With a carbonated soft drink in her left hand, Netty aimlessly browsing through the video clips in YouTube with her right hand. Her finger clicked on the mouse trying to search for something that would catch her attention.
O. S. Urh… Is there something good to see in this boring evening?
Each video played its quick preview for a few seconds; then she clicked and glance at it, one after another. Suddenly, an ancient-look woman in glittering empress wear caught her eyes. That quick preview which also ended in three seconds led her attention to the video title <Lady of the Dynasty>.
O.S. This must have been the most recent version of this story of Yang Gui Fei.
There were too many movies made based on this famous lady in the Tang’s dynasty but Netty has never once watched or read any of the story related to this Lady. Netty only briefly heard about the lady’s story, on piece-meal basis, not the whole story. This ancient lady carried a vibe of rather coquettish. Until this day, Netty has zero intention to read or know more about this person.
Surprisingly, that video preview caught her attention this time; reason being the male supporting role was presented by an actor who was once her idol, years back. So, Netty paused her browsing mode and clicked into the video to watch the whole movie preview. This time, the Lady Yang role was presented by a famous Chinese actress. The director must have picked the right actress for this role, as she naturally carried an elegant yet flirtatious charisma. Netty proceeded to read the story line about this movie and then continued watching for a few more preview videos of this movie that were uploaded by different sources. Netty didn’t watch the whole movie, still. Perhaps she simply didn’t like that lady’s flirtatious look. But, after reading the story line and feedback from the netizens on this movie, Netty has somewhat changed her view on this lady, a little. Lady Yang was a talented musician and dancer. She even co-created songs with the emperor, her beloved man. In this movie, it walked the audience through the Lady’s life path; from how she got the chance to enter the palace meeting the emperor and his son, her tactics in battling among the concubines of the emperor, her true love story with the emperor and what led to her death.
O.S. Oh… So, this was a real-life story in the past; not any ancient myth. I see…
Netty finished her soft drink and call it a day. She prepared herself for her Monday’s working life.
Three months later after that, Netty happened to visit one of the states in China, i.e. Xi An. Out of her expectation, in this state, there was a place of interest named Hua Qing Palace; this was a resident place that once lived by the Lady, in ancient time. The palace was backed by a mountain; it has ponds and planted with beautiful greenery and flowers. Every ornament, architectural and landscapes in this palace were well-maintained, till this day.
At the front yard of the palace, there was a huge statue of a couple in their dancing mode; both of them were in ancient China’s attire. That was them, i.e. the Tang dynasty’s emperor and the Lady Yang. Both of them were surrounded by a group of musicians playing different musical instrument.
O.S. Wow! What a gigantic statue this is… The couple seemed to have dancing happily in the open sky, freely. So romantic.
Netty took a few photos before heading to watch the musical show. The stage was set up inside the palace of Lady Yang. It fully took the advantage of the landscape of the natures. The whole mountain as the back view of the stage, the pagodas in her palace and even the gazebo built at the middle of the mountain were part of the show scenes, as well as being the dancing spots of the show crews. The latest technologies further enhanced the view and sound effects of the dancing show, e.g. the laser lightings, the smoky stage, the man-made rain and even the fire blaze in the war-fighting part. Truly breath-taking. The whole musical show illustrated the true love between that two love-birds. The talented dancers indulged the audience through the highs and lows of the long-last love story of this ancient couple.
Netty was amazed by the show and felt glad to have attended this show. She took the pre-booked coach back to the hotel. On her way back to the hotel, she browsed through the photos and videos she took during the show. Netty leaned back to the seat and let her mind running free, a little.
O.S. Hmm… She (Lady Yang) doesn’t seem to be a bad person… If based on the most recent version of the movie and her love story with the emperor, she wasn’t a flirtatious woman to begin with. She wasn’t one that played around the men as I initially thought she was. Stand in her shoes, she really gave all of her to love and support her beloved emperor, in some way…
Netty came across a famous girls band from a variety show. The girls band were invited to participate in the show. One of the female singers was so active and cute when she played those games arranged by the variety show. Netty laughed and enjoyed the show. She found this female singer was cute and cheerful.
Not long after, that girls band became more and more famous. That female singer that she likes, seemed to have taken a different direction in her entertainment career and image. Her attires at their concerts and other celebrity shows were getting more and more body-revealing type; no longer a sunshine girl’s look but a sexy lady.
That girls’ band was world widely known and became idols of many people. Netty didn’t buy any of their records or attended to their concert; she only listened to one or two songs of that girls’ band, only the chorus part. simply enjoy some good music and songs, from singers around the world, not really a specific-singer(s)-focused. Netty watched some video previews popped-up or recommended by YouTube (based on her viewing history); therefore, sometimes, she got to see the MTV preview of that girls’ band.
O.S. Hmm… Nice songs and funky dance move. But… I don’t quite like her now…
Sunday afternoon, Netty ordered a cappuccino and having her coffee, alone in a café. A song from that girls’ band was played in the café. Netty enjoyed that moment relaxing herself. Then, a thought came through her mind – Why do I don’t like her?
