Why are we so eager to be a different, unique individual?

Answer 1

No disrespect to anyone here especially given my predisposition towards being an individual as well, but not everyone is so focused on being, proving and maintaining a definition of individual that is distinctily different from everyone else. Boatloads of research pegs we Americans at the end of the scale of "Individualism" among most every definition of the concept. We seeth at the idea that someone could claim credit for any of our decisions or charactersitics, despite the reality that most of what we do or think is profoundly influenced by others without our conscious permission.
I think this strong sense of individual has served us well, maybe the future utility of it could be debated.
For contrast, Chinese for example tend to be on the low end of individual conception. It's difficult for us to even conceptualize, because we immediately see collectivism as suborindating our goals for someone elses, but they do not, in fact, many "personal" goals are really others' goals given to the individual in chinese culture.
Another example, similar culture, Vietnamese typically never use a word for "I" or "You", instead speaking of everyone in the third person. Again, not a conducive environment for cultivating unique individuality.
So, answer to your question: because we are Americans, and despite our drive to be unique, we are mostly the same in this aspect.

Answer 2

I don't remember ever being eager about it. I just knew, always, that I was different than the usual model. More often than not, I wished I was the usual model. Now, I've grown to accept and appreciate myself the way I am. being eager is not a part of it. But I suspect some people are too quick to assume that they are the usual model and do not realize how unique they really are..so ergo they act "eager'. But the secret is we are all uniquely different. Too bad the world has so much trouble accepting all the diversity instead of capitalizing on it.

Answer 3

That is how it is supposed to be. If we were all alike than it would be rather boring. Uniqueness and Individuality is interesting. People like new things. We like to be different because of those reasons. Imagine if there was nobody on the earth that was different than there would not be different genre's in books or music. We would be the same.

Answer 4

the attainment of individuality, the idea is need based and can be a way to just characterize yourself in a fluctuating world. A Social construct indeed. Deviant behavior and conformity. what actually could translate into just satisfying the human need to be involved in something.

Answer 5

We are anxious of the question of self worth and what it means in our personal future. Some reduce self worth to an unconditional pretext of acceptance by God, some a conditional pretext of material worth in ability and/or money. Some people oppose negative experience and conceive, conceptualize from the realization of that constituent of human essence, love, a meaning, a means against all preconditions that realize negative concepts.

The simplest expression for self in language, "I", or ego, in a sick condition will tend to make its own identity self conserving. This conservative or unchanging, obstainant condition sickens, rots. To oppose or remedy this sickening we seek not only to be different, but perpetually or continually changing, adapting to new outer realities as they happen, gathering new abilites as we procede in life and eventually grow mutual trust.

Answer 6

we're eager to be a different, unique individual because it's our nature to be someone discreet therefore no one will copy your style, fashion, and what not. of course, we're eager to be different because we are who we are. one person, different appearances, different personality, different brain, etc. we want to be distinct because we don't want to copy someone else. we don't want to be a fake. since everyone is different due to their features, they want to feel different overall. why not be generally different than have one feature that's different from others?

Answer 7

I have no idea, I'm different then everyone else because I'm not eager to be different.

Answer 8

it's an inherent drive..we are so programmed throughout life to be "the same"..."a mass consciousness" we aren't meant to be that way...our true inner different and unique self struggles to emerge and be free..most people who have achieved this are happy and living up to their potential ..we should all be living from the inside out instead of outside in..your inner self matters..and it will speak to you if you listen..

Answer 9

some of us don't like to be just like the idiots of society. we would rather not fit in than go along with their stupidity.

note: it also helps attract the ladies!

Answer 10

We don't like the way we are