One of the modern day notions of the self that seems to be here to stay is that of individualism. While on a level we are all individuals with our own thoughts and ideas, as a social group it has become apparent that we aren’t as different as we imagine. I scroll through Instagram daily to find a mixture of the same trends in people that claim to be all different and this becomes even more apparent when you try to hold conversation with people on topics that aren’t exactly mainstream. Try talking to someone about space, and I mean the complex parts like the expansion of the universe or formation of planets and see how quickly they drop off. But talk about the latest celebrity headline and watch the conversation flow like water.

Perhaps it is about time we start to reconsider and examine our thoughts to find out if we are really the individuals we pretend to be, or if we are just another copy of many in our society. Trends like tattoos and snapbacks show just how deceptive the idea of being our own person can be. Even emotional needs like traits we want from a partner have now fallen victim to what I call manufactured consent. It is not that we innately want these things, but we live in a society where it is instilled in us.

Take some time out today to examine you thoughts, your ideas, the music you like, the movies you watch, what you read online… if you find that it is all so mainstream then possibly you might be a robot in the machine that is consumerism designed to produce humans with the idea of individualism but acting as a collective sponsor of mass produce goods and garbage.

A word is enough for the wise.

William Ifeanyi Moore