"If you're feeling insecure and you need to feel special, the best place to go is somewhere foreign where people treat you as special because you're different"
- Kristin Scott Thomas
About this Quote
Kristin Scott Thomas's quote reflects on the allure of travel as a method of self-validating and recovery one's insecurities through the special lens of being perceived as special due to the fact that of one's distinctions. It suggests that when people feel insecure, they may look for environments where their diversity or novelty is commemorated, rather than critiqued. Traveling to a foreign location enables one to step out of familiar environments where insecurities are amplified, into a brand-new setting where being various is typically met curiosity and reverence rather of judgment.
The notion of being dealt with as special due to the fact that you're various highlights how, in new cultural contexts, the elements that might be seen as regular or cause for insecurity in one's home environment can become traits of fascination. This experience can offer a temporary boost to one's self-esteem and enhance a sense of individuality and worth. It's an expedition of identity in the global context, where the exact same features that may not be appreciated in a familiar environment are rather valued and even appreciated somewhere else.
Nevertheless, the quote also discreetly indicates a paradox about the shallow nature of such validation. While being dealt with as special in a foreign place due to cultural or physical distinctions can be empowering, it might not necessarily address the source of one's insecurities. It raises the question of whether external validation based solely on novelty can supply a long-lasting solution to internal concerns of self-regard. Rather, it might cultivate a sense of dependence on external affirmations that may fade as soon as the novelty subsides or if one go back to familiar territory.
Therefore, while Kristin Scott Thomas's quote highlights the amazing opportunity that travel presents to experience oneself once again, it also serves as a suggestion that true self-assurance comes from within and might need deeper self-questioning beyond the momentary increase that novelty abroad can offer.