Do we think we're more individual/individual thinkers than we really are? (college, characteristics)
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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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^ Kind of true, but how many people will admit they are 'sheep?' Few, yet they do whatever their friends do, often to a tee.
Maybe seeing things in broad swathes makes you just see 'blocs' of people. I agree getting to know people individually you see their idiosyncracies, but just as often you see more of the same.
Sure people may be unique. But some people are more unique than others. Much more unique.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,144,031 times
Reputation: 11862
^ Balanced response, Mokan. Yes I get ahead of myself thinking I'm unique. Feeling marginalized often breeds contradictory feelings of low self-esteem and a need to compensate by feeling superior.
Like I've written songs I consider truly ARE better than most of the dosh out there (not just saying that), yet I resent the fact things prevent me from getting them out to a wide audience.
Too many wannabes...humans may have more individuality than say, dogs, but still, only SO MUCH variation is possible before you see the same patterns and types.
Unique personality starts with unique thinking and not just blindly re-inforcing what we hear from the powers that be.
Let us free our minds from the shackles of the conformist world we live in!
^ Balanced response, Mokan. Yes I get ahead of myself thinking I'm unique. Feeling marginalized often breeds contradictory feelings of low self-esteem and a need to compensate by feeling superior.
Like I've written songs I consider truly ARE better than most of the dosh out there (not just saying that), yet I resent the fact things prevent me from getting them out to a wide audience.
Too many wannabes...humans may have more individuality than say, dogs, but still, only SO MUCH variation is possible before you see the same patterns and types.
Unique personality starts with unique thinking and not just blindly re-inforcing what we hear from the powers that be.
Let us free our minds from the shackles of the conformist world we live in!
If you really have such an obsession with thinking you're unique, it could be driven by a couple of different things. It could be a defense mechanism (denial) and major twisting and warping of what are ultimately feelings of your own inadequacies - whether real or irrational. It also could be partly driven by a run-amuck ego based in a more genuine disgust of the superficial displays of differences you see between groups of people, which may be due to a lack of understanding. Maybe these people you describe that you see don't really think they're that unique because of their self expression or style. Maybe you are putting too much emphasis on those shallow differences, which may mean you're being superficial, like I said before above. If I'm interpreting you correctly, then quite frankly these are sensitivities I see in the working-class in the US, which are probably the same in Australia, where you live. The working-class don't put an emphasis on superficial displays, and thus they don't really understand that those displays often aren't that deep or mean that much. More bourgeois endeavors, such as fashion, could be a bit of a foreign concept and poorly understood. For example, a working-class individual being superficial may see another invididual from the same background clean-shaven and dressed in a suit and getting some coffee at a coffeeshop and automatically label him a "yuppie". Because of his own superficial thinking, the person seeing that and doing that labeling is being divisive and failing to see similarities or knowing they exist. The guy in the suit may have simply gotten a job as a pet food salesman and has to dress appropriately. If the two were to sit on a bench together outside the coffeeshop and engage in conversation, they would likely find their similarities. Thus, it doesn't pay to be so presumptuous. Further, I would like to acknowledge that this does happen from both sides of the scenario of provided. A lot of city people or middle class are shallow about working-class or rural people and will assume so many things about them without looking deeper, having a conversation, and seeing similarities. What I've illustrated is a big social divide and segregation I see in much of the US, but that's a different subject altogther. The point is, as it relates to you, is that you said you've come from a more working-class and humble and environmnt and your mother and you both have become middle-class professionals, so the cultural change that goes along with that may be a significant part of your problems.
^ Kind of true, but how many people will admit they are 'sheep?' Few, yet they do whatever their friends do, often to a tee.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trimac20
Too many wannabes...humans may have more individuality than say, dogs, but still, only SO MUCH variation is possible before you see the same patterns and types.
Quote:
Originally Posted by furrypro
Most people are herd-like from what I've seen. It's weird how close to animals they are.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trimac20
Sure people may be unique. But some people are more unique than others. Much more unique.
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL.
BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,144,031 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by MOKAN
If you really have such an obsession with thinking you're unique, it could be driven by a couple of different things. It could be a defense mechanism (denial) and major twisting and warping of what are ultimately feelings of your own inadequacies - whether real or irrational. It also could be partly driven by a run-amuck ego based in a more genuine disgust of the superficial displays of differences you see between groups of people, which may be due to a lack of understanding. Maybe these people you describe that you see don't really think they're that unique because of their self expression or style. Maybe you are putting too much emphasis on those shallow differences, which may mean you're being superficial, like I said before above. If I'm interpreting you correctly, then quite frankly these are sensitivities I see in the working-class in the US, which are probably the same in Australia, where you live. The working-class don't put an emphasis on superficial displays, and thus they don't really understand that those displays often aren't that deep or mean that much. More bourgeois endeavors, such as fashion, could be a bit of a foreign concept and poorly understood. For example, a working-class individual being superficial may see another invididual from the same background clean-shaven and dressed in a suit and getting some coffee at a coffeeshop and automatically label him a "yuppie". Because of his own superficial thinking, the person seeing that and doing that labeling is being divisive and failing to see similarities or knowing they exist. The guy in the suit may have simply gotten a job as a pet food salesman and has to dress appropriately. If the two were to sit on a bench together outside the coffeeshop and engage in conversation, they would likely find their similarities. Thus, it doesn't pay to be so presumptuous. Further, I would like to acknowledge that this does happen from both sides of the scenario of provided. A lot of city people or middle class are shallow about working-class or rural people and will assume so many things about them without looking deeper, having a conversation, and seeing similarities. What I've illustrated is a big social divide and segregation I see in much of the US, but that's a different subject altogther. The point is, as it relates to you, is that you said you've come from a more working-class and humble and environmnt and your mother and you both have become middle-class professionals, so the cultural change that goes along with that may be a significant part of your problems.
Lol, you're more analytical than me . I think I sort of get the general gist of what you're saying.
You're right, the need for me to 'differentiate' myself might be 'compensating' and derive from ego. Since I've been denied some things (having a loving relationship) and have always felt 'left out' by mainstream society I need to somehow put them down as being all conformists. But objectively, they do seem sheepish to me. It's not all bitterness or sour grapes.
We're all guilty of making preliminary judgements based on appearances and reading into it. It's easy to see say, a bunch of people with dreads and think/say 'those damn hippies!' to make you feel better about yourself.
Yes I disdain shallow displays of wealth or excess. I personally am more middle class, but my mother was from a working class background, and she 'rose up' to become a doctor. I suppose she has the same attitudes as me, in a way, like she doesn't like showy displays of wealth and became a doctor to help people not for the money. My lack of interest in financial gain and criticism of the whole system further makes me dislike the whole need to be rich and derive identity from it.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,144,031 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stumbler.
I notice and like your allusions to animals in some of your posts (on the relationships forums and its derivatives like this one!).
True, true...I consider myself just as much an animal too. We all need to remember we are just animals, not that animals are inferior, but it would help to keep us grounded.
True, true...I consider myself just as much an animal too. We all need to remember we are just animals, not that animals are inferior, but it would help to keep us grounded.
That reminds me of something I've seen before in legal codes (eg. for countries, states, cities etc.) regarding laws on animals (eg. laws on keeping/raising animals, animal welfare etc.) where they have a line in the legal code saying that the definition of animal used in the text explicitly refers to "any animal other than a human".
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