I get on with people. I don't hang out with people who aren't

In the words of Charli XCX, “I get on with people. I don’t hang out with people who aren’t nice. It’s like, be real or go home.” — we hear not the idle musing of a pop artist, but the fierce cry of a spirit that values authenticity over pretense, kindness over vanity, and truth over illusion. Beneath its modern rhythm lies an ancient lesson, one that sages, warriors, and poets have long understood: that the company we keep shapes not only our days but our destiny. To “be real,” in her words, is to live in truth — to cast aside masks and false courtesies, and to walk in the light of sincerity.

In every age, humanity has wrestled with this truth. The ancients spoke of the sacred duty of discernment — the art of choosing one’s companions wisely. For as iron sharpens iron, so too do souls refine one another. Charli’s refusal to “hang out with people who aren’t nice” is no mere preference; it is an act of spiritual preservation. It is to say: I will not allow cruelty or deceit to poison the garden of my peace. To be kind, to be genuine, to be real — these are not small virtues, but the foundations of a noble life.

Consider the story of Socrates, the philosopher of Athens. He moved not among the powerful or the rich, but among those who sought truth. His friends were men and women of curiosity and conscience, not of pretense. When offered flattery, he laughed; when faced with deceit, he turned away. He once said that it is better to be in the company of one honest soul than in the court of a hundred hypocrites. In this, Socrates and Charli XCX share a kindred wisdom: that authentic connection is rarer and more precious than fame, beauty, or wealth.

The phrase “be real or go home” is as sharp as the sword of a warrior, cutting through the false glitter of social performance. It is a commandment for the modern world, where masks are many and honesty is often hidden beneath layers of convenience. To “be real” is to stand naked before truth — to speak what you mean, to act as you feel, and to live in harmony with your inner self. It is the path of courage, for the real must risk rejection, while the false win easy approval. The ancients called this integrity — the unbroken wholeness of the soul that cannot be bought, sold, or faked.

There is also tenderness in her words, for kindness lies at their core. To “get on with people,” as she says, is to live in harmony, to value connection over conflict. But such harmony is not naïve; it requires the strength to set boundaries. The one who chooses to walk with good-hearted companions does not despise others, but understands that the soul must guard its own light. Just as a fire cannot survive among winds that seek to extinguish it, the spirit cannot flourish among those who scorn sincerity. The lesson, then, is both soft and strong: seek goodness, and flee falseness, for your soul becomes like those it walks beside.

History offers another reflection in the life of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor. Surrounded by courtiers and flatterers, he wrote nightly in his journals, reminding himself to stay true to virtue and avoid the snares of vanity. “Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be,” he wrote. “Be one.” In this same spirit, Charli’s call to “be real” is not just advice to others but a declaration of her own code: to live sincerely, to create honestly, to walk among those whose hearts are kind.

And so, let this teaching be passed down as a flame of clarity in a world of smoke: choose honesty, cherish kindness, and reject falseness. Surround yourself with people who lift your spirit, not those who drain it. Speak truth even when silence is easier. Laugh without cruelty, love without calculation, and live without pretending. For the soul grows in the light of sincerity and withers in the shadow of deceit.

Thus, remember the words of Charli XCX — simple yet eternal: “Be real or go home.” It is not only a command to others but a mirror held to ourselves. Let every action, every friendship, and every word we speak pass through this fire of truth. For in the end, all pretense fades, all illusions crumble, and only the real remains — steadfast, luminous, and free.