You either fit in or strive to stand out. There are promises in both approaches.
You’re more likely to feel more secure in the first route as society rewards mimetic behavior. Every obedient dog gets a treat.
Success is harder on the fringes. Whether you’re an iconoclast, a contrarian, a ‘weirdo’, or innovator, you can expect to be misunderstood for long periods of time.
Walking through the labyrinth requires acceptance of uncertainty. Thinking different from the norm will always require more courage than jumping through hoops.
“It’s as though people expect you to blow one note all the time, and I guess a lot of people can only blow one note. But there are people who can blow two or three notes, and I guess I’m one of them.”
Frank Gehry
Yet, rarely is one unique individual every truly alone — the internet swims in collaborative niches. Different is attractive.
Conformity will always be the safest choice. But honesty is a passport to freedom. As long as you’re living your best self, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson