The "I want to be different" mentality

[Thumpalumpacus]

That was perhaps the best thing about my experiences in the military -- it taught me how to fold myself into a team while at the same time maintaining my individuality.

[brewer]

That was perhaps the best thing about my experiences in the military -- it taught me how to fold myself into a team while at the same time maintaining my individuality.

I'm sure you were told to stop wearing your skivvies inside out.

[Thumpalumpacus]

That was perhaps the best thing about my experiences in the military -- it taught me how to fold myself into a team while at the same time maintaining my individuality.

I'm sure you were told to stop wearing your skivvies inside out.

I was ordered to start wearing them. The fact that they were inside-out the first few days means nothing ... except a perhaps more-standard camo pattern on my backside. 8O

[Alex K]

That was perhaps the best thing about my experiences in the military -- it taught me how to fold myself into a team while at the same time maintaining my individuality.

Interesting.

You know, I grew up in a village of 500 people, and there were 5 other kids my age. When I first came to a big city, in my case Frankfurt or so, but way worse in NYC much later, I got a sort of feeling of existential dread, and I still do sometimes, that I am one of millions of people who all claim, same as me, to have complex inner lives, cherished memories, feelings that they associate with things, ideas, ambitions, a way they see the world, personal stories just as important to them as mine are ro myself. I literally cannot process this fact, and I long to be unusual in some ways to compensate.

[Thumpalumpacus]

That was perhaps the best thing about my experiences in the military -- it taught me how to fold myself into a team while at the same time maintaining my individuality.

Interesting.

You know, I grew up in a village of 500 people, and there were 5 other kids my age. When I first came to a big city, in my case Frankfurt or so, but way worse in NYC much later, I got a sort of feeling of existential dread, and I still do sometimes, that I am one of millions of people who all claim, same as me, to have complex inner lives, cherished memories, feelings that they associate with things, ideas, ambitions, a way they see the world, personal stories just as important to them as mine are ro myself. I literally cannot process this fact, and I long to be unusual in some ways to compensate.

Having lived most of my life in cities, I can identify -- "you're one in a million, in a lonely crowd", a lyric I wrote twenty-five years ago -- but my own experience, I found that to be edifying. I was forced to be myself, or blend in; that decision was pulled up into the foreground.

It was only when I was in basic, with shaven skull and identical clothing, that I came to understand for myself what individuality really means. And Kit touches on it in his OP, so far as I see -- individuality is not about striving to match any outside metric, but rather presenting yourself to the world fearlessly with the understanding that while you might find like-minded souls, you should never chase them.

Only my own opinion, and worth every pfennig you've paid for it.

[brewer]

Not to many people walking around with actual lobotomy's these days. That might make you unique.

[Minimalist]

[paulpablo]

In the end, no one ends up being different.

If there is at least one other person following the movement, then the individuality is gone.

The solution is in realizing that we are all the same in the most profound way: despite the outward appearance, we are all physically the same inside.

The mentality of difference sometimes seems to be confused with rebellion.

Rebelling is good, so long as it is for the proper cause.  

When rebellion turns into a movement whereby the cause is lost on mere and purely unreasonable angst, then rebellion merely becomes ignorance.

You just described my teenage years.

Expressing my individuality by dressing like an idiot just like all my friends.
 Oh and wearing a sytem of a down t shirt that said "FUCK THE SYSTEM" without a clue of what system I was rebelling against.

The moral of the story is that the T shirt got me some pussy, of a good looking girl who also dressed and had the opinions of a moron.

[ignoramus]

I eat broccoli just to be different. I'm such a rebel!

[brewer]

I eat broccoli just to be different. I'm such a rebel!

Flatulent is not different nor rebellious.