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What makes one different?
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What makes one different, an outcast, a fallen member of their society? Is it a single choice they make or a chain of decisions that lead down a single path? Is it even within their control, did they choose to be an outcast or was it a fate forced upon them? If they tried could they reverse their fate and become one of the untold masses and fit in or would their curse be a life long trend and be forced to live a solemn fate? This is a question I ponder. It is also the basis of a story I am working on. If you could fit in would you even want to? Would it mean you had to change your very personality? Would you be willing to give that up? What would you be willing to give up? Could you give it up? Personally I don’t feel the need to fit in. Why live by the standards of a society built upon humans feeling the need to be better than the one next to him? Why feel like you need to be better than other to make yourself to feel better? It’s because as a society we need reassurance that we exist, something to leave behind once we are gone. Though none of us may feel it yet, one day we shall. I know I will leave nothing to be remembered by and that doesn’t sadden me, live to the fullest and treat each day like it could be the last. I know that is old and corny but it’s true. Be happy with your life. What would you have to say on this topic?
How is ones reality defined?
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Re: What makes one different?
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by bermudanwarrior
on 2008-02-04 10:44:50
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You must be talking about this . I don't think I could do a better job at articulating stuff than this dude. :P |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
 
on 2008-02-04 12:07:16 |
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Will you please stop using the word 'fate'! Fate tells no truth, it's the surrounding and the culture brought up the whole norms and community thing, hence educate people of the certain region that holds and practices that certain culture and so forth. If I could fit in a certain group, I have to think over it. Because not all groups are matched to one's particular's interests and wants. It's up to me to be fit in the group, and possibly change my personality a bit. I don't like being a rebeliious person within the community--- that simply tells that I don't want to coorperate with anyone. Like you quoted " Why live by the standards of a society built upon humans feeling the need to be better than the one next to him? Why feel like you need to be better than other to make yourself to feel better"--- You make yourself sound that you never heard of democracy. Of course you can be yourself, live your life to the fullest, but you can't just be ignorant to those around you! The cultures, the values as a community, standards, social interaction--- you need those elements to live too! People remember you or not, does that matter? |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by bermudanwarrior
on 2008-02-04 19:23:36 (edited 2008-02-04 19:25:22)
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Well, people need to feel special, to be recognised sometimes. That's what most games are for (where else would you be able to destroy a whole planet or blow up a monstrous tank ?) As long as it doesn't hurt anyone, I dun care, you can do whatever you want. Enjoy your life. If you want to live a nobody's life, fine,too:P You know, rebellious people are very inspiring to be with, although sometimes they tend to mess things up =D |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
on 2008-02-05 03:07:31 |
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I'd call myself an individualist, but then I'd lose my status as unique, wouldn't I? Besides, I'm not opposed to everything, I'm just a bit selfish is all and I like using everything else to further my strength. Rebellious people don't always mess things up! Well, at least not badly anyways. I've never messed things up badly in any case. I always come off well in the end, maybe it is fate. At the end of the day, people are sociable animals, we have a desire to be part of a whole even if we have to be the part that opposes the core. For example, an individualist is against all societal interference and only out for their own goals (which normally conflict with institution). However, they wouldn't exist without that system in place to begin with. I think what we need we should take, without anyone getting in the way, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't form attachments along the way. I help run a Dojo, I love the place and I love the kids that look up to me and even the adults that look up to me. It's my little place where for the hours I spend there I am truly immortal. Memetic legacy folks, whatever our path, institutionalised or not, we all want to leave our mark whether it's in culture or the hearts and minds of the people we meet in our lives.  |
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Re: What makes one different?
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@ Renshi_Sho I have to honestly say I love your insight on this topic. You took the topic the way I had intended it to go. I can agree I don't see myself as messing up society, because without the society I was brought up in where would I be? Would I even be me? I am fond of the idea you are a product of your enviroment. That's why twins are exact, each is treated different and experience things on a different level. I agree with people are sociable animals. Even the misanthropes of our society will seek a small group to belong to. They don't seek to shut out the world, just live in one where they can belong. That doesn't mean saying everything needs reform, far from it, just that they want a place they can call home. Personally, I don't believe I'm out for my own goals, I seek to help others more than I do myself but I always have my goals in mind. I suppose that's just a way of being human. Attachments are import, even if short lived, they give us reason, motivation. I will admit I want to leave a mark and maybe one day I will find the place where my mark will be left. Only time can tell this and I shall go along with the plan, may it be fate and unchanglable or still in the works and safe to change as the future comes our way. @Farboct Fate was intended as a metaphorical way of saying something that we as people have deemed unchangable. Would you have to will to change something that others have said is impossible to accomplish? I agree, fate does not hold full truth for we don't know where it's turns lead. Agreed that all groups fit all needs or wants, but this is saying that you wanted to be seen as 'popular', what would you have to do to achieve that and what would be required to give up to do it as well as would you be willing to give that up and is there another way to do it without giving that up? @Slarfindel We do have a need to feel special, that is one of the driving points in us existing. The question is why do we feel the need to feel special? Just being alive means you are special and video games do make you feel special, I agree. You can be a hero who saves an entire galaxy or a villian who destroys life as we know it. The choices are yours.
