When we were kids, we were oblivious of the perceptions of uniqueness. I still remember that when I was
a little girl, I used to love pink colour because of no other reason but attraction. When I grew up a little, and
entered middle school, I started thinking, “every other girl loves pink colour, so I should love some other
colour”. That’s where my innocence towards liking something ended and immaturity took its place. We
usually try not to love things or activities which are common and everyone loves or does. We see people
who don’t even like old songs, saying “Dude I love old songs”. As it is increasingly becoming common for
people to be health conscious, go to the gym or do yoga in order to stay fit, some feel proud to be lazy just
because they want to portray themselves as different. They feel proud of being erroneous . Sometimes people help needy just because they want to show on social media that they are not like today’s insensitive generation and are different. Everyone here wants to be unique. People find pleasure in thinking and saying, “I’m not like everyone”, “I’m different from what people are today”, “I’m unique”.
That’s the point when they become like everyone. They become similar to the crowd thinking to be
different. That is why I always quote, “being common is a common thing and being unique is a common
wish”. Is it really so that trying to be something what you are originally not, makes you any different from
others?
Choosing a dressing style or a colour to like or a way of lifestyle or goals cannot make anyone one rare and
matchless or common and trite. Unfortunately, this is the definition of being unique in today’s world. In
this realm, there will always be someone liking the same thing as you. Being unique is such a nuanced,
indefinite and vague concept. It is highly over-rated. Everyone is similar to or different from someone in
some way or the other.
According to psychology, “uniqueness seeking allows people to attain satisfaction about their specialness”.
But if that is followed by sacrificing yourself? Everyone comes on this God’s Green Earth with a different
purpose. People are unique in some way or the other, so this doesn’t leave any space for uniqueness to be
unique. Constructing your personality merely to show people that you are different gives rise to you losing
your own identity.
Today you are you!
That is truer than true!
There is no one alive
Who is you-er than you! – Dr Suess
Rather than chasing the impression of being different and exceptional, let’s focus on being original. Even
when we think of great personalities like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Da Vinci, Lata
Mangeshkar, Steve Jobs, Mother Teresa, Sachin Tendulkar, Arvind Kejriwal, etc., they are successful or if
I may say ‘unique’ not because they focused on being different from the world, but because they did what
they loved and were passionate about. Instead of checking if they are unique, they concentrated on being
innovative, ingenious and better.
Being unique is not really unique because carrying this very idea makes everyone common. There is nothing
wrong in being unique, because ‘being’ is different from ‘trying to be’. Uniqueness in only possible when there is originality. Being who you are makes you unique. So, let’s love what we want to and adapt what
we need to, accept who we are, respect what we like, and cherish what we do. Rather than gratifying the
world let’s gratify our souls and preserve our originally unique identity and not become common while
trying to be unique but become original by trying to be original.
This post was written by Harmanpreet, Ist year
