Ever since the start of high school I've noticed something about individuality...no one has it. I went to a catholic grade school where everyone was required to wear strict uniforms, walk in straight lines from here to there, follow strict schedules, etc. This whole system was designed to suppress us. Of course growing up in this environment and having no knowledge of anything outside of this subservience system, I was surprised when I arrived at high school.
I went to a public high school which means no uniforms and more relaxed guidelines. That's not to say that high school didn't also have it's own strict schedules and rules, but it was something new that I hadn't experienced before. I saw so many different people and they expressed themselves with the clothes they wore and they seemed so much more "out there." Over the course of the next four years in high school I worked my way towards finding who I was and what I was really interested in. I had never been interested in music during grade school because I was literally afraid of expressing myself. In high school, however, I felt more freedom to express myself and be whatever I wanted to be.
I began exploring the world of music. I began (as all do) by listening to the radio. However, I did something more after that that a majority of people don't bother with...I researched into different music that wasn't just on the radio. I used my individuality to think for myself and decide for myself what I found interesting to listen to. Now I sit here a good five or six years later listening to 1970s progressive rock from Italy while everyone else is still listening to Linkin Park or Green Day on our local radio stations.
I suppose the whole point of this is to teach you a lesson on what is true freedom and perhaps happiness. If not happiness, then at least what is right and what should be. Freedom is individuality and individuality is making your own choices and expressing yourself and how you are different from others. If you take pride in calling yourself average, then you are directly calling yourself a servant to others that may create what is average. We are all just animals on this rock in space (yes, humans are animals too) and we need to stop this power struggle. The average man gives into whatever the high power puts on his television/radio/newspaper/school/everything-everywhere and doesn't bother to peek outside of this artificial reality. So, please, if you enjoy something, don't settle with what is given to you. Go find more or make more yourself.
