So. Zega and I had a conversation. And I'm just gonna be lazy and post the conversation because I think it explains it better than a paragraph about what is weird and what is normal.
Zega: Being weird is a bad thing... Zoph: Since when? Personally I take a great deal of pride in being weird. Zega: Being weird = Not normal = bad Zoph: Why do you think something that isn't normal is bad? Zega: Because it's not like anything else. Zoph: Why would that be bad? (Also: Being not-normal does not equal being unique.) Zega: It does. Zoph: Nope. For instance: Out of 100 people, 90 have long hair. This means it is normal to have long hair in that group. The last ten have short hair. The last ten are not unique, though they are not normal in that group either. And being unique is not a bad thing anyway. Zega: Is it a good thing? Zoph: Depends on what the not-normal (possibly unique, more likely uncommon) trait is. For example, it's not normal to be a serial killer. So if you're special in that way, it's bad to be special. It's not normal to be a sculptor either. But if you make pretty sculptures that people like, it's a good way to be special.
And then we changed subject randomly, so that's it.
But what this made me think about...
In general, do you consider being special a good thing or a bad thing? Which do you value higher: Belonging in a group and fitting in, or being your own self regardless of what people around you think?
Individualism vs. a more unified society?
Personally I think we need a society that is accepting of differences that don't hurt others, but still works as an overall unity. But we don't have that. We have tons of prejudice, we have kids being mocked for being different in even the most silly ways...
What is it with our herd mentality? Why do we shun others who are not like us away like that, particularly when we're young?
And have you ever thought about how much of an effort you make to fit in?
I think it is that mentality of the society that we live in that causes this need for conformity. If you boil it down to the basics, there is no normal. it just doesn't exist. deep down, we're all different, but the society we live in forces us to look alike, think alike and act alike. Especially in middle or high school where there is more people interactions.
also, aussinizi, just so you know, being unified and having equality for everyone is communist. its not a bad thing. also: "two heads think better than one".
Lol, a mod started the thread in the first place...
And yeah... man is pretty paranoid about people who are different, and different is a really broad concept there.
Here's my 2 cents... could it perhaps have something to do with humans being group-creatures? Shunning things that are different would this way protect the overall group... sounds a bit weird, but think of it as some obsolete evolutionary behaviour.
It takes so much effort to conform; to keep up the fads and the styles of what people listen too and wear etc. But if you ignore that and do what you want it takes alot of effort to defend your choices against the idiots who "tink you is well weird". I stay pretty invisible at school and in whatever social situation... neither conforming to anything or standing out. I wear what I weear becasue it is comfortable and I like it not because anyone else likes it, the same with my music.
There is conformiaty but people conform to so many different things. There are chavs and emos they all dress to how they think their group should be. I suppose sometimes it is just a unifrm or badge to clealy say "hey, I belong"
I think the problems we face as a society is that, if we don't like one particular person, then we try to reject him. In my school, there are ton's of groups. I wouldn't be able to label the groups, but it's very weird, to tell you the truth. I don't like it when people try to reject another one, and when I am with my own group, I tend to turn my cheek, and just try to get by with it. It's really terrible, but we just don't want to have someone who is going to cause problems, or be annoying. Groups are very annoying, but the good thing is when I'm not in school, I don't have a group, so I don't have to rely on people more, or that sort of thing. (I usually don't see a lot of my friends during the summer, because of camps,etc.). Being different? I love it. The funny thing is that makes me different is that I love British history, but I'm American. That's one of the things I treasure. So, there are a lot of people who I have meet, that are interested why a 13 year old teenager is reading books on the Napoleonic Wars. With that, it inspires me to keeping on moving forward. I just like being different from the crowd. I hate people trying to be the same, because their best-friend does these things. The good thing is, that no one has ever openly said to me, "why are you different?", and if someone asked me that, then I would say, "Why are you different?"
