The minority of the mainstream

‘’Does the need to be different push us past the point of ridiculous? To be unique do you have to be basically crazy?’’

Presently there is a frantic obligation to be ‘one of a kind’. Sending us to extremes to differentiate ourselves from one another. It can be argued that there are two categories of individuals in this movement:

1- ‘Innovators’: The people who go the distance to be different. Representing that need to be exclusive. 

2- ‘Counterfeits’: Those who monitor the actions of the innovator. They are ‘the carbon copy company’.

There seems to be a window of time for uniqueness. A fleeting lifespan. A creative identity displayed for only seconds, before the good old ‘copy and paste’ has been put into action and a whole army of fifteen year olds are rocking checkered shirts and Nike Airmax. 

‘’Is this the cruel death of intellectual individuality? Or is it- as the old quote states- ‘The highest from of flattery’?’’

Nevertheless it can be argued that we give our present day innovators too much credit. It seems that we are constantly looking backward. Fashion movements appear to be more about tweaking trends of the past, than totally establishing new ones. The revitalization of these bygone vogues –such as the chocker or the scrunchie- can be argued not to be innovative at all. 

‘’Is there originality in repetition?’’

Is the reason for looking into the past, because we can’t create significant, new ideas that meet the demand of the global consumer market? Have we become so irrespective of uniqueness, we deny people the time to tap into untouched creative territories? Has the appreciation of innovation vanished? In short, have we lost control?

The ‘indie/hipster’ movement, originally intending to reject the ‘mainstream’ and explore individuality, is a great example of this copycat culture. Once a minority, this crusade against the conventional, has become a widespread craze, making it conventional. Now completely overlooking the essential essence of what it stood for. 

What is meant to be original is no longer, producing 

‘the minority of the mainstream’

I’m not saying we can’t have inspirations or learn from others, we would never move forward if we didn’t, however we are all unique. What we wear shouldn’t be up to anyone else to decide. Take ideas and make them yours, stick your own sparkle on it. We have the ability to represent ourselves in whichever way we want, without explanation. Hang onto this.

Embrace who you are bitches, it’s the one thing in life you can do perfectly.