Televisions are on most of the day, tabloids are in every market check-out stands, and billboards fill every empty lot with the latest fashions, hottest trends, who's who and what's what.

Square houses in perfectly manicured square lots glitter the residential areas of the best-selling homes in the market. Mr. and Mrs. Jones drive the newest, nicest SUV and their neighbor does too.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones shop at the posh stores on the Rodeo Drives of their neighborhood and their children wear the latest styles from the fashion malls. Warm lattes are the morning pick-me-up on the way to the office, and the new electronics are in their children's backpacks.

Whether you're rich or your poor you know whose perfume the hottest star is wearing and which rap wear is the best to purchase. You know whose jeans rock and which shoes are the bomb.

The latest trends are out, the magazines ads are filling the newsstands, and the latest movies show the best of the best. Or so we are led to believe.

Have we lost our individuality amongst this bombardment of you-are-not-cool or with-it because you wear last year's styles, drive a used hybrid, and purchased a home outside the gated community?

Society is what we make it and what we believe. If we are led to follow and feel the need to purchase the latest Hollywood rock star's designer wear or spray on the perfume of the beautiful lead singer of today's times or buy the newest cell phone because we will feel others will look at us as "weird" or not "with it," then yes we have lost our individuality.

If we purchase what we desire, what is functional for our lifestyle, what is in our best interest and that of our family, then we probably haven't lost our individuality.

Yes, pure individuality is not permissible in a society that thinks and feels collectively; but to an extent individuality is achievable if we pursue our own happiness.

Henri Frederic Amiel's words are worth pondering, "Learn to limit yourself; to content yourself with some definite work; dare to be what you are and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not; and to believe in your own individuality."

Learn more about this author, Lili Melton Ph.D..
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Societal influences: Have we lost our individuality??
We want to hear your view. Write now!