Different = the same

At a young age we are always told be unique, be different, people stop and look when you are those things. It would seem a lot of people has got that memo because there has been a rush of sudden "individualism" (please note the quotation marks).











People are trying, doing, saying and wearing "different" things to express their "uniqueness", now what happens here is that you find everyone looking the same, doing and saying the same things.
This really creates a rolled eye moment for me.

Things that weren't "socially acceptable" in the past has now became social forward, things like being AWKWARD, GEEKY, GAY and other social misfits. In the past these groups would barely get a look in, for people were unsure and maybe frightened of these people's individualism, they were ignored, chastised and invisible.

In 2012 people are trying their best to be AWKWARD,GEEKY,GAY. Half the time these traits are not natural they are forced, as being those things are the new fad. With web series like Awkward Black Girl, which is now being picked up by ABC (if you don't know, get to know) and MTV's Awkward its now the thing to be. Some profess to be geeks, when they are dumb as fuck, they put on a black rimmed glasses or horn rimmed glasses and think they are the next Steve Urkel . Some label themselves as GAY and few months down the line are heterosexual again, what an insult to the gay community.

Check this out on youtube funny and extremely awkward

People are even dressing themselves in the hopes of making a unique statement.
I remember a few years ago I was in a group meeting and I  think the topic was individualism or something along those lines, one young man went on to say that he was unique because of the way he dressed. I was truly confused, and I asked "what is it abut your dress sense that make you unique?" he went on to say the shape of his jeans and the style of trainers. BLINK, I was so bewildered, I said to him "that does not make you different I could walk outside right now and pass 5 young men in 10 minutes and they will be wearing the same thing as you"
He did not take that well.
Girls put ensembles together and think its unique, IT'S NOT, especially when you are following what's in season.

We try to be different but always end up looking like someone.
Grace Jones & Lady GaGa

Most people who are on the path to individualism concentrate on the physical aspect of it, and therefore give in to consumerism. (We are all guilty of wanting something because it's in even if its unconscious). Rarely do people treat the inner self, we would rather make up the outer self to please the world. 

I think Being unique or different is unconscious, its not physical does not need convincing nor labeling it just is. Its about thyself how we think, how we are, how we treat people, what and how we create things. Some people are so hell bent on showing others copy of who they are to come across as more interesting that they end up creating a duplicate of something else, a poor one at that.

On my journey to self-actualization i want to treat my inner self, feed it with life altering information, take up activities that exercise my creativity, try be a little more understanding, try not to harbor bad thoughts, listen and love always.

Peace&love