Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Individuality vs copycat
Are we really as free as we think we are?
Tastes? Styles? Opinions? Sexuality? Ask yourselves, “Who or what influences me?”
We live in a world that tells us to express our opinions. There are no barriers. At least, not visible ones. I see it as a double-edged sword. One half of the media tells us to be ourselves. But the other 50% tells us, “this is what we should be and should look like”.
Who’s right or wrong? No one really, in my opinion. Everyone has free will, even if they are “sheep”.
Individuality is the spice of life. Everyone has a recognisable trait that they’re recognised by. It’s just one small thing that makes them, them. As Gerard Manley Hopkins says, “As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame”. This simply means these are the small traits that kingfishers and dragonflies are recognised by.
Today, this could be converted into people’s personal style, including interests, their political or religious views and the one thing that everyone finds important, their sexuality. I don't understand why people have to know. Homosexuals and bisexuals are no different to heterosexuals. “Each mortal thing does one thing and the same.”
People who follow trends - I wouldn’t always call them “sheep”. It’s the teenagers who fall into this category. Magazines are constantly idolising particular celebrities depending on who’s hot or who’s not.
Paris Hilton seems to always be in the news about anything at all. She parties, she’s thin and she wears expensive clothes only once. (She also looks like a Barbie doll.) Think of all the children dying from famine, drought and AIDS. Hilton’s money would be better spent on food, water and medicine. But this is the type of person (Paris Hilton) young girls look up to and want to be.
So what do they do? Blow their money or their parent’s money, on labels. Hence, “sheep”, those who are dressed in the same clothes, looks and sounds the same. If everyone were like that we’d be living in “Pleasantville”. It’s a good movie but in reality it would be a boring place to live after a day.
These are my views. Agree or disagree. I don’t care. The only opinion that really matters is your own.
By: Deirdre Brady
Let you creative side free! Get involved with SpunOut.ie as an artist, photographer, writer, reviewer, moderator and much much more!
The opinions of writers featured on SpunOut.ie do not necessarily reflect the views of the SpunOut.ie team or those of Community Creations. We try to give everyone a chance to have their opinions heard but we are not responsible for inaccuracies contained within these.
