Individuality

I wanted a pair of stretch pants.  I was 13 and all my friends were getting them.  I didn’t particularly like them, however, all my friends were buying them.  I came home from school and asked my dad if I could have a pair.

He asked me one question.  It was, “Why do you want them?”  I had only one answer, “All the other girls were getting them.”  I got an answer that I didn’t understand then; however I do now.  “No! “ It was followed with a rather lengthy lecture about following the pack. Making my own choices.  Individuality as opposed to a group-thinking mentality.

I am pretty sure I hated my dad at that moment.  And many would say fitting in was important to young people and my dad was unreasonable.  Certainly at 13 I felt that way.

But now?  I have to agree with good old dad.  We are more and more a society that follows.  We get on bandwagons not because we necessarily have done our homework or because we agree, but more so because it seems like everyone else has joined in.

I find it interesting that we value the opinions of stars and people who are in the public rather than our own instincts and views.

I know this isn’t true of everyone and in every circumstance. 

I believe that is it okay to NOT follow the pack; what do you think?