"We all have a moral obligation to leave this world a better place than the world that we've found." This quote from Tim McIlrath, vocalist from the American punk rock band Rise Against, is one of my favourites and one I try to live by. I try to have a positive impact on the world and the people around me on a daily basis and I try to learn something new every day. And in case you're not just interested in what I am, but also in what I do: I'm Justin, 29 years old and graduated in Sociology, History, and Philosophy at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. I'm currently working as lees-mediaconsulent at the OBA (Public Library of Amsterdam). I love music and visiting concerts (a.o. rock, metal, punk, soul, hiphop, classical, pop), and I love being creative. In 2020 I started my website Backstage Revisited, a personal website where I post personal writings. I love acting in both theatre and every now and then on a film set. I also love reading (my favourite books are The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx, A Hero of Our Time by Michail Lermontov and Vaarwel Roscoe by Céla van Gastel). I've been a huge Formula One fan since 2005, I like (watching) cycling, I play volleybal and chess and I like gaming. If you've read it this far, thank you, and I'm looking forward to discuss one of the topics I've named above (or other interesting topics).
I'm literally a walking Formula One encyclopedia, from the inaugural season of 1950 until the present. I also know a lot about the musicians and bands I listen to. And of course I've graduated for a reason in three different university disciplines - Sociology, History & Philosophy.
Don't use the things that make you unique, the things that make you who you are, to destroy yourself. Use them as your super powers, be proud of them, and when people see that, they'll come to you and treat you the way you deserve to be treated.
The band Rise Against and its band members, especially vocalist Tim McIlrath. In a world which is difficult to understand and in which many things happen with which I disagree, the band gave me a place of belonging. I love their lyrics and their socially critical and political lyrics. I feel understood when I listen to their music and they make me feel like I'm not the only one who thinks a lot of things in this world are messed up.