Everyone just wants to fit in but it's hard to do when you don't look average. Though tall people are usually looked up to, literally and figuratively, it's different when you are head and shoulders above everyone else.
Nicholas Kulish had a difficult time settling into his identity as a tall person. At 6 feet 8 inches, he clearly stands out in a crowd, when all he wants is to blend in.
I was constantly embarrassed of my elbows, my knees and my big feet sticking out everywhere. I hit my head a lot on low doorframes... I don’t think I was very happy in those days. My body and my identity hadn’t yet fused. But in my defense, my height wasn’t something that I had in common with any close relatives or friends.
Studies have shown that being tall is generally perceived in a positive light. Tall people earn more and live healthier. But that actually declines the taller you get.
But for men, many of those same studies explain that the benefits taper off in the upper reaches of height: longevity gains reverse themselves starting at 6 foot 2 inches, earnings stop increasing at 6 foot 6 inches. From there, every inch takes you further from attractive and deeper into a realm of the freakish, toward human spectacle.
Further in the essay, Kulish recounts how he tried to navigate his way in life being as tall as he is and how it would be best to surround yourself with people who understand and who can help you come to terms with who you are.
(Image credit: Lukasz Goledzinowski/Topic)