Being Different Was Cool
Uniqueness and Being Different
Why is everyone so obsessed with doing what’s popular? What happened to uniqueness and being different? I was a child during the 70’s and 80’s in Oakland, California not too far from Berkley which may be the reason so many of us there strived to be different from one another. I actually miss diversity in everything. My sister wouldn’t let me like the color blue, cause that was her favorite color, so I switched mine to green. We preferred not to like what everyone else was doing, and had confidence to be different. Being different was cool.
Why People Mimic
The top billboard charts showed how inclusive things really were back in the day. Radio stations had their own genres of course, but top 40 played all genres and what considered pop music then. In 1984 you had Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson with “Say, Say, Say”, Prince’s “When Doves Cry”, Culture Club “Karma Chameleon”, and Van Halen’s “Jump” all in the top ten. All very different genres. New Wave, Rock, R&B, Progressive, Soul, Country, to Funk. Not one genre dominated what people listened to. Doing this brought everyone together. No one was excluded.
Radio stations have come and gone, but before leaving they did a huge disservice to the music industry. They only played a few of the top performers, Beyoncé, Rhianna, Taylor Swift, One Direction, etc. Not that these performers are bad, but there’s more talent out there that never got air time. And because of this, people are constantly mimicking what was trendy instead of bringing something new to the table. And record labels only want what they know is a sure sale, doing the audience a injustice.
Do We Have to Look Alike, Too?
Much like the music industry, cosmetic surgery is another thing I won’t fully understand. I get a little nip and a little tuck here and there to enhance what you already have, but not when it alters your entire look. (I’m not talking about transgender here. That’s a totally different subject.) I’m not sure which plastic surgeon decided what the “in look” was, but yikes! Beauty comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Why must we need to look like one another?
We should embrace what we were made to be. I think there’s a self-acceptance life less in this. Not every face needs a turned up dinky nose, or trying to look like a filter, or ending up looking like a caricature, or cartoon out of “Roger Rabbit”.
Some Things are Really Cool
I get people like following trends to fit in and have that sense of belonging into the “cool” or “hip” crowd. And lets face it, some things are really cool. I love new hairstyles or the latest shoes. But there seems to be this trend of doing what everyone else is doing and losing your personal authenticity. It’s one thing if you like it, and another if you only do something because of what others like. I saw this when I worked in an affluent area, everyone had Porsche Boxters and I don’t think it was because everyone loved them necessarily, but a trend.
What people don’t realize, or maybe they do, is that this is exactly what school was designed to do, run like a factory. Make everyone the same so that they are replaceable. Yes, be like everyone else so that you won’t stand out. When you stand out or are a little unique, you offer up something others can’t. Therefor, you can’t be replaced. What a concept. Now wonder the average person is living paycheck to paycheck, and has an average credit card debt of $9260.00 as of 2023.
Setting Yourself Apart
I’d say statistics show that being different will set you apart from “Everyday Joe”. That doesn’t mean it will be easy if you do that. I’m saying you have a better chance of being successful if you present yourself as someone who can offer you something that no other person can. Whether that’s your art, music, designs, strategies, etc. we all come to this planet as unique individuals. Seth Godin talks about this all the time.
So why fight to be someone else. What if Salvador Dali did what everyone else was doing, or Picasso? Sure there are a ton of artist, musicians, etc. but the way you do something will resonate with someone. There are millions of restaurants, but do you only go to one of them? You are unique and have a place on this planet to thrive in all ways. Please don’t cover up or hide what you can offer. Maybe those one percenters are doing something different. You think? Someone out of the 7 billion people on this planet really needs what you have to offer or you wouldn’t be here. So don’t hold back. Being different is cool.
I believe in individuality, that everybody is special, and it’s up to them to find that quality and let it live.
