Taste

It is interesting how people try to gather people with similar tastes around them, creating their own microcosmoses, where they are constatly reaffirmed about the quality of their taste. Often preventing them from trying new things and maybe thinking that their taste is just as good as anybody else's.

Of course this desire to be a part of a group can be a burden, as people also have a desire to be recognized and yearn for attention. So in this drive for independence, they are constantly fragmenting from their groups, but they they find themselves alone, they quickly find others who fragmented similarly and then they as a group comment how the members of the bigger groups are sheeple and so on. This is especially noticeable in music and when you have gothic metalheads calling power metalheads pussies you know not everything is hunky dory.

Another problem is when people whose lifestyle is damaging to others andthemselves find a circle of similar people, and then they encourage themselves that they are ok (peadophiles or people who cut themselves for example) and that they are beautiful and healthy (obese people). There are even forums for suicidal people, but they don't have many permanent members.

Social confirmation is a very important aspect of our lives, but we should always strive to see ourselves as individuals, not just whether we fit in a certain segment of society or not. I'm sure such people are happy when they find a group of likeminded individuals where they are accepted, however they would probably be even happier if they managed to cure their defect (either physical or psychological) and return to the mainstream society.

I'm sure they think they are cool and dark when they pretend to be vampires and gangstas and so on, but it is only a symptom of a deeper need for recognition and acceptance, the result of a battle between individuality and sociality.

Of course, as long as you do not hurt others with your lifestyle, it is your every right to live as you wish, but still, would you not be happier without the pressure making you desire to stand out and fit in at the same time, which is often caused by low self esteem since such people often think that there is nothing special about them, and then try to artificially create the differences.

Try to see yourself and everybody else as individuals, all special, all unique, and yet part of the same human race.