The Path to Individuality

Here is my "This I Believe" Essay...

I had thought of other thing's to write about and in the end I was dissatisfied with the outcome of this essay, because I had to change it around to make it something everyone could relate to and that's not me. I want something personal to me. Something that I can look back at and say, "Yes, this is who I am. This is what I write." Not, "I had to write this for school, whatever." Another bad thing about this essay is that it had to be personal and I really couldn't connect it to myself. It's literally just something I believe in. If I'd known that making it as personal as possible would have given me a better grade, I would have written my essay on not being narrow-minded, because this past year (and still now) I've really been getting a feel for who I am. It's enjoyable. I know though, that if I had written that it wouldn't have been positive and the essay also had to be super positive. If I had written it on not being narrow-minded, I would have said a bunch of negative things about "impressionability" and "ignorance." Anyhow, let's get to the essay!~

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Everywhere around you, you will find people following the trends and sharing the same opinions as the vast majority. They follow whatever everyone else is doing without really thinking for themselves. Isn’t that boring? Unfortunately, people are expected to jump on the bandwagon or else they’ll be considered the odd one out. However, I believe in individuality and having your own personal opinions and unique tastes.

        In society, the one who does things strangely is considered bad, but why does it have to be that way? I’ve always thought that distinguishing yourself is what makes a person truly shine. I see so many people doing what everyone else does and I wonder who they really are inside. Is this truly them or is there someone I’ve never met underneath this mask? Are they trying to cover up who they really are in fear of what others will think? I believe we shouldn’t live in fear, because of who we are. Being individual and being proud of who you are, will not bring fear, but respect.

        For as long as I can remember, I have been different and still today I would rather watch a silent film than watch the late release. Put simply, I don’t do anything most people in my age group do. Instead, I do what feels right to me and that’s what individuality is all about. Being comfortable with who you are. Why is this viewed as bad though? Don’t most of us agree that it’s good to be yourself? If that’s true, then why is it that the moment someone decides to express their individuality they are shunned? Is it because society has already made individuality something wrong?

There needs to be a change and it needs to be done soon. I believe individuality should be welcomed into society, not rejected. Everyone around us has his or her own quirks, but doesn’t show them because of social expectations. The famous composer Mozart was probably expected to act a proper way, but he did weird things while performing and had the confidence to express himself through music and through what he said. For his bold individuality, he was not only accepted, but loved by all who knew him. I believe forgetting about these expectations and accepting individuality leads to a better atmosphere for everyone. Finally, people can feel free to be themselves without worrying about judgment. Wouldn’t this be wonderful? Shouldn’t society strive to make this possible?

I feel that once individuality becomes a part of our ordinary lives, we will finally be able to live without fear of who we are inside. It might be deeply instilled into society that individuality is strange, but I believe everyone can look past those standards. As soon as individuality is recognized, it will become the start to something much bigger. I believe if acceptance towards individuality continues, everyone will be known for who they really are and not for who they were expected to be.