Individuality more than skin deep

I dedicate this column to all the authentic individuals out there (you know who you are), and to all of you who know who Ayn Rand is and appreciate her work.

Our campus is somewhat diverse; all of the obvious commentary applies, different races, genders, etc.

Some look like they just rolled out of bed (me), and some look like they're strolling on the catwalk (the chicks in stilettos, ouch!).

But, do we think all that differently? When it comes down to it, aren't you afraid to really stand out from the others in what you think or perhaps believe? There has got to be a long and difficult way to explain this social phenomenon, this organization of the collective Borg in Star Trek terms. (I might just be that dorky, okay?).

It is perhaps unfortunate that philosophers happily engage in self-torment to ask such 'simple' questions and expect the most complex answer to be the right one. But hey, how often are all things considered equally?

Is it so difficult to be something apart from the rest of the crowd?

And if so, is that something you really want to incur? The consequences can be stifling.

Ever wanted to start a food fight in a fancy restaurant, but hesitated because you know you would be socially chastised for doing so? Ever stand with a group of your friends or strangers and try to have an opinion different than what is popular among them?

There are necessary changes to be made by you in order for your membership into the 'group' to remain valid. It seems you may change everything to make them more comfortable.

It's all about this comfort. It's about being nice to someone, so his or her feelings aren't hurt. Maybe because this person is your boss, your boyfriend or the lunch lady in the cafeteria.

Are you that nice to the homeless guy? No? Is it because he is no one to you?

We all want to belong to something on a fundamental level, as such being an inextricable part of what it means to be human. We could talk about all of this as simply part of a desire to stereotype or some other way to explain away the question, using social science theorems, models and studies.

This is not the case; they can only define its behaviors or where it originated. It is not the covenant of a scientist to discover what it means to be an individual. They can observe a relationship between cause and effect within the socio-cultural construct that we call American life, but would that be sufficient? I think not. We are looking not for a definitive, but for a descriptive means to understand the nature of this question and what it means to ask it of ourselves.

Being no second-hand soul, I reside myself in the view that perhaps this society wants and expects each member to comply with what everyone else is doing.

The expectation is unoriginal mediocrity. If it is to be at a certain income level, than join the Republican Party and be self righteously hypocritical in saying, " I have been blessed with this wealth for my piety to God and the church and not because of my own self-interest," or if you are appalled by their greed, preach the horror of the collective through the non-existent spirit of the proletariat as an arm-chair liberal and say, "We can live in an ideal world if we are all exactly the same." In a culture where everyone is special, it's the same as saying that no one is.

What if you want to toke up every so often, but still want accountability in fiscal spending? Be cynical of the chaos in the world, but still have a soft spot for love and goodness to be found somewhere? Believe in human rights, but have absolutely no idea why you should believe in them? Want racial and gender equality in the work force, but think affirmative action inspires an empty value principle? Is what I exchange with the world worth a bucket of spit? I suppose it's really up to you.

I struggle with these things, I think in part to the expectation that I will fit in somewhere and find my "niche." Is that really necessary? Hey, if achieving self-abnegation means I live on the fringe, than so be it.