Identifying with Dean

[hells_half_acre]

Something I've noticed in the fandom is that a lot of people identify with Dean. Which is good, of course, you are supposed to identify with Dean...but what I mean is that a lot of people say "I'm a lot like Dean" or "Dean's a lot like me". I feel this way too, but there seems to be a fundamental difference between their reasons for this and mine.

This is best illustrated through a conversation I had about it with my little sister:

Me: "People keep saying 'Dean is a lot like me' or 'I'm a lot like Dean', and then they go on to list all of Dean's good qualities.

Susie: "Huh. Really?"

Me: "Yeah, like 'He's so devoted to his family' and 'He has a clear concept of what is right and wrong'...but, you know, I think I'm like Dean, but not because of his good points..."

Susie: "Hm."

Me: "I think I'm like Dean because we have the same faults..."

Susie: "Yeah, like how he makes jokes as a...umm..."

Me: "Using humour as a defense mechanism? And not acknowledging that he has emotions other than happiness or anger..."

Susie: "Right." *starts ticking off faults on fingers* "Humour as a defence mechanism; denies emotions; avoids emotional situations at all costs; avoids talking about things that he should really talk about; sabotages all his relationships; doesn't think anyone loves him; not to mention all his self-worth issues. OH DEAN!" :'-(

Me: "Haha!"

Susie: "At least you didn't go to hell"

Me: "Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better."

Susie: "Ha! You don't have the self-worth issues."

Me: "True. I'm freakin' awesome."
 

Comments

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

i'm mostly Dean....humor, sarcasm, taste in music....but i haven't gone to Hell either, even though i had serious self-worth issues in high school.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

For some reason, I have never really had the self-worth issues. I've had the "no one loves me" issues, but it was never based on my self-worth. One could argue that in high school I had the opposite problem of being a bit of an arrogant asshole...not that it was based on anything, because I was chubby and had a bad haircut. I just thought I was an awesome person anyway. I still frickin' hated high school though.

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

i was the loner who got picked on.... and i guess my issue (looking back on it, of course) was that i let it happen, and didn't stand up for myself....

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

That sucks. It's hard to stand up for yourself when you are a teenager.

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

yeah..... i think it was that back when i started the school in 3rd grade the kids realised they could pick on me... and i went to school with them until 12th grade.

but i went on a trip over the summer between high school and college, and knew no one, and kinda figured out who i was and came out of my shell, and that continued into college.

so now i've come to know and learn my self-worth, like who i am.... well, i did a while ago at any rate. this year is my 15th anniversary to the guy i've been best friends with for almost 20 years, so all is good now. :)

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Well, it's nice you were able to come out of your shell and reclaim your self-worth, and yay to having a best friend for almost 20 years :)

For me, my second year of college, I met someone who was kind enough to make me realize that I was not perfect, and that not being perfect wasn't necessarily a bad thing - it was actually a pretty good thing. We've been best friends ever since.

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

thanks! :)

and very cool for you too! :)