Diffressence...

Everything is made a certain way, using a certain mould. And then there are others like it made using the same mould or a similar one. With minor changes to the form, size, etchings and detailed patterns. But never the same. Even "identical" twins have their own quirks and peculiarities. Take a marigold flower, and look carefully at its frond - all the petals would look the same, but they are not xerox copies. Nor are all the slices cut from the same loaf of bread or all pencils drawn from a pack of Staedler HBs.

So, individuality is inherent to the existence of each thing and being... But the extent to which these differences are pronounced varies case by case. While all fish in a shoal are born pink, some might be born pinker. Some pages in a ream of A4 sheets would feel somewhat rougher than the rest. And some people come across as peculiar since they do not exhibit the general "traits" exhibited by people around in that geographical and demographical set up. These are the "outliers". The exceptions to the rule.

Is being different however cool? Has Maggi Tomato Ketchup been able to sell itself better by claiming to say "Its Different". Have movie makers been able to fool the audiences by saying that the script and stylizing of their creation is "different" and "offbeat"?

I dont know..

And how open are we to accpting people and ideas that are different? Radically different? Wasnt there a hue and cry over the Supereme Court judgement legalizing homesexuality in India? Havent be constantly underlizing the importance we attach to the diferences by highlighting issues like caste-based-reservations and protests for equal-rights-for-women? Dont we build special facilities for the physically disabled?

We do... Dont we?

But are we ashamed of being a party to these differences? Do we not feel a pride in being a friend to someone who is not stereotypical - someone who draws attention to you by being your friend? Arent we excited by stories that we read on Facebook about someone who trekked Machu-Pichu on two amputated legs? Dont we narrate such things to friends over lunch?

We do...

But when it comes to excercing our own individuality, whys is that we always shy away from it? Why is there always a desire to "fit in"? And why do we find ourselves too eager to label people as "freaks" if they dont fall under the stereotypes of normalcy?

I dont know... Do you?