To be nobody-but-yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
Meaning
From his 1958 advice to young poets, Cummings admits that staying true to yourself is a lifelong struggle against pressure to conform. In daily life it can mean turning down a path chosen only to impress others, and choosing one that fits your own values.
Source: A Poet's Advice to Students (1958)
About the author
E. E. Cummings (1894–1962) was an American poet, painter and playwright known for his experimental punctuation, syntax and typography. He wrote about 2,900 poems and remains one of the most widely read poets of the 20th century.
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