Thursday, March 19, 2009

Points for originality

I've been bothered lately with a feeling that I'm not original. Almost everything I love was introduced to me by someone else, and I'm wondering if I really love these things or if I just say I do because I want approval.

This bothers me because I hate to be a copycat. I have deliberately avoided certain things that seemed too trendy. I don't want to be just another person who likes what everyone else does. I have never read Harry Potter or Twilight. Except for a few clips I have never watched American Idol. I refuse to create a MySpace or FaceBook page and I will never own an iAnything or Blackberry.

I'm inconsistent though. I jumped onto the Lost bandwagon and I watch it faithfully every week, even when I think I'll go crazy from not understanding it. I also watch Heroes and several other shows that will be rehashed at work the following day. And I wonder if I watch these shows solely because I want to join the conversations around me.

In the last year I've picked up several new SciFi shows at the encouragement of my brothers. I was talked into buying Firefly and Serenity by one and given the first season of Battlestar Galactica by another. One of them introduced me to Torchwood and Doctor Who. Both encouraged me to watch Stargate SG1. I enjoy all of these shows but I wonder if I subconsciously see them as a bonding opportunity. Do I watch SciFi because I want my brothers to like me?

Ultimately I have the option of taking or leaving everything that I'm introduced to. I suppose not finding it first doesn't automatically place me in the "follower" category. Whether or not it's my intention, finding common interests does help me bond with people. That's not a bad thing. And I don't think I have it in me to fake an interest in anything. So maybe instead of worrying that I only like something because someone else did, I should tell myself I tried it because they liked it and I found I liked it too.

1 comment:

The Joe said...

Bah, we'd like ya anyway. Odd considering. :) but nrrdiness is more fun to talk about than, say, hell I thought I was going somewhere with that but I got nothing. Know this, there is nothing you can do that can make me not love you. Now I've gone and said it. Shucks.