In our generation—generation “I”—every person is unique. But the true art is knowing how to be unique
Back in the eighties, Douglas Coupland popularized the term “Generation X,” referring to the new generation. This quickly became a hot topic, and a pop culture formed around the notion, seeking to decipher the unique qualities of the new generation. Going beyond mere curiosity, interest in the new generation was fueled by giant corporations that endeavored to find the right marketing strategy for millions of Generation X youngsters.
Today, we present “Generation I”—a generation that is typically concerned with one thing—itself!
iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iLife, iPhoto, iDVD, iWeb and iMovie all demonstrate that Apple Inc. and its brilliant CEO, Steve Jobs, have figured out the “I” trend of our generation, and more importantly, the way to market products to a generation that lives and breathes “I.” Apple hit the nail on the head by putting the consumer’s “I” at the center of its marketing strategy.
Taking a longer view, it’s easy to see that iPod and other “i-Gadgets” are but examples of a much more comprehensive process that’s taking place today. People are becoming obsessed with themselves, as evidenced by the huge popularity of daily reality shows. And the “I” trend doesn’t just dictate strategies for the mass media and giant corporations; it also appears in every other realm of life.
Why is this happening? Where does such an intense feeling of uniqueness, characteristic of our generation, come from? And is there a way for us to use it as a springboard for positive change?
Just off the top of my head I’d say it’s because so many people are exactly the same. It’s existentially dreadful to realize this in an individualistic society (realizing commonality and brotherhood can be beautiful in a context that nurtures it). So i-whatnot is marketed to try and give Joe Shmoe the idea that somehow walking down the street with the exact same clothes, hair cut, electronic gizmos, job, feelings and opinions as every other Joe Shmoe he is special. This society has invested a lot in the myth of specialness, but since neither mass society nor the ideolgy of specialness will change just now, the cookie-cutter copy has to think that the color of his i-gizmo makes him unique, or the background of his i-google is special.
The government’s only obligation is to provide us with the opportunity to be individuals. It’s up to us to take advantage of it. I firmly believe that many, perhaps even some sort of majority, don’t want to be, they don’t see the value in it. Schizophrenically, however, whenever by some lucky happenstance they have a windfall or avoid a catastrophe, it often seems to them it was because they deserved it, because they are them. God was on their side because they–well, God must know the inner me and that I was worth it.
This generation about itself . . . I can see how losing the self and explaining that “god is everything” is something most westerners disagree on. Not only do they disagree, they cant even grasp would it would be like if it were true. The deception runs deep.
On a contradictory note, i have what doctors call delusions of granduer. I suppose they make ME feel important. But am i at fault for having such big ideas about myself, when every story or movie these days is based on extraordinary situations with extraordinary people who constantly overcome overwhelming conflicts. Feel the influence.
The problem with it is that people are basically being force-fed on how to be individual. The concept of “Individuality” itself is being manufactured and incorporated into mainstream society, with set parameters (through media, fashion, soaps, movies, etc.). Someone comes up with something unique and individual, and all of the sudden everyone else wants to unique and individual just like that. And then something else comes along, and everyone, once again, jumps on the bandwagon. I also agree that many people do not want to be individuals (sadly) because their own individuality would fall outside the parameters of society’s concept of individuality, so if you don’t show the established “markers” of individuality, more often than not, you will be simply ignored (or worse). I guess there are different kinds of individual, the preferred kind and the “strange/foreign/undesirable” kind.
I am not really sure if it’s a feeling of uniqueness or a desire to belong and be recognized that’s driving this behavior.
I don’t think it is in the society’s best interests to allow unhindered individuality. To incorporate all individualities into one unit (society), you would need to impose restrictions, or, otherwise, channel individualities through designed means.
I am curious to know what you mean by positive change, because it looks to me that individuality and society are often at odds when it comes to their functions.
Another problem is that (in my society anyway) competitiveness and comparison are encouraged (by media…which has the power to give qualitative labels on things), and more often than not, it is done for financial reasons (turning people against each other and using them as tools). With this in place even if you tried to make a change, the media and the other financial institutions would simply incorporate/appropriate it and capitalize on it.
I think that Globalization plays an important role when it comes to the increasing need to feel unique. In the old days, when societies still had certain limits and borders, every individual had a certain task in order for him to contribute to society. Within this society there was no task which was more important than the other, while the doctor and the farmer have both essential capacities for their small society to be successful. In this line citizens felt and were responsible for fulfilling their task in the best way possible, for without their input, people wouldnt have food to eat or will dye sooner without appropriate medication. As our societies grow, with regard to the amount of human beings, but also with more variety in products and choices, the contribution of each individual becomes less and less obvious. Being able to evaluate how your input or contribution has benefited others gives one a sense of uniqueness. I think in our society it is harder to formulate how the actions of individuals have influenced our society to the better and therefore the feeling of uniqueness and usefulness have faded. We are looking for ways to be special. Especially international corporations have succeeded to adapt to this new need for uniqueness, and this is actually a contradiction, while they are promoting their “ I” products to such a wide international public that this product becomes even less unique. My statement would be that individuals that are able to contribute to society and are able to see the effects of their actions, will be less sensitive and less influenced by the emptiness the media attempts to fill by products.
