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These comics demonstrate how the life of a self-conscious person, so seemingly fraught with peril, is much less scrutinized than it feels.

An Animated Look At How Self-Conscious People See The World Vs. How It Really Is

BY Joe Berkowitz

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” Easier said than done, Roosevelt!

Back here in reality, where social media has made us more observable than ever before, it sure does seem like other people are thinking of us sometimes, and possibly evaluating. The prospect of being judged by friends, family, and strangers is more pervasive for some folks than others, though. The ones who often feel trapped under a microscope will likely appreciate a new series of comics that depict the life of a self-conscious person.

Created for College Humor, the Reality vs When You’re Self Conscious comics reveal the hidden treachery of everyday life. They show how minor social mistakes seem amplified to a grotesque level in one panel, while in reality they’re met with a patient smile. Writer Willie Muse and illustrator Paul Westover have concocted a heartening, wildly relatable series that should prove cathartic to anyone who feels trapped in their own head all the time.

Have a look at more of the illustrations in the slides above.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joe Berkowitz is an opinion columnist at Fast Company. His latest book, American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World, is available from Harper Perennial. More


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