How is ones reality defined?
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Re: What makes one different?
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I think that we people are diffrent simply because of the individual. It really is up to me to decide what I like. If it goes against the accepted traditions and code, so be it. @ Wawhoo and Renshi_Sho- I do think enviorment plays a role in determing the indiviudal, but in todays world it is significantly smaller. The gift of the internet renders many cultural and physical barriors moot, allowing anyone to learn nearly anything, and embrace who they truely are and who they want to become. I'd have to agree about humans being sociable creatures, and Wawhoo's example was great. Misanthrops dont want to reform the entire planet,but find one where they can belong. Personally I have not really thought of seriously leaving a mark on history, or if it will even matter in the scope of things. How many people know Mozart today as opposed to when we lived? How many will remember in a couple hundred years? Perhapes we do seek a legacy, but I dont think we will ever know if we found it till its already in place. |
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Re: What makes one different?
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@Bakayuki Well put. Our legacy, if any, will most likely not even be in our lifetime and we will not know if it is there or if it will fade one day. Is it really up to you to decide what you like? Can you so willingly change from one day being a fan of let's say books to the next day refusing to even read? I think that is part of who we are as indiviuals, our likes and dislikes that we cannot change the likes and dislikes that can be altered. I think we are more of a product of our enviroment than you believe. Even with the internet, we are still raised to learn the things we do and the reasons behind liking it. The wanting to change would have been implanted in them from somewhere in their raising.
How is ones reality defined?
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
on 2008-02-06 03:15:55 |
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Bakayuki, I gotta disagree. The internet is a tool at the end of the day, and to be honest, there's so much crap on here, when you want to learn something right, the only way to do it is by finding 'memetic legacy' (someone who's had that knowledge passed to them and understood in full). For example I seen millions of sites over the net spouting martial arts knowledge, and information about martial arts figures and people discussing techniques and such. Truly most of them, if not all of them haven't got a clue what utter s..t they are coming out with. It really irritates me. As for cultural barriers, they're still there. Go outside and you see people congregate with other people whom they share a common crux with. But I gotta say on legacy is that, my legacy so far is in my lifetime. I teach people, young and old. I rest easy in the fact that what I teach my youngsters now mean that I have not only passed on (or am still refining and passing on) my culture views and ethics, but also I have inspired characteristics that they didn't even know they had. It makes living and being a part of 'fate' (for want of a better word) all worthwhile. |
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Re: What makes one different?
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@ Wawhoo Okay, I accept that they are like and dislikes that can and cannot be altered, but would the want to change have to be implanted? Can it not simply come from no where, or rather, from one having diffrent likes and dislikes from the begining? @ Renshi_sho Yea, there is alot of crap out there, but it can act as a trail of breadcrums so to speak. It can lead a person to what they want to do, even if the method is off. And yes, I do see people tend to group with others of like race, but this hapens everywhere. I think whatI meant was that the internet allows one to get a look at another culture, and learn about it. Customs, and mannarisms, what one should and shouldnt do. I've read alot about Japanese culture in books, but I've also found some things that they neglected to put in. I agree it is a tool, but one that can bring alot of good if used correctly |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
on 2008-02-08 03:13:54 |
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Fair point Bakayuki, can't argue with that. |
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Re: What makes one different?
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@BakaYuki Did it truly come from no where? Would it not have come from yourself? As I see it, everything has to come from somewhere. If you had the want to change, you have imbedded that in yourself and in turn have given yourself the will to change. So in fact it did come from somewhere. Once again, I am not saying you can't change one day from, I'll use the same example, liking books to never wanting to read one again. A traumatizing experience can have those effects. I'm just saying without a large outside force acting upon you, it is not likely to happen.
How is ones reality defined?
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Re: What makes one different?
