The average person

The average person Hollow Husks

The idea of "the average person" stirs an inner contradiction within me. While I don't wholly believe in the existence of an average person, I have met this "average person" multiple times before. They feel to me like NPC-type characters. Someone who just doesn't seem to have anything interesting going on.

Whenever I think of the average person, I imagine someone who doesn't get much of a say in what they do with their life; they let their time be decided for them, whether by an algorithm, a boss, their family, or school. They barely stray away from what everyone else is doing: Like a fresh Windows install, they come preloaded with generic opinions, hollow personalities, and shallow or nonexistent interests based on what's trendy.

Here's the thing: This person doesn't exist.

No one would ever like to describe themselves as the husk of a person I built up in the last paragraph. But in reality, that imagined average person is often exactly how people present themselves to the world.

Normalcy is Boring

We've been conditioned to flatten ourselves in public. We want to avoid being seen as "weird." In a world where our nonconformity is treated as an illness to be treated and ashamed of, it's only natural.

But... is that really how you want to live?

It's "safer" to just stay normal. You can tell yourself, "The right person will find me eventually" or "They just wouldn't understand."

I don't think that's safety. In the long run, you're guaranteed to lose connections, miss chances, and become less happy as a result.

If you never express what you really think...

If you never talk about what you actually love...

If you only do as the crowd expects...

How do you expect to be found? How do you expect to create real, genuine connections? Do you not desire the freedom of truly expressing yourself?

The things you hide... The things that make you "weird." Those are actually what make you interesting; they make you memorable, in a good way.

Be The First

When you're in a room with new faces, this is your chance. Your time to shine. Be the first to express your genuine interests; don't fear breaking the silence or getting a weird look; let them look. They will stay in their shell while you get to connect and explore.

Back to the average person

I said earlier that I've met this "average person" multiple times before. But the truth is, I don’t believe they were actually average or boring; I know in my heart they’re more interesting than they show. It's just that I couldn't reach them... or they couldn't reach me. This facade they built up to seem normal stole from us a chance for connection.

And sometimes...

I've done the same thing.

This post is a reminder to myself more than anything else. Don't let them steal your uniqueness. This is my act of rebellion against what society deems normal. I will wear my weirdness on my sleeves, and I will be proud of it.