The Question of Individuality. Options

[Kontroll]

I've been debating myself on this topic for a while. I feel that no one can be different.

Everyone is different to begin with, therefore the same. If we try to be different, there is already some one who is trying to be different and they then become the same.

Then if you look at it from the other side... If we try to be like everyone one else, then we are being different, but not. Because we are like everyone else.

Does this make sense to anyone? Seriously. I want to know..

[sakaitone]

Everyone is different to begin with, therefore the same. If we try to be different, there is already some one who is trying to be different and they then become the same.

Everyone is different (negative), therefore the same (positive). If we try to be different (negative), someone who is trying to be different (negative) so that equals a positive and a positive times a positive (they will become the same) equals a positive. So we're all the same by trying to be different.

Then if you look at it from the other side... If we try to be like everyone one else, then we are being different, but not. Because we are like everyone else.

Does this make sense to anyone? Seriously. I want to know..

Is this like a double negative statement? So then it's positive? So by saying that we are different (negative) but we're all trying to be the same (positive), then we're not (negative). A negative times a positive equals a negative, so a negative times a negative equals a positive. Then basically we're all the same.

You think everyone is the same because of the wierd negative/positive thing. I guess that's true but it's really confusing.

[slipper]

So we're all the same by trying to be different.

i think that just about sums it all up.

[AngelinaTaylor]

Because we are like everyone else.

Yes, but then you run into the whole "soul" issue. If you believe in the soul, then you must think that each person has his/her own, unique soul.

[magicfann]

no.

[Kontroll]

I think that we are different in the fact that not everyone person is the same person. We are individuals, but collectively, we are like slices of pie. Does that analogy work? I think it does, it makes sense to me..

Our souls are different, but they serve the same purpose as everyone else. They might not go to the same place, such as Heaven or Hell, but they are the same.

[NoSex]

I don't really believe, on a philosophical level, that individuality exactly is in threat simply because there are people who may hold similar personalities to our own. Individuality isn't about being different, it's about being who you are. It's not about playing the part, it's about who you truly are. Honesty, and integrity. Even still, I don't think you'll find a perfectly identical pair of personalities in this world at any given time. So, I don't exactly see the problem.

Are you saying I can't be an individual just because there have been people before me that have done similar are identical things that I have? I don't exactly follow that line of reasoning.

[smoke]

Yeah, Nate beats me to it again by saying what I wanted to say. I'd have to agree with him.

I'm a little confused on how you think two persons, both trying to be individuals, become the same simply because they're both trying to be different. Sure, their idea is the same, but like Nate said, it's more about being who you are. Therefore, they'd in no way be the same simply because no two persons will or ever be the same.

And I don't understand your pie analogy either. Unless they make apple, blueberry, cherry, and peach all in one now. You could look at it that way. We're all part of the pie, or have the same wanting of individualism, but each piece has its own flavor.

[Kontroll]

Yeah, what you two said. It's more that there is some one there before us that did what we wanted to do. I know we are all individuals and no one is exactly like us, but there are things that we do, how we dress that don't really make us different, but the same.

I'm really saying all this cause I want to know what you guys think. I always hear people say 'I want to be different.' I try to think about how they can do that, or how they can't. You know? That's what this topic is about.

[xourzestt]

everyone's different. Maybe you might think the same but the way you do things and ast your all different. I'm different.

[fameONE]

This a topic that is always brought up to me by some of my friends that are feeling a little overwhelmed by being in the military. Being that the Marine Corps is, compared to the other branches of service, the most strict, a lot of Marines feel as though they cannot be themselves; like they have to be robots that care about nothing more than saying "OoRah, Get Some, Kill Bodies" and doing just that. Truth be told, this is just a 9 to 5 that takes a lot of hard work and pride. But at the end of the work day, or during the weekend, when you have time to yourself, you're able to just relax and be you. As long as you're comfortable in your own skin and you have a strong sense of who you are, you're an individual.