I'm afraid the concept of "being yourself" has never been all that popular - which I think is the whole point.

Despite the fact that human beings have the ability to be completely individual and everyone can do or be whomever they want, they still have a tendency to find little groups to herd themselves into.

I think it starts somewhere around Middle School (or Junior High depending on where you live). The athletic kids tend to hang out together because they're usually of similar mentalities and mental levels. The "beautiful people" flock together to give each other tips on how to keep looking beautiful and so that they can exchange compliments with each other. The rest of the kids tend to flock into smaller groups mostly out of survival from the other groups that feel that it's critical to ridicule anyone that doesn't follow the herd mentality.

The trend continues well into high school as athletic guys wear names like "Jock" as a badge of honor and with the help of other popular people are able to come up with names to ostracize those that dare to be different like geek, dork, spaz, freak, brain, weirdo, and guy-that-uses-words-that-I-don 't-understand-therefore-must-b e-destroyed.

Usually by now, those that have tried to be different have two choices: allow themselves to be assimilated by one of the herds or face a life of scorn and exclusion.

For those that are brave enough to walk alone through a world of clones they usually are able to get through college pretty well. If a school is large enough they should be able to find enough like-minded people to get through four years soon enough.

However, when they graduate they still have to face the corporate world where words like "team-player" are waiting for them. Once again, they have to worry about how people will perceive them. Even though they know that they could be smarter and more qualified than other people applying for the job, if they show up looking like they prefer to, they're doomed to a career of asking people if they'd like to supersize their meals.

I guess the hardest part is to try and be yourself at all times, but when necessary try and at least give the outward appearance of what they're looking for - you can always change into your "normal" self when you get home.

Learn more about this author, David Furritus.
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