I've always hated the feeling of trying to be cool or trying to

The words of Lauv—“I’ve always hated the feeling of trying to be cool or trying to fit in”—flow with a quiet honesty that pierces through the noise of our age. Beneath their simplicity lies a profound human truth: the struggle between authenticity and acceptance. These are not the words of arrogance, but of awakening—a confession from one who has glimpsed the emptiness of imitation and the freedom of selfhood. In this declaration, Lauv gives voice to a timeless longing: to live not as a reflection of others’ expectations, but as the clear, undistorted expression of one’s own soul.

Lauv, a singer and songwriter whose art bleeds vulnerability, has long been a mirror for those lost in the noise of modern life. His words come from the experience of one who has walked the crowded paths of conformity, who has felt the pressure to shape himself into something the world would applaud. But he found, as many before him have, that the pursuit of being “cool”—that fleeting approval of the crowd—demands a heavy price: the betrayal of one’s true self. To try to fit in is often to abandon what makes us unique, to dull the colors of our individuality so that we may blend into the gray comfort of acceptance. Lauv’s rejection of this path is an act of quiet rebellion—a reclaiming of the sacred right to be authentically human.

This struggle is as old as civilization itself. In every era, men and women have wrestled with the desire to belong and the duty to remain true. The philosopher Socrates, condemned for corrupting the youth of Athens, was in truth guilty only of questioning the norms of his time. He refused to “fit in” with the hollow values of his society and drank the hemlock rather than betray his beliefs. Likewise, the poet Emily Dickinson lived her life in solitude, rejecting the glitter of public fame to remain faithful to her own voice. Through their defiance, they both proved that authenticity is the highest form of courage, for it demands one stand alone against the tide of imitation.

Lauv’s words remind us that to chase the illusion of being “cool” is to live in the shadow of others’ approval. “Coolness” changes with the wind—what earns applause today may be scorned tomorrow. To build one’s identity on such fragile ground is to live in constant fear of falling out of favor. The ancients would call this the disease of the ego—the sickness of those who look outward for validation rather than inward for truth. To be free of it is to stand unshaken, like a mountain unmoved by the storms of opinion. Only when a person stops trying to fit in do they finally belong—not to the crowd, but to themselves.

In truth, the desire to conform is born of fear: fear of rejection, fear of loneliness, fear of being misunderstood. Yet Lauv’s wisdom teaches that solitude is not a curse—it is a forge. It is in solitude that the self is tempered, that the faint inner voice becomes clear and strong. The musician, like the philosopher, must learn to listen to that voice above all others. When Lauv says he “hates” the feeling of trying to be cool, it is not hatred of people—it is hatred of the mask that covers the face of truth. The moment he cast off that mask, he began to create not for approval, but for expression. His art, raw and sincere, found its power not through perfection, but through honesty.

This message extends beyond art into the heart of life itself. Each person faces the same crossroad: to conform for comfort, or to live with integrity. The world may reward imitation for a time, but it only respects authenticity in the end. Think of the great reformers, the inventors, the poets—all those who stood apart and were first mocked, then revered. Their greatness came not from fitting in, but from daring to stand out. To live authentically is to walk the harder path, but it is the only one that leads to freedom. For as long as one wears the armor of pretense, the soul cannot breathe.

The lesson, then, is as radiant as it is difficult: Do not strive to fit in; strive to be real. Let the approval of others be a passing wind, not the compass of your life. When you feel the pressure to be “cool,” pause and remember that every soul that ever changed the world was first deemed strange. Embrace your differences as sacred gifts; speak with your true voice, even if it trembles. For the greatest beauty lies not in sameness, but in sincerity.

Thus, let the wisdom of Lauv be carried as a torch for all generations: authenticity is the highest art, and to be yourself is the truest form of rebellion. Cast off the armor of imitation, and stand boldly in your truth. For the one who dares to be genuine, even in a world that rewards disguise, becomes not just free—but luminous.