I'm sorry. I didn't mean to assume. It's just this post came across as you getting your value and worth from how others perceive you. My apologies if I misinterpreted it.

I could just shy away from the world and treat others as invisibly as they do me. But I don't.

I wish I was like you. I've perfected the art of shying away from the world as a result of my life experiences.

I used to be extraordinarily kind, open, and trusting, but being a super sensitive Black woman, especially one who is considered objectively attractive, in a society where everyone does the utmost to grind us down has turned me into a ruthless cutthroat diamond on the rare occasion when I'm out in public. My mother used to tell me "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Looks fade. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and honestly, I used to hate getting told I'm beautiful because there are so many other qualities I have that I value more. I'm highly intelligent, kind, creative, hilarious, fiercely loyal, generous, compassionate, imaginative, resourceful, driven, and sweet (among my many other qualities!

I'm sorry I read too deeply into your post but I hope you have a long laundry list of qualities and character traits and things you love about yourself and your talents.

Fuck everyone. People are awful. I'm really sorry you get to see the worst in humanity but the silver lining is it hopefully makes the weeding out process easier.
Finding worthwhile friends to keep in your life has got to be easier when so many show themselves to be superficial assholes incapable of treating others with basic human dignity.

Again, sorry if I offended you. It was not my intent.