How?
Insecurities in today’s world easily creep in, especially when societal norms often seem to thrive on amplifying doubt. It’s like we live in a world that subtly rewards incredulity and gloom, what some call a “Doomerist attitude.” There’s almost a validation in seeing the negative, as if expecting the worst is the new form of being “realistic.” It’s no wonder that confidence, something so fragile and personal, gets blocked.
The society around us, whether it’s media, workplaces, or even casual conversations with people we meet on a daily basis or even love and care about, can sometimes push us toward this constant state of comparison and fear. It makes confidence seem naive, while insecurity and cynicism are just a part of being smart or aware. It’s exhausting, right?And hence we fall into this vicious cycle of continuous self pity, hatred and loathing that does nothing more than help justify our insecurities.
At this point it’s not only about the insecurities that we, women, face on a daily basis, it’s about societal pressure, it’s about the “oh what would she/he think?”,“what would they say?”,“What if people assume this or that?”. Insecurities grow from societal norms and added pressure;something that our society has done a brilliant job of executing. The seed of “No, she can’t do that”has been planted through generations, making men ‘the man of the house’ and women the “caregivers”.
It’s such a tough and unfair double standard, isn’t it? After having a baby, many mothers face immense pressure to either stay home or, if they choose to work, they’re often unfairly judged. On one hand, society can guilt them for “not prioritising their family” if they pursue a career. On the other hand, if they do return to the workforce, they’re frequently seen as less committed or not as capable, sometimes treated as if motherhood somehow reduces their professional skills. They are misunderstood, judged, overlooked, undermined and most of all, often labelled as ‘vulnerable’.
That statistic—43% of women stepping back from their careers—reflects just how widespread this experience is. It’s not just a number; it’s a glimpse into the lives of so many women who are making the incredibly tough decision to pause or scale back their professional lives. It often isn’t because they want to leave but because they feel they have to.Stepping back comes with its own consequences, too. For one, reentering the workforce later can feel daunting, like the entire landscape has changed. Skills may feel a bit rusty, networks thinner. The ladder she’d climbed so carefully may feel out of reach when she’s ready to go back.This story plays out in countless ways, for countless women, and each one reflects how much work there is to do in creating supportive, family-friendly work environments.
Insecurity kills all that is beautiful—it can creep in quietly, taking root in the moments when we ’re doubting ourselves, comparing our path to someone else’s, or feeling like we’re just not enough. It robs us of the ability to see how much beauty we already hold, how much we are capable of, and how far we’ve come. The worst part is, we might not even notice how it chips away at our confidence, our joy, or our relationships until it feels too late.
Throughout history, each era introduced insecurities tied to belonging and feeling “enough.” Early societies focused on survival and status; later, pressures around appearance and behaviour grew. The industrial era brought job insecurity, while mass media and now social media amplified beauty standards and comparisons. Across time, the challenge remains: balancing societal expectations with self-acceptance.
Dwelling into the breeding house of insecurities, social media has undeniably woven itself into the fabric of many teenagers’ lives, sometimes feeling like an indispensable thread. It’s hard to imagine a day without the familiar ping of notifications, the endless scroll through curated feeds, or the rush of checking how many likes that one selfie racked up.It’s not just fun and filters; it’s a place where self-esteem could be tied to a number—whether that’s likes, comments, or followers. What happens when the feedback isn’t what they hoped for? Does it make them feel like they don’t measure up when their post doesn’t get the attention they expect? Or worse, what about the subtle pressure to look perfect, like those effortlessly gorgeous Instagram models who seem to always have flawless hair and glowing skin?
Adolescence is like being stuck in a never-ending episode of awkward self-discovery, and body image issues are often the uninvited guest who won’t leave. Teens in today’s world face all kinds of pressure about how they should look—from social media, from friends, from peers who tease or make comments, and even parents who casually throw in remarks like, “Are you really eating another cookie?”. Though they often mean well, they end up perpetuating the same ideals.
This is the reality for so many young people today. In 2015, Pew Research showed that over half of 13- to 17-year-olds were already using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat daily. This statistic is a reflection of how much social media has woven itself into young teens’ lives, becoming a part of daily routines, friendships, and self-perception.
What starts as a simple scroll can quickly become a cycle of comparison. These platforms are designed to keep you engaged—liking, commenting, and posting—but they also amplify what you think you “should” look like or who you “should” be. When every other picture on social media is of someone’s perfectly crafted highlight reel, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling short, even though deep down, you know these images don’t reflect reality. The toll this can take on confidence and self-worth is real, and research shows that it’s often young girls and women who feel it the hardest.
It’s hard not to wonder: Why don’t I look like that? Why isn’t my life as exciting as theirs? These questions can start small, but for many young girls, they become a daily inner dialogue, shaping how they see themselves and how they value themselves. Amanda Raffoul, a Harvard researcher on eating disorder prevention, highlights how young girls are particularly at risk.This is especially concerning, as eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia carry some of the highest suicide risks among mental health disorders, making the stakes incredibly high for those affected.
I have questioned myself a plenty of times, be it an Instagram post, the way I talk, laugh, smile. Plenty of times. But at the end of the day I have only come to realise how ignorant it was of me to acknowledge what I found ‘ugly’ and not how I absolutely admired the way I spoke, how perfectly I smiled or how cute I looked when I laughed. When we stop giving insecurity the power to define us, we open ourselves up to a life where we can fully experience joy, love, and fulfilment. We deserve that freedom. Being able to bubble out of this mess isn’t as easy as it seems,countless articles and speeches can’t change the fact that it’s a conversation we must have with ourselves , trust me when I say nothing holds you back more than your own judgement.
“What other people think of you never defines your worth”