Ninety-nine Red Balloons

I've been thinking for some time and I've created a theory about conformity and non-conformity and whatever you want to say you are. Because I believe this really applies to every single person. Or well we'll get to the theory and the question. So as I pondered I asked myself: who am I? Really though who am I? I could give simple adjectives or nouns that I feel "make-up" me, but I think a much better description of me (and you) comes from the people I hang out with. I feel like I agree with certain parts of everyone and I take those parts and make them who I am. I know this sounds crazy but it's not Invasion of the Body Snatchers or anything. Think about it. Seriously think. The longer you are around your friends, the more you pick up their phrases, walk the way they do, laugh at the things they laugh at. You see this in old married couples; they become so close that they begin to look like each other. That's just a natural fact. We become the people we hang around.

I think it's crazy though. People are all different. But maybe it's the fact that I'm made of different parts of everyone else that makes me different from you. You're different parts of other people. Maybe a part of me and a part of someone else and a part of someone else. I mean we're all made of lots of different people. I think it's also why opposites attract. We all want to be a little different than we are so we pick up on other people's habits and adopt them as our own. That's why we are ever changing. We are ever changing in case you haven't figured that out.

About conformity though... I think I've adopted so many people that I stand out. I've conformed so much that I appear non-conforming. I know this doesn't make sense. I don't really understand it myself. But I look at my friends and family, those who have hurt me and those who I cling to anyway, and I see myself. Little bits of myself in every one of those people. I think if you looked at everyone that's ever been in your life, you'd see little bits of you everywhere too. I'm not totally convinced this is a bad thing though. I've lived my life being told to be yourself and don't conform, but I'm starting to wonder if that's a lie. Because I think everyone is just lots of parts of loads of other people.

So the big question of all questions: Do we adopt parts of other people or are we attracted the similar people? I think you could argue either side of the fence. However, I get along with everyone and find myself to be not too much like anyone and so my opinion is that you become other people more than you attract similar friends. I mean the friends you attract will probably be similar to you in ways but you'll soon find that you're picking the parts of them you wish you were (as they do the same) and try them on to see how you like the way new additions feel.