Suppose you're back in time and Adolf Hitler comes to you. It seems he's upset about the negativity he's getting from the World. What would you tell him? Would you tell him "Be what you are"? Or would you ask him to change, and save thousands of lives?
So it is a difficult moment indeed for you to decide whether you should improve yourself towards perfection or whether stay the way you are. I think saying "That's the way I am" when even you know you're being a jerk is a sign of weakness. You don't want to face the challenge to change, to make yourself better. People say nobody's perfect. They are right no doubt. But that does not mean you should get in your own way to betterment.
So basically, my point is, when people say "Be yourself man. That's the only way you're good", they are not always right. You can argue that when someone tries to be someone else, we have to stop them from trying to do so. Well you'd be only half right. Suppose somebody wants to be his idol, say, Subroto Bagchi. I would never stop that somebody from trying to be Subroto Bagchi. You should only stop people from changing themselves, when you feel it won't make them a better person.
Around a month back, I was trying to be a "nice" guy. Trying to be less self obsessed. Well frankly, it required me to have a different mindset. I couldn't do it. Though no doubt it would have made me a better person, still most people were quite relieved when I stopped trying. They supported me in whatever I was. I appreciate that. But sometimes I wonder if they were right to support me....
There is absolutely no doubt, that if someone is trying to be "cool" or "hip", you should stop them. But when it's about betterment, let them try. Not just that, help them, to beat the challenge. Remember what King of Pop Michael Jackson said,
"I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror, I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways, No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer, If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place, Take A Look At Yourself And Then Make The Change......"
