Individuality
“If you walk in the footprints of others, you won’t make any of your own”. This is a common saying that never ages. It is very much valid for all generations and eras. My friends, individuality is the theme that is being focused on in this quote. Let’s just check out the basic meaning of individuality, shall we?
Individuality is the quality of an individual that makes him/her stand out from other individuals of the same kind. It can be physical attributes, way of thinking or the person’s ideals and principles. Many a times, we would have noticed someone being told that they have to be like another person. It is because the society standardises certain qualities and characteristics. They are considered to be perfect and diversions from these are thought of as undesirable.
There are two ways in which a person can respond to this.
- He/she can accept those remarks and incorporate changes in themselves to become like the model individual, although it can’t be made sure if he/she will be successful in that endeavour.
- Another response is to neglect such remarks and to continue being themselves. If you follow the path travelled by others, you will not be able to leave your own impression on this world. You cannot get into that top 1% of human beings. It is absolutely true that you have to dare to be great.
Dear readers, history has always proved that the most successful people are the ones that challenge the status quo. So, let’s dive right into this subject of individuality and learn how one can capitalise on his/her uniqueness.
First, we shall look at some of the theories of the individual. The concept of individuality as it exists in the western world today owes it’s existence to philosophers like John Locke, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Søren Kierkegaard and Ayn Rand who did lots of research on the topic. There are quite a number of theories of the individual from different time periods in different parts of the world. We will go through some of the most prominent ones.
The theory called Empiricism focuses on the idea that a person is a blank slate at birth and is shaped into a full-fledged individual by their experiences and the environment in which they flourish. This theory was developed in the 17th and 18th centuries by the philosophers - John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume.
Another theory of individuality is the one put forth by the religion of Buddhism. Buddhism does not recognize an individual as a single unique entity. This is what the concept of anatman stands for, meaning “no self”. This concept states that there are no separate individuals, just their appearances within a connected universe.
The final theory on our list is Objectivism. The principle contributor of this theory is Ayn Rand. It states that only individuals can have rights. It also says that cooperation between groups is only possible by recognizing the individual rights of groups’ members. Therefore, as per the theory, groups and societies cannot have rights. Objectivism also highlights that an individual has rights from the moment he/she is born.
The antonym of individuality is conformity. Conformity means behaviour in alignment with socially accepted conventions. Conformity can often have a negative impact on an individual. It can prevent a person from bringing out his true potential and it can also destroy his personal freedom. Nevertheless, there are cases in which conformity is absolutely necessary. For example, conforming with road traffic norms is a requirement. Conforming with the law and order of a jurisdiction is also necessary. Therefore, some amount of conformity is present in all societies. There are certain reasons as to why an individual would opt to conform.
The Greek philosopher, Aristotle had once said, “Man is by nature a social animal”. We, as humans, yearn for acceptance and a sense of belonging. This feeling leads to copying the actions of fellow humans, looking to the group when selecting how to behave and doing what is most accepted by the society. With everything that is being said, keep in mind that conformity has it’s own pros and cons.
Individuality, at least in a small amount, is necessary to survive in today’s world. The complete absence of individuality can lead to loss of self-confidence and loss of the urge to achieve the potential. Societies which are purely based on conformity would lack creativity and passion. Individuality and conformity are not two sides of a coin. They are simply two concepts which can and do coexist in every society, up to a certain extent. Neither of them can be labelled as good or bad. Both of them are integral in ensuring the stability of a society or group.
My buddies, let your individuality shine when you speak, write or even post anything in the social media. You must understand that people are attracted to you because of who you are. If you are one of many and refuse to leave your comfort zone, you will never be noticed by the world. Keep in mind that your life has a purpose.
You can use your individuality to be exceptional to increase value to your business, to your professional and personal relationships. How much do you allow yourself to be an individual? How well do you celebrate your uniqueness? How comfortable are you in sharing that with the world? These are the questions that you have to ask yourself. You can get rid of your insecurities if you embrace your individuality. The path towards accepting your individuality is a difficult one. The first person to find out how to make a fire was probably thought of as being possessed by the devil and considered a disgrace to his/her group. But…after all these years, fire is still considered as the greatest invention of mankind. During cold climate, fire kept man warm, helped him to cook his food and also provided him light when it was dark. All human lives that came after the discovery of fire owes a lot to the discoverer. This is an example of why daring to hold up individuality can be rewarding.
So…you, you right there!! Never be afraid to be different. Avoid people who force you to abandon your individuality. You are amazing just the way you are. Also note that your individuality should not be in such a way that it causes harm to others. Therefore, a mindset that balances individuality and conformity in the correct measure is the one that is the most desirable!