Netty starred far away gazing on the roadside through the window of the café. She sat there quietly and lost in her mind.
O.S. Why, huh? Why I don’t like her? What makes me to tell in an instant that I don’t like a person? By the way, based on what reasons? Time to break it down and dig in further. Let’s look at this female idol… At the beginning, I still like her cheerful character. Since when did I don’t like her anymore? Was it when she changed her style to be a rather sexy lady-look? Was it happened when she became more well-known? Was it due to she got herself a rich boyfriend? But, what does all that got to do with me? Hmm… then what made me dislike her?
O.S. Same goes for that Lady Yang. I had never fully read about her life story, not even once. I only grasp a little through the story line of that movie preview and the love story illustrated through that great musical show in China. So, why and how I could firmly say that that I don’t like her previously? Why I label her with ‘I don’t like her’ with an instant?
Netty paused a while digesting the finding she had.
O.S. Hmm… Instinct? Nah… I don’t think so. Instinct or gut feeling should be an alert gadget to our body or mind preventing us from danger. That shouldn’t be an excuse for this case. Hmm… What could it be then that led me to dislike a person or character even before I get to know more about them?
O.S. For the idol case, each and every one has the right to make a choice on which career path they wanted to take and what kind of attire they wanted to wear. Celebrities might need some attentions to be in the spotlight, sometimes, to increase their exposures in the cameras or news. For certain celebrity, I think their agency or manager might have pre-arranged on their behalf what attire to be worn and which career direction the celebrity should take next. The celebrity might have a little say in that.
O.S. So, could it be that I was actually envy of their beauty?
A silence moment in Netty’s monkey mind…
O.S. My dislike of Lady Yang simply due to the flirty pheromones the actress presented in the movie, I think… Or was it Lady Yang’s calculative way in getting rid of the cunning concubines in the palace just so that she could get closer to the emperor?
O.S. Taking the rational view of an adult. Being in Lady’s scenario, how many women could actually go the way Lady Yang went through and decided to do for the emperor and herself? It needs courage. That actress that presented Lady Yang’s role really is talented as she successfully brought up my dislike in Lady Yang that she played. I didn’t even know much about this Chinese actress, though.
O.S. Or perhaps I was just jealous of Lady Yang for her success in getting all the love from the emperor, and their true love story that last till this day? Was I jealous of their (referring to both the female idol and the Lady) success in their career and the opportunities they got to meet many great people in their life? I think, it could be a mixture of all that…
O.S. Oh gosh… When I often said that I don’t hold bias view towards others, but my dislikes on those two characters were more than enough to proof that I was indeed a bias person.
Netty closed her eyes and frown. She put her hands together and took a deep breath.
O.S. Time to reflect and change. Don’t be too quick to jump into conclusion. That’s not fair to the other party.
Reflect, self-reflect…
Netty let out a deep sight. She took a sip of her lukewarm cappuccino but can’t seemed to relax her analysing mind and face the findings she just discovered about herself.
“Hey, Netty!” A woman called out with cheerful tone.
Netty turned to direction where to calling came from.
Netty: Irene?
Irene: What a coincidence to meeting you here. This is my first visit to this café.
Netty only saw Irene alone by herself, she invited Irene to join her instead.
Irene got herself a large cup of Frappuccino topped with cream.
“Mmm~” Irene can’t resist her flavoured drink.
Irene: Oh, this song. I love it. Do you know this song?
Netty shifted her attention from enjoying the colour mix of Irene’s Frappuccino when she slowly stirring it to the song currently played by the café, a little.
Netty: Sound familiar.
Irene: It was from x-pop girls band!
Netty: I see. Good one.
Irene: Do you like this band? I like that X singer the most. Do you like them?
Netty: I…
“I don’t like her” was nearly at the slip of Netty’s tongue but she paused, right there and then.
Netty: I think they have quite a number of great songs. And that singer… She is talented and beautiful. But I don’t quite like her a little.
Irene: Seriously?
Under Irene’s doubtful gaze, Netty replied “It was just my own bias on her. Nothing’s wrong with her (that idol singer).”
Irene: Aww… Netty~
Irene leaned towards her left seat and gave Netty a hug.
Netty: I’m reflecting on this. In progress, though.
Irene: Ha-ha~ Take your time, no rush. That’s good enough that you faced your mindset. Keep it up. Cheers!
Irene raised her tall glaze cup to meet with Netty’s wide cappuccino cup.
Netty: Cheers!
Netty smiled, so as Irene.
This pair of former colleagues-turned-buddies continued spending some time together at that café.
While unboxing the root cause, it was also a time to admit one’s mindset and behaviour, simply, the ugly side… After reverse-engineered all that quick judgement and conclusion of Netty’s dislikes in those two characters,
– Jealousy,
– Envy/Admire,
– Bias, and
– Perhaps, many more…
could be the factors that brought her into putting a ‘dislike’ label towards someone who she had never once get to know/learn much.
What could be the factor(s) in your scenario then?
Dare to dig in further?