Mental Nonconformity

I recently read an essay written in TeenInk magazine called "Selling Out", by Emily Bihl, from Robbinsville, New Jersey. In it, she stated that "looking like a rebel [meant] conforming." She asked the question, "In an age of 'teenage rebellion' is sold in every Hot Topic in every mall in America without a detectable ounce of irony, what are we supposed to do?" This question racked my brain. When I see a teenager walking through the hallways with Tripp™ pants and a Manson tshirt, I most definitely do not see "rebellion" in that. In fact, when I see those kids, I relate them to the same sheep that wear the Hollister clothes, or the Polo shirts. These are the kids that are mostly referred to as conformists. The definition of nonconformity according to the Merriam Webster dictionary is "the refusal or failure to conform to accepted standards, conventions, rules, or laws," and these kids who all dress the same most definitely accept standards.

Unfortunately, the general consensus of the public is that these kids are nonconformists. So, as Emily had said, what are the real nonconformists to do to stand out from these psuedo-rebels? The simple answer I have for her is, drop the idea that being a rebel is purely physical, and embrace the idea of mental dissent. Think differently than the general public. Look at the world in a different way. Question the general thoughts and beliefs of the public. Things are the way things are, but why? "Why?" is a question we often overlook, and when we finally have the courage to ask it, we're usually told by an authority figure "because thats the way things are."

Mental freedom, while not physically obvious, is all that's really important to me. Sure, I attempt to look different from the general public. I have purple hair, and wear a jacket with studs all over it. I wear zebra print pants, and a bandolier around my waist. My converses are 4 years old, and couldn't get much shittier and ruined. Most of my clothes are altered from when I originally got it, whether I sewed something onto it, or I unsewed something. Maybe I studded it, maybe I cut it up. Splatter it with bleach? Sure. At the end of the day though, everyone looks at me, and classifies me as a punk. How hypocritical. I realized this probably around a year ago, and since then, have become very different. I always asked questions, but since then, I've become even more critical of everything. As most people would think this to be a bad thing, I am very happy with my newfound mental rebellion. I feel like I have better control over my life and my thoughts now, without as much influence from other people. Now I make my decisions from my own thoughts, my own opinions, and my own morals. Why should I be a nationalist? Why should I die for my country? Does this country deserve my life simply because I was born here? What if America isn't the best country in the world, like we've been told every day since the first day of kindergarten? What if we're not always right? What if my religion isn't true? This doesn't make sense to me. That doesn't make sense to me. Question everything, and don't accept anything as your own until you really put some thought into it. In other words, don't make up your mind until you have one.

Emily, I'm planning on emailing this to you. Not to be creepy or anything, but I searched your name of facebook, because I wanted to you read my personal response to your article. I found your email, sorry if I freaked out out or something. I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your article, I read it several times, and definitely poked my brain, so to speak. Mental nonconformity is the next frontier of rebellion you were looking for, in my opinion. It's not as apparent to others, but why do we have to look like rebels anyways? To quote a movie that actually opened my eyes to my own hypocracy, SLC Punk, which I suggest you see, by the way: "Wouldn't it be more of an act of rebellion if you didn't spend so much time buying blue hair dye and going out to get punky clothes? It all seems so petty. [...] You want to be an individual, right? You look like you're wearing a uniform. You look like a punk. Thats not rebellion, thats fashion." From this, I realized that there's always going to be a uniform of nonconformity. The ultimate oxymoron, I know! My conclusion, stop trying to look like a nonconformist. Just dress the way you like. I "look" like a nonconformist, which sucks, but I like the way I look. In my area, I look like an individual, because there's only two "punks" around here. Plus, it's a good conversation starter. I don't plan on changing my look over this, or anything. I'm just rewriting my mind.

I'd love to hear back from you if you wouldn't mind.