Conformity has been a hot topic in our class and how it is viewed in popular culture today. It seems like a love-hate relationship; it both can make us feel more like an individual and, ironically, take that individualism away. In this I mean we may align ourselves to certain sects, cliques or groups that fits our interests and so we can talk about them, share our thoughts and feelings towards. In these groups of interests we may feel a bond from these other people that share similar interests, but it also can collide with the American obsession with being an individual.
For me, it is to the point where the pursuit of being an individual is completely and utterly ludicrous. Among other reasons, I think hipsters take so much hate is that because they are expressing themselves in an oddly ironic but ultimately unique display of individualism and we may feel a bit of jealousy as their display succeeds in what they are trying to do...but why is being completely unique so special to us and why are we pursuing to such outrageous limits to express that we are truly unique compared to everyone else? This is by far me not saying we all should be carbon, clone copies of the 925ers, but this obsession for being unique may ultimately be damaging to oneself well being. Who cares if everyone is watching Walking Dead, Big Bang Theory, Top Gear, Family Guy, Adventure Time, Honey Boo Boo and so on? If you like the show, then watch and enjoy. I do not see the point in where we have to avoid some popular medium to consume if it is trending.
I see the logic behind it, absolutely; American individualism and capitalism harbors all of these messages of being different, being unique, going against the norm and conformity. But it is meaningless as sooner or later, one will ally themselves to certain cultures and groups and what I want to say about that is that there should not be any shame in that. I have no shame in being apart of the gamer community, or being apart of the musical community, I have no shame in saying that I like brutal death metal or downtempo electronica. These are all sects that I align myself to and yet I still feel like I am completely unique and without an identity crisis. I simply do not care what other's think, why should I or anyone else? It is our personal interest, let not others change that.
We are our own worst enemy, our mind is an incredible thing, but it can drive us completely mad. Today's culture is straining our excellent mind into something ruled by capitalism and the drive to be unique. These pursuits, if unchecked, will rule our lives and leave us hollow and alone. So, my friends, fear not conformity and sects that you enjoy and like, embrace them; for we are social creatures and are passion driven, should there be shame in us to communicate about popular culture? There should not be any shame that some of us enjoy popular music more than extreme underground, out-of-this-world genre and styles. Same goes for other types of media. For me, I like the adventure of finding new, against-the-norm medias. There I can conform and follow the various cultures both popular and alternative types of media without feeling like I have an identity crisis.
Perhaps we should simply let up on the pursuit to acknowledge to everyone that we are different and just live for what we wish to be and without a care of what others think? We have our hopes and dreams to pursue...not trivial, base concepts like vanity...
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