I've had some movies that have been ridiculed, but that's OK

Hear the words of Kevin Costner, spoken not from pride, but from the hard-won wisdom of a man tested by fame and failure alike: “I’ve had some movies that have been ridiculed, but that’s OK with me. I don’t feel that really defines me. Should I change who I am to be popular?” In this saying, he strikes at the very heart of the struggle between authenticity and approval, between the quiet truth of one’s soul and the fleeting roar of the crowd.

The meaning of his words is clear. Costner acknowledges that ridicule and scorn are part of the journey for any who dare to create. He has faced critics, he has endured laughter at his work, but he refuses to let such voices define him. For to let ridicule shape one’s identity is to surrender to the shallow judgment of others. He asks a question that every person must face in their own life: Should I change who I am to be popular? His answer, implied with courage, is no. For popularity is as fragile as smoke, but authenticity is the bedrock upon which a lasting life is built.

The ancients knew this truth well. Consider the figure of Socrates, mocked, ridiculed, and ultimately condemned by his city. He was accused of corrupting the youth, of questioning the gods, of being a nuisance to Athens. The voices of ridicule and accusation surrounded him, yet he did not change who he was to escape their wrath. He drank the hemlock with calm resolve, declaring that it was better to die true to oneself than to live in falsehood. Like Costner, he stood upon the principle that the self must not be reshaped to fit the fickle whims of the multitude.

History also offers us the story of Galileo, who gazed through his telescope and declared that the earth moved around the sun. For this, he was ridiculed and condemned by powerful voices who demanded conformity. He could have changed his words to gain acceptance, yet his truth endured beyond his own age. The critics faded, but his authenticity became a foundation of science itself. So too does Costner remind us that ridicule, though sharp in the moment, cannot erase the worth of what is true.

The lesson for us is profound: the measure of a person is not whether the crowd cheers or mocks, but whether the soul remains steadfast in its integrity. To change merely for the sake of popularity is to become a shadow, pleasing all yet belonging to none. But to remain true, even when mocked, is to walk the path of the authentic self. In the long sweep of time, authenticity endures, while applause and ridicule alike are forgotten.

Practical action follows: when you face criticism or rejection, do not ask, How can I make them like me? Instead ask, Am I being true to who I am? If the answer is yes, then walk forward without fear. Create your art, speak your truth, live your values. Let the ridicule of the day pass like storm clouds, knowing that the light of authenticity will shine longer than the fleeting thunder of disapproval.

So let Costner’s words be remembered as both shield and torch. The ridicule of critics may sting, but it does not define us. To change who we are for popularity is to betray the sacred gift of individuality. Instead, let us live as the ancients taught and as the brave have always known: to stand firm in the truth of who we are is the greatest victory, and in that victory lies a freedom no ridicule can ever steal.