This piece represents how I feel walking through the world. A reflection of myself, the modern man, and the society we live in.
I feel like I always have to cover myself up, leaving only my eyes visible. What I truly want is to live peacefully and do my own thing, but that never seems possible. My right eye still carries traces of hope and anger, while my left eye has surrendered to hopelessness. The X on my body symbolises the pain I've endured; I leave it uncovered as a constant reminder of what I've been through.
My hands are handcuffed behind my back, showing how I'm restrained by society's constant attention and expectations. My mouth is stitched shut, symbolising how I often feel forced into silence, as if speaking would only bring more unwanted attention.
The scar running down my face represents the life I once had, before everything changed.
The Modern Man
To my right stands the “modern man,” dressed like a Victorian child. Beneath him lie the things he believes he must achieve to be loved today: strength, athletic ability, charisma, and intelligence defined by financial success. Yet this pursuit leaves him sitting alone by a wall, unable to find true love.
From a traditional lens, he also feels compelled to outshine his partner, an expectation rooted in history. In the past, men held a comparative advantage through physical strength, which enabled dominance in society and fostered the belief that men must be stronger than their partners. But in an era defined by technology and artificial intelligence, that advantage has largely faded. Still, many, both men and women, cling to this outdated mindset, struggling to reconcile it with modern realities.
Human beings have evolved as inherently social creatures. Yet, historically, men have been held to rigid societal standards that prize strength, independence, wealth, and power. In the past, these traits served a clear purpose. Every clan needed a capable leader: someone physically strong, unencumbered by childbearing, and wise enough to guide others through uncertainty. Such a leader had to stand apart, bearing the burdens of leadership alone. However, this ancient ideal persists in the modern man, who continues to measure his worth by outdated notions of dominance and self-reliance. As a result, he often finds himself isolated, unable to seek or share emotional support among his peers, who likewise confine their conversations to superficial topics such as money and power, the markers of survival and status in the past. Consequently, the modern man becomes emotionally dependent on his romantic partner for emotional support. He channels all his vulnerability into a single relationship, which can manifest as obsession rather than genuine connection.
This tension fuels a cycle of frustration. Women continue to seek men who appear “superior,” while men continue to measure their worth by the same obsolete standards and obsess over their relationships. Feeling disappointed, some women develop resentment toward men, while some men interpret social progress and diversity as stupid threats rather than evolution. In their search for identity and validation, many turn toward far-right or extremist media, where they find a distorted sense of purpose and belonging. The result is deepening polarisation and growing hostility between the sexes.
Above the modern man lies what we, men and women alike, truly desire: genuine love and connection. Yet we continue to seek them through dating apps and obsolete old standards that only worsen the problem, reducing love to appearance and wealth, which are shallow measures that strip away emotion, authenticity, and meaning.
The Search for Connection
On my left is what I also long for: love and connection. Although I can't help but ask — where is it? Can it exist in this modern world?