By Nia Leanne - Food for Thought with Nia Leanne
Is Individualism Dead?
Lately this question has been sitting with me. When did everyone start becoming the same? Not just similar, but literally carbon copies of each other. When did we all have the same looks, same thoughts, same opinions, same aesthetics? Everyone claims to be authentic, yet somehow we all resemble slightly different versions of the same Pinterest mood board.
The truth is, a lot of us don’t really know who we are anymore and that’s not an insult, it’s just an observation. We’re not forming our own identities anymore. We’re just copying. We replicate aesthetics, personalities, and opinions, and call it self-expression. I believe social media influencers, marketing, and this entire culture over producing has helped with this sad reality, and of course this is a mirror of our climate, you know, but we won't get into that today. Fashion and things we gravitate towards are often directly a reflection of where we are in the world.
The Copycat Effect
Okay, let's be real. We all get inspired, but there is a thin line between being inspired and becoming an imitation. You can be inspired by someone but still have your own style, your own swag. Some of us, however, are straight-up copycats. The scary thing is, because of social media and being fed products all day, every day, of the same things, over and over again, we don't even realize we are losing our own identities. Losing that creativity everyone has. Even if you are a "basic bitch," no offense, you still have a creative side that you may be refusing to explore. If you are just conforming and copying what you see regurgitated on social media, then that's where the problem lies. This is also where the mirror of where we are today as a society becomes really clear. It's honestly a crime against yourself. You are a shadow of someone or something else. If you can be influenced by any and everything, then who even are you? What do you really believe? What do you even stand for? See how that can be a problem? And at the end of the day, copies never last. An original, however? Originals are forever.
Copying is also exhausting. It might seem like it would be easy, but it requires constant upkeep. Think about it. Especially when you establish that this is "who you are," you put yourself in a box. Why would you do such a disservice to yourself? Keeping track of trends, matching aesthetics, managing perception. It is easier and far more freeing to cultivate your own mind, your own taste, your own voice. But some of us never got the chance to figure that out, so are copycats even to blame? Maybe it is a result of being boxed in as a kid, maybe it is generational pressure, maybe it is just how culture shaped them. Either way, therapy, reflection, and deliberate self-discovery are the antidotes.
The Illusion of Choice
Social media makes it feel like we are choosing freely, but most of what we want has already been decided for us. Algorithms dictate what is trendy. Brands tell us what is desirable. Production companies and influencers flood the market with sameness. The more we consume, the less we actually create. It really isn't a copycat's fault. Honestly, I blame these phones, like our elders have been warning us about all this time. I also blame families that don't allow for self-discovery and self-expression. So, pro tip: put the phone down every once in a while or scroll past the ads at least, step out of your comfort zone, and stop listening to what others may have to say about who you are or who you should be. Basically, what I'm trying to get across is, don't let no hoe project onto you.
The Delusion Factor
Now let's pause real quick for a little reality check. Some of us are delusional, thinking people are copying us. That paranoia creates unnecessary tension and distracts from the real work, which is figuring out what we like and who we are. Stop watching the next person. Focus on yourself because maybe that person who you think is copying you is actually being more authentically themselves than even you. Maybe you're the one actually copying. Not copying them, but copying what you are being fed through social media. Think on that.
It should also be noted that while we can have individualism, nothing is entirely original. There will always be like-minded people around. It's a challenge figuring the real from the fake, but the moral is to just focus on you. Like I said, copies fade, so if they are carbon copies, they'll disintegrate on their own. If you find yourself trying to chase and keep up with someone else or social media trends, burning yourself out, then that's your first sign of not being authentic. Authenticity is fun and freeing, not exhausting or performative. There’s no letdown with being yourself.
Overproduction and Overconsumption
The world does not just give us too much, it produces too much, constantly. Not only is it too much, but it is also too much of the same. Too much of the same products, too much of the same trends, just too many distractions.
When everything is always available and so similar, nothing feels special. Overproduction flattens culture, turns originality into templates, and even mass-produces ideas. True individuality requires friction, patience, and reflection. The system does not want that. It wants copies, replicas, and predictable patterns. We have to take note of it and catch ourselves when we are falling victim to the system.
The Distraction Era
Phones, feeds, notifications. These are not evil, but they have definitely hypnotized us. Silence feels uncomfortable and stillness feels unproductive but true individuality forms in those quiet spaces. When you stop consuming long enough to think, reflect, and make decisions for yourself, you start discovering who you actually are.
A distracted person is easier to influence. An unimaginative person is easier to control. Endless indulgence, endless noise, endless opinions. It keeps us busy and disconnected with ourselves. That is the culture of clones, the culture of carbon copies.
Food for Thought
Maybe reclaiming individuality is not about doing more. Maybe it is actually about consuming less. Getting out of the world and being more intune with yourself.
In a world of copycats, remembering who you are is a quiet rebellion. Originals are timeless. Copies are exhausting, fleeting, and ultimately unfulfilling. Be yourself. Cultivate your mind, your taste, your own opinions, thoughts, ideas, your own sense of self. Let the world catch up to you. How about that?
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