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If you give off signals that you don’t want to belong, people will make sure that you don’t.
— Principal · Pretty in Pink
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker argues that signals of not wanting to belong can influence how other people respond. The warning makes exclusion seem self-reinforcing: a perceived distance invites more distance. Read critically, that explanation also places considerable responsibility on the person who is being excluded.
Context reviewed