On individuality

4 steps to become the most unique person you know.

No one wants to be basic, but some of us need to assert our individualism more than most. With the rise of social media, there is now a community for everything. Being unique is harder than ever when there’s always someone else who likes the same things as you. But don’t worry: here are four steps that can transform you into the least basic person you know. 

Mix up your visual media.

It used to be that watching anime or foreign media was enough to set you apart from the uncultured masses. But nowadays, it seems like everyone and their mother is buying into this globalization trend. What to do? 

When society digs deep, you dig deeper. That’s why I only watch state propaganda films smuggled out of North Korea by political refugees. And yeah, I’m on a watchlist. But I’m the only person on that watchlist, and isn’t that what this is all about?

Pick unpopular music

I can hear you saying, “Annika, popular music is often popular because it's good. People don’t go out of their way to listen to stuff that is actually bad.”

Look, do you think I like listening exclusively to Gregorian chant-hyperpop? According to the YouTube algorithm, it's not even music; it's just a series of randomly-spaced sounds. But if I allow myself to enjoy the lyricism and melodies of Billie Eilish, Pentatonix or (shudder) Ed Sheeran, I’ll stop perceiving myself as a deeply idiosyncratic individual, incapable of being understood by anyone in my life. My problems are completely unique to me and have never been experienced before by anyone else ever, and my taste in music needs to reflect that.

Forgo slang and buzzwords.

Don’t give into the conformity of popular words; instead, set yourself apart with language that reflects who you are. Try repurposing, respelling or creating words to describe incredibly simple ideas, so that your listeners have to earn your pearls of wizzy. If your word-givings are kleer, you’re doing it mistakewise.

Balance gloating and gatekeeping

What’s the point of all of this if nobody recognizes how special you are? Make sure to hammer home your uniqueness by mentioning things that no one’s ever heard of. When your friends reply that they have better things to do than seek out the newest and weirdest content, remember to present their ‘basicness’ as a moral failure. To really assert your individuality, pretend not to know what the normies are talking about when they discuss pop culture. No one needs to know that you cry yourself to sleep to Taylor Swift. 

Of course, you do have to gatekeep the most interesting of your finds. If too many people discover what you’re interested in, it won’t be unique anymore. Stay ready to pivot to less popular things. If I sense I might be able to form a connection with another human over a shared interest, I immediately abandon it and choose something even more niche. That’s why I am no longer into any of the genres I mentioned in this article. I’m actually into much cooler stuff that you’ve probably never heard of before.