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what makes you different? i honestly think there is no one exactly like you if there was, they would be standing in the exact spot as you are right now... copying your exact actions at the same time and that would be impossible. however we tend to group ourselves by similarity so that we won't feel alone, also there would be less disputes i do agree that we have to fit in to some extent because if you become way too selfish, then others can't help you, and you can't help them so controlling is key it's all about sacrifice you can act, not because you want to but to be nice to others and to yourself but even doing it you should keep in mind what you really desire or you will lose your true self. however your true self may change and may not change depending on how reasonable it seems some things stay forever, and some doesn't and through experience you will learn what they are you control how generous you wish to be and how selfish you wish to be. will the majority affect minority? yes, but not all the time but you make the choices in the end for whatever reason i agree with the statement you can change if you give yourself will to change and the will to change is also a choice |
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Re: What makes one different?
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obviously, genetics and DNA make us different. but outside influences and the environment shape us up altogether. if you were to clone a man twice, and isolate both clones from the environment and give controlled influences in the exact same manner, in theory you could produce a nearly identical set of characters. but that would be cruel and inhumane. ethics aside, it just MIGHT be possible to make someone whos exactly like someone else, provided they go through the same things, but this would likely only be achieved through unorthodox,unethical methods. [edit] crap, I didnt bother to read the first post. thought this was more of a scientific question. XD okay. human beings will form societies. it's in their nature. we are sociable creatures. those who become outcasts, well, they eventually form their own small groups with other outcasts. in essence they aren't outcasts at all. they still have their families. other "outcasts". of course, this is not always the case. I think, when outcasts complain about being outcasts, they're just upset that they're not part of the bigger society. of course this is not always the case. please dont point out the obvious if you are to disagree with me, but rather, I'd like to hear your opinion and why you think that. 
wooo maplestory |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
on 2008-02-25 03:20:51 |
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I was Outlaw Star the other day. To quote Twighlight Suzuka: 'My individuality is what's important to me, everything in my world is an extension of that standard.' That's what makes us different. Our own standard and how much we are willing to put into forcing our standard to shape our environment around us. Human beings like being comfortable. But sometimes we need to feel a slight discomfort to feel comfortable. |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
on 2008-12-27 05:47:53 |
It's more than individuality that makes people different. Not only that but you can be pretty much the same as you peers and still standout as an indiuvidual or someone who is "different" I have that problem. I typically don't fit in anywhere with my social peers because they see me as markedly different from them due to things as simple and stupid as they way I dress to to the fact I have a pilots license. I have different beliefs as well and that makes me enough different that people sometimes wonder, "Who is that girl"? Being different also tends to land me in trouble sometimes and usually with my supervisors because I do things differently than the way they do. Yet for some reason although many of them disapprove of they way I do things they want to do the same things yet they seem to lack the courage or will to step outside of themselves and say, "I want to be different". It has been said to me many times that I am different that other people. If so, how? At any rate I recognize that I am different and I also know that it sometimes gets me into trouble. Still after learning that I'm different and you're different I see no reason to change and no reason to tell anyone that "Your weird, your different". Because if I wasn't I wouldn't be Lady Rin.  |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
on 2009-01-04 15:11:07 |
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It depends on the value of an individual and perception to decide what makes one different Alot of people are in competition trying to fit in of course but only to have their own place Their own space that they can share with one another There is a motive beyond than just trying to fit in a certain society You have a choice to become better than you was yesterday reflect on yourself past: what you've done present: what you've become Future: where you want to be reflect on that and you will find your answer remember everyone is competing because life is short and they never know when they will lose their life |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
on 2009-01-07 16:38:49 |
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I I like being different even though I get in trouble for it. I have well attended classes with a high grade average because my students appreciate the fact I I do things differently from other teachers. Do not walk in here and expect the same old thing. a student asks, "Is that going to be on the exam?" wanting an idea of what to study. "If it's in here in can be on the exam." I respond picking up the textbook. If you want to live in a world of sameness go ahead but I want to be different. |
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Re: What makes one different?
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by
on 2009-01-09 07:59:33 |
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I for one is really different form most people around me. I like things that are unique(like my taste in music most it it are from artist that most people don't even know), and my mom always say that my fashion is out dated. I don't go for whats popular but just on what catches my interest. though at times I do get interested in some thing that is currently popular. I don't feel like changing my self just to fit in. I did a few time and it did me no good, it just made me feel uncomfortable with my self. I just do what I want to do as long as it doesn't do anybody or myself any harm. |