In every generation we are all unique. We are all unique perspectives. That is our nature, trying to be unique is ludicrous and ignorant of ‘self’. We each live in a quantumly discrete unique universe at any moment. That ‘universe’ is actualized for and by each of us by dint of ‘perspective’.
The “true art”, from this perspective, is knowing ‘self’ and simply ‘being’ such (as if there were a ‘choice’ anyway).
Trying to be unique seems to be the attempt to alter superficialities/appearances in accord with ego.
I couldnt agree more…however that doesnt explain why people are chasing uniqueness. Having theoretical (and for some practical) ideas of how things should be is great to maintain as a standard. In order to understand why individuals are seeking for uniqueness, the underlying cause of this goal should be grasped. Why do you think people are ignoring their natural uniqueness and the search to know themselves?
As ‘we’ have done throughout history. People ‘must’ conform with their society’s standards for acceptance. Within those parameters and strictures, it seems that the ego, as I have stated, would be all the more needy and seek some uniqueness within the ‘programming for conformity’. All ego. That is the explanation that I see.
Ego. Ego. Ego. Ego…
Anything else that doesn’t boil down to ego?
Amelie whrote:
My statement would be that individuals that are able to contribute to society and are able to see the effects of their actions, will be less sensitive and less influenced by the emptiness the media attempts to fill by products.
I found this very interesting answer:
Is there anything we can do to change our egoistic, destructive use of the quality of uniqueness? Baal HaSulam says that there is.
He explains that the Creator leads us to a crossroads and lets us choose which path to take. On the one hand, we can channel our quality of uniqueness towards giving and caring for others. By doing so, we use this quality the same way as the Creator, and thus eliminate the gap separating us from Him.
However, without even being aware of it, most of us choose the other alternative: using the quality of uniqueness for our own good. In other words, we desire to be greater than others, and by so doing, we increase the alienation between us. Baal HaSulam illustrates the severity of this situation with the following metaphor:
Our body is made of billions of cells, where each cell operates autonomously, realizing its own, unique purpose. Although the cells operate as individual units for “self-profit,” they are united by one common goal—to provide life and energy to the whole body. Each cell has its own self-interest, but it values the common goal even more—and that’s why the body stays alive.
However, as soon as one cell stops working for the sake of the whole body and begins working only for its own good, it starts a chain reaction called “cancer.” The first cancerous cell infects other cells with its “egoistic” tendency, causing a disintegration of the whole body.
And herein lies the problem with our modern society: The “self-interest” disease is spreading throughout humanity’s collective body, even as we speak.
One, because they do not know ‘Self’, and the basic uniqueness therein.
Two, ego, ego, ego! Chasing a ‘false’ uniqueness, a superficial fantasy ego ‘self’, to garner all those great warm fuzzy ego ‘feelings’…
If you are refering to me, I have no concept of “should be”, just what Is. “Should be” is egoic fantasy, judgement, Pride, sin… And the “standard” of what Is, is different every moment. So ‘standard’ has no meaning from this perspective, either.
See above.
Ignorance of ‘Self’, as I stated earlier. And it seems a very uncommon thing for anyone to really be interested in, much less 'knowing ‘Self’. Too much work or simply not in their nature. Why do you think that throughout history there have been so few…
Quote; Psychadelic Person; “It must be possible to go beyond the Here and Now!”
Meditative Person; “It must be possible to stay in the Here and Now!”
Ego on itself is probably not the cause of ignoring our natural uniqueness, more likely the consequence. The way you define and understand egoism for a large part depends on your background and education (from parents, society and the state) and I think thats where we will find the causes for the negative consequences (such as egoism) of most highly developed countries.
It is a reflection and evolution of existence’s present activity - E X P A N S I O N.
What started as the so-called ‘Big Bang’ has now evolved into objectively conscious beings (us) who want to ‘expand’
their sence of ‘being’. In primates this translates into more territory and more ‘stuff’ and a desire for the ‘NEW’.
That’s why in the advertising world the second strongest word is still ‘NEW’.
Right now everything wants to expand including our sense of uniqueness.
[quote=“Gmar Tikun”]
Is there anything we can do to change our egoistic, destructive use of the quality of uniqueness? Baal HaSulam says that there is.
He explains that the Creator leads us to a crossroads and lets us choose which path to take. On the one hand, we can channel our quality of uniqueness towards giving and caring for others. By doing so, we use this quality the same way as the Creator, and thus eliminate the gap separating us from Him.
However, without even being aware of it, most of us choose the other alternative: using the quality of uniqueness for our own good. In other words, we desire to be greater than others, and by so doing, we increase the alienation between us.
I like your comparison of the body and society very much. In this line, in order for a society to be ‘healthy’, each individual strives for its own best development but would sacrifice his own needs for his society. This will allways stay an Utopia until the education given to children is based on the right education, which in my view means being able to distinguish between good and bad based on theoretical (or abstract) concepts and not based on our organs of sense.
I wonder if Baal Hasulam (Owner of the ladder?) also elaborates on when and how we use the quality the same way as the Creator?
