not caring

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I wonder, does everyone think that not caring about appearance automatically equates to low self esteem? People are always telling me I have low self esteem because I don't care about my appearance. To me, I just don't care, period. I have no need to impress anyone. I am unable to have a physical relationship, even though I wish I could. True, I don't bathe everyday, or shave, or obsess over hygiene, but I rarely do anything but go out for my daily, or nightly walks, or run, shopping excursions, etc. I am rarely in situations where I am in close proximity to human beings other than just brief moments passing by in a store.

It just is not important or relevant to me, how I look in a mirror is so insignificant I don't even own a mirror other than the obligatory bathroom mirror which I seldom look at.

Why do people always burn my mellow by telling me I have low self esteem? Why cant people just leave me alone? I have had, in my life, relationships and even a lengthy marriage, none of which worked out because of behavior issues stemming from being Aspie with its associated manifestations. So obviously, I am not obscenely hideous. I am simply, in my own opinion, lacking in even the modest degree of social vanity.

SMH

I bathe everyday because I dont like sleeping dirty but I rarely look at myself in the mirror or brush my hair

The problem is not that you don't care
The problem is that you've given up

Never give up!
Never give in!
Do Not Walk Into That Dark Valley Without Kicking And Screaming
Blow Kises and thought bubbles and your lifes wisdom against that tsnami

Definitely not.

"Caring about appearance" is a societal construct - it has no objective meaning. Not caring about appearance is one signifier of depression, but depression itself is a societal construct - it seems to me that depression is a rational response to cultural norms. But your question was not about depression, it was about not caring. So: no.

"Caring about appearance" is about caring to conform to a cultural norm. syzygyish suggests that you have "given up" but - given up what exactly? Given up caring about conforming to the cultural norm is all.

I wash so as not to feel dirty or smell. "Not smelling" is out of respect for others. Which is a cultural construct I care about. I apply the same reasoning to my clothes which, above all, must be comfortable and wick lots.

It does equate to low self esteem in society, but then again, who cares? I'm 24 and I share your opinion, although I shower at least once every 2 days (Preferably 1/day) mainly because I don't want to smell, well, myself, and my clothes always have to be clean and comfy (I'm OCD or something when it comes to clothes.) However I don't brush my hair (And yes, I'm a guy that has hair, almost shoulder length.), I don't worry about WHAT clothes I'm wearing, as long as I have clothes on and they're clean, beyond that I couldn't care less. Because, as you said, I have no need to impress anyone, either.