Human beings like to think we are each unique individuals, but I am here to tell you we are more alike than not. While our individual personalities and values are our own, our viewpoints and opinions seem to coincide quite often. A film titled "I Am" offers a more in-depth discussion on some of the points I am making, and you can (and should) watch it