Who wants to travel the road often traveled? Wouldn't you rather travel the road LESS traveled, AKA: your own road?! When I say this, I am referring to almost everything (within reason and personal judgment).... There's a little something called the mainstream, and it most definitely should not be relied upon for being unique.
Mainstream: (n) 1. the principal or dominant course, tendency, or trend: the mainstream of American culture. (www.dictionary.com)
It's not so much mainstream traditions/trends that bother me, it's the desperate and nearly dependent way in which so many cling to them! For example, Coach comes out with a new purse and it's the hottest thing in the fashion world, then suddenly obscene amounts of women go out and buy it, no matter that it costs ten trillion dollars, no matter that it most likely has the initial 'C' on it, no matter that it's deranged to go out and buy a purse so expensive... (especially if you are not a wealthy individual). WHY I ask? Why ladies? Why must you spend your entire paychecks on a purse? More importantly, why would you spend that kind of money on something that has an initial other than your own all over it!? (letters on a purse is ugly to begin with) And for that matter, the same goes for you Louis! Yeah you, Mr. Vuitton! Yuck.
Well, that was just a tangent rant, but you get my point, right? That type of example can be found in a multitude of aspects relating to human entertainment and indulgence. In essence, what all this means is that one is always striving for self-expression, entertainment, fulfillment and so on... Duh! One should make of this life all that they possibly can! However, my argument is this: why go along with what everyone else is doing and/or what the media is telling you you should be doing/buying? Decide for yourself! Find your own true path in life, your own true style, spend your entire life articulating and further understanding yourself! So far it seems as though it is certainly the more challenging road in life! Going along with what everyone else is doing and not making up your own mind is just way too easy. and way too boring. My path is not always easy, but it is certainly the ultimate utilization of this short time I have here on this Earth... Life is too short to live according to standards other than your own.
As for mainstream design, I suppose there's nothing really wrong with it other than when it makes me feel just about the same as when I see endless copycat Hummer's guzzling around Miami... In other words, it makes me sigh and wonder, really?? Is that really what people like for themselves? If so, do they choose it because they truly love it and feel that it expresses who they are, or do they choose it because it's popular and everyone else loves it? I'm willing to bet that it's the latter rather than the former... Let me elaborate a bit further on the mainstream design/Hummer analogy... Sure, certain people can afford Hummers, but the majority finance their life away all for appearances. It's sad. Then again, I know that not all individuals make their decisions based on influence from the media and popular interest, however there are certainly countless that do! And it's that countless number of individuals who I am speaking to right now.... Be original, be thrifty, and look at things from a unique perspective. Always strive to be that yellow rock amongst all the gray ones.... :)
It has never been appealing to me to go along with "the crowd," nor has it been particularly easy to realize that in so many ways I do in fact differ from the majority of society in opinion and in practice. From an early age I was always outspoken and never hesitated to express any of my thoughts. Throughout my primary education I slowly evolved, particularly highlighted and propelled by my travels to Europe at age fifteen and seventeen (surely you'll hear more about that on here at some point or another), as well as the realizations following several other major life experiences. It is through those experiences that I have slowly defined my opposition to, and distaste of conformity.
In all this ramble I attempt to convey the underlying theme of this blog: a hodgepodge of ideas from me to you... My humble attempt to "Inspire Bohemia" and urge more of our society to "Burn with the fire that is never extinguished." I love that quote, it is the perfect description of how I live... I'm not sure who said/wrote it, (if anyone knows please tell me, thanks!) but I hope it inspires all of you as much as it inspires me! :)
It has never been appealing to me to go along with "the crowd," nor has it been particularly easy to realize that in so many ways I do in fact differ from the majority of society in opinion and in practice. From an early age I was always outspoken and never hesitated to express any of my thoughts. Throughout my primary education I slowly evolved, particularly highlighted and propelled by my travels to Europe at age fifteen and seventeen (surely you'll hear more about that on here at some point or another), as well as the realizations following several other major life experiences. It is through those experiences that I have slowly defined my opposition to, and distaste of conformity.
Think of it like this... Life is art! And if life is art, why would you want to paint a picture that looks just like so many others in the world? Paint your own picture, be original, be creative, live your own life! Cheers to helping YOU do just that, and cheers to me filtering some of my creative energy into the cause!
AMEN!
(Live With Art by LittleJacket)
(Live With Art by LittleJacket)
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