You’ve seen #RichKidsofInstagram, vegan campaigns, Big is Beautiful campaigns, feminists, third gender groups, fashionistas, hipsters and all the other buzzwords.
Are they really unique or are they just a trend? What does it mean to be unique?
Hipsters want to be seen as unique. Vegans want to show that they do not support the killing of animals for food. They show this by buying certain types of products, clothing or choosing a certain lifestyle that reflect their attitudes towards themselves. Just like hipsters and other social groups, your lifestyle, your purchases, and your actions announce that you are a unique individual that shows other people who you are or why people should be more like you.
However, individuality itself sparks conformity. Trying to be different makes a new group of semblance that attracts people with similar values. Nonconformist lifestyle becomes group lifestyle. Atypical communication becomes typical communication among the group. How does that happen?
Everyone associates themselves with a certain image. Whether its how we see ourselves or how our friends and family see us. Your identity is mainly represented through two selves. One self is who you actually are and the other self who you want to be, “Am I as good-looking as I would like to be?” or “Do I make as much money as I should?”. You are constantly analyzing what you have and don’t have. That includes both good and bad qualities that we stress or try to hide. It is a complicated system that changes over time. All of the experiences that you’ve had contributes to your identity.
You make choices to buy the things that go along with who you really are. I bought the AXE spray because I’m “macho”. I bought a Tesla because I’m a sporty, innovative and luxurious person. I buy Victoria Secret lingerie because I feel sexy. I shop at Whole Foods because I am a health-conscious and environmentally-friendly person. I buy Uniqlo or Zara because I don’t need luxury clothing.
Look at the words below individually and tell me what kind of person you think of.
-Tofu and beans
-Hamburger and fries
-Backpacking
-Five-star hotel vacation
-Whole Foods
-Costco
-Mercedes Benz
-Honda
We use the same way to identify another person’s personality and which social group they belong to. By checking out their shoes, clothes, electronics, and grooming habits, we make inferences about personality based on their choice of activities. We can walk into someones living room or bedroom and by looking at how they decorate their home, we can guess the personality of the person living in it.
The ideal image of who you are or who you want to be are largely influenced by the external world. When a small movement, niche hobby, or a unique lifestyle are adopted by likeminded people, the group becomes larger and the idea of what it means to be different doesn’t make it unique anymore.
Take a second to look at what you’re wearing. Who are you now?
