Playing The Part To Get Ahead To Nowhere
- L J Louis
- Sep 13
- 3 min read
I recently received feedback from a trusted friend that an essay I submitted to a national publication may have been "too political." What that really meant was it challenged the status quo as we know it, specifically, the food industry's powerful, centralized control over our sustenance. My essay argued that our dependence on these corporations has created a precarious existence, a lesson I learned firsthand during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was traumatized by the food insecurity I experienced when a clerk told me I could only purchase two cans of peas. That moment of helplessness ignited a years-long journey of growing my own food and reclaiming a small measure of freedom and sustainability.
This conversation with my friend about my essay triggered a related thought about a post I'd made on social media. I had celebrated giving up the relentless cycle of fake hair and chemical treatments, a lifestyle I and many black women adopted to be more "Eurocentric" and "acceptable." My post was about breaking free from an impossible beauty ideal that drains us financially and spiritually, all to appease the male gaze. It was about discovering self-worth and confidence from within, independent of my external appearance. It was about how I’ve grown to love myself deeply, just as I was created as a black woman, instead of playing the part to get ahead to nowhere.
A friend commented on my post, "If we don't want to be lonely, we must play the part."
This struck me deeply. What part are we playing? Are we truly happier and less lonely by conforming? The women I know who won't leave their homes without a full face of makeup or a wig aren't happier or in loving, authentic relationships. There is a body of evidence indicating that food insecurity is a major concern in the West, yet to talk about it might be “too political” for a publication. If playing the part worked, we wouldn't be drowning our unhappiness in excessive alcohol, drugs, social media, and often, taking drastic measures like suicide. We wouldn't be more anxious or lonelier than ever if playing the part worked. Playing the part is a hollow performance leading us nowhere.
This brings me to a few crucial questions: Do we create, write, and wear things to play a part that ultimately gets us nowhere? Should I compromise my writing's truthfulness to gain more attention? What am I sacrificing in this pursuit of playing the part? Am I losing the essence of who I am and what I see in the world just to be more acceptable?
Whether it's the truth about our food industry or the chemicals we put on our bodies for the sake of the male gaze, we are playing a part that robs us of our authentic selves. We are dying from disease and feeling more lonely than ever. We are engaged in a performance that offers no genuine reward. Our performance fails to protect our self-worth, critical thinking, and creativity, nor does it nourish our souls.
While I understand the need to protect our livelihoods, especially when publishers may deem our truth “unacceptable.” Or the pressure to write what a publisher deems acceptable to their advertisers can be a matter of our income. There will come a time when our performance won't be enough. The more we compromise our values and inherent ethics, the more we lose a piece of ourselves; a little bit of our humanity is chipping away slowly, and we are left with a society devoid of self-awareness in the group (deindividuation). There will come a time, no matter how perfectly we play the part, no matter how "good" we are, how “apolitical’ we are, or how much we conform, it will never be enough, it will get us nowhere. That is a future I refuse to accept for my grandchildren, where they become slaves to playing the part to get ahead to nowhere.
With love in light, LJ Louis
LJ Louis is an enthusiastic traveler, aspiring artist, and passionate writer of both fiction and non-fiction who loves exploring new cuisines. She is also a dedicated advocate for women's rights. With an impressive educational background, she holds a double major in psychology and criminology (BA), a Bachelor of Laws (Hons LLB), and an advanced diploma in fitness and health promotion. LJ shares her insights through engaging content on topics such as human sexuality, sex positivity, health, psychology, and even Meghan Markle.
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