When I hear the word Individuality I think or thinking for myself based on my exeperiences. No one can be completely unique that is for sure. Even as a child when you are developing your personality and around the toddler years when you are asserting your self autonomy so much you are conforming to your environment. Part of that is ingrained in our instincts as a method of survival. The odd creature is ostracised in nature and left to survive on it's own. There is strength in numbers and that situation (being ostracised) is less desirable to our Id. My daughter who isn't even three yet says phrases that either my husband, myself, or her friends say. That is what she's heard and she is attempting to conform as part of that instinct. It's only later when we begin to feel like duplicates of our family and want to be different that we start dying our hair purple or listening to different music than our family etc. I believe to be individual you must think through things for yourself. If you really truely like something you see in fashion I would say go ahead and get it and wear it even after that fashion has faded away. Be respectful to others (the traditional manners - tips, thanks, opening doors, etc.) but don't do things because everyone else is or wants to. If you are doing it because its what you want that you are your own individual. If someone else wants to copy you and do it too then take it as a compliment and nothing more. It's like the little kid in preschool "TEACHER! He's copying me!!" There is nothing wrong with it. Rebellion is conformity in reverse and no better.
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"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.
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