Photo by Bryan Ferguson
Nonconformity has always been a thing: Rosa Parks wouldn’t sit at the back of the bus in 1956 and Japan won’t stop killing whales in 2013. It’s a necessary, public stamp of rebellion and a reminder that no matter how many people see the world one way, some people see it differently. What’s changed however, is the motivation behind taking the metaphorical road less travelled. With the idea of individuality permeating so strongly throughout Gen Y, it seems turning one’s back on what’s popular has become mainstream, making nonconformity more about appearing trendy than it is about standing up for what you believe in.
With the rise of the hipster and the abundance of esotericism they brought in their knapsacks and sprinkled on their chai lattes, more and more people are moulding their lives around shunning the spotlight. Practicality is overshadowed by a need to be underground and trendy, which is all driven by the thriving countercultures spawned on user-driven platforms like Tumblr and Reddit. It’s these realms that make the mainstream taboo, and as they gain more and more momentum, their ability to do so becomes less and less contrived. Couple that with the abundance of media spewed forth daily, and us Gen Y folk no longer need to listen, view or read the mainstream. Unfortunately, more often than not, we’re going elsewhere because we want to look cool, not because we want to branch out.
Strategically cultivating your interests so you appear quirky and unique is as ridiculous as it is impractical. I’m all for people who want to give the finger to the global consumerism juggernaught, but when you’re disliking something purely based on the amount of YouTube views it has, you’re disconnecting yourself from millions for the sole purpose of looking cool to a few empty idiots. Believing your interests in popular culture shape how people perceive you as a human being proves your superficiality and solidifies your insecurities. Liking or hating anything to look cool is a cosmetic facade for how boring you must be and stands as a testament to your lack of individuality, which is the exact opposite of ‘how you want to come across’.
Ironically, people who hate everything mainstream are essentially letting the people they hate control them. By refusing to conform to anything the majority find merit in, they’re conforming with all the other disgruntled nonconformists. Granted, the cohort who find a pledge of pseudo-individuality appealing is growing. Unfortunately, if they pack anymore people onto the ship you’ve never heard of from the island you’ve never been too, hating the mainstream might just become mainstream. When that happens, everyone will jump ship and drown. Why? Because everyone learns to swim.
——–
Sammy Attwood is the founder of Your Friends House. He enjoys eating breakfast at cheap restaurants and is incapable of using his Twitter. You can follow him on Instagram though: @sammy_attwood.
_________
If you have a story that you'd like to share, please submit it here.
