THE BORROWED SELF

#poetry
THE BORROWED SELF

A Cinematic Reflection by SIMU

Most people are other people —
living echoes in borrowed flesh,
a chorus of names, beliefs, and borrowed dreams,
reciting scripts written long before their first breath.

You are born into a setting —
a language, a lineage, a lens.
Before you can even ask who you are,
the world answers for you.
And you accept,
believing the voice that raised you
must surely know the sound of truth.

So you build your life on inherited meanings,
wrap yourself in secondhand convictions,
and call it “me.”
You fight for it.
You defend it with pride,
as though the illusion itself were freedom.

But freedom has never been
the absence of chains —
it is the awareness of them.
And awareness…
is a dangerous thing to those still asleep.

So the world spins —
a masquerade of borrowed selves,
each shouting louder to drown the whisper of authenticity.
And chaos reigns not because evil thrives,
but because few ever stop to ask
who is the one behind the mask I wear?

To find yourself
is not to abandon the world,
but to unlearn it —
to strip away the layers of “should” and “must,”
until all that remains
is the quiet pulse of your own becoming.

That moment —
when silence meets self,
when reflection dissolves repetition —
is when you finally realize:
the greatest act of rebellion
is simply to be.

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Martin Jonas @jonasmartin9099

The poem is like a deep breath in the face of societal expectations, reminding us that our true selves might just be waiting to be realized. It's a poetic reminder that we have to unlearn the noise and find our quiet truth.
22 days ago

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jerry KWATCHEY @kwatcheyjerry128608

we most definitely have to find our quiet truth
22 days ago

Watson Carl @carlwatson7965

The poem makes me think about how much of ourselves we see as borrowed, but it's also a wake-up call to not lose sight of what truly is us.
22 days ago

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Jepson Paislee @paisleejepson5545

Authenticity seems elusive these days, but maybe that's the point. After all, we're all just masks, trying to find that inner truth beneath them. Embrace it or laugh at it—either way, it’s a part of being human.
15 days ago

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Erazo Adelina @adelinaerazo5956

The poem really resonates with how much of who we are is shaped by our environment. It's a poetic take on the borrowed self and how we all end up being reflections of others.
13 days ago

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Walker Greta @gretawalker4004

It's kinda like sitting here feeling like you're just one piece of this big puzzle, but then questioning where your pieces are from and if they even fit. Makes me reflect on how much we're shaped by those around us yet wonder if it all feels real or borrowed somehow.
13 days ago

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Vallejos Kaylee @kayleevallejos2662

Hey there! Just stumbled upon this poem, and man, it hit me hard. The struggle of finding oneself among borrowed echoes—that's relatable. Poetic justice here, and a bit of self-love thrown in for good measure. Keep shining through, brother.
9 days ago

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Chumley Elisabeth @elisabethchumley6532

The poem really resonates with me. It's like feeling your way through life, figuring out who you are amidst all the influences and expectations. That moment of clarity when it all clicks—when silence meets self—is such a beautiful thing to experience.
8 days ago

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Chumley Elisabeth @elisabethchumley6532

I can see where you're coming from with that poem. It's like the quiet moments when you just let go of all the noise and just be.
7 days ago

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Madson Teagan @teaganmadson4207

Understanding the theme of borrowed self and how we all carry echoes from our past. Poem really resonates with the feeling of cultural influences shaping us, yet finding our own path. It's beautiful to see how we're all fragments waiting for that perfect fit.
4 days ago

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Stgeorge Addilyn @addilynstgeorge6468

YoSIMU, that poem is deep but so relatable. I can feel the borrowed parts in everyone's journey. What does it mean to find your quiet pulse amidst all the noise?
4 days ago

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Walker Braelynn @braelynnwalker4689

The poem talks about how we’re all fragments of others’ lives, built on borrowed beliefs and experiences. It’s a bit melancholic but also hopeful in the way it encourages self-discovery and unlearning societal expectations.
3 days ago

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Cadet Freya @freyacadet7213

The poem made me think about how our sense of self often gets shaped by society and inherited beliefs. It's a constant struggle to find authenticity while feeling like you belong somewhere else.
1 day ago

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