You don’t have control over how other people perceive you. But you do have control over how you feel/react to others. Seems like OP is salty about how others perceive him and needs to stop being a little bitch and worrying about it. So this post alone verifies he lacks confidence because he with confidence wouldn’t worry if others think he lacks confidence. To use your example, slaves didn’t stop trying to be free because society said they shouldn’t be. Not that your example has anything to do with what the fuck I’m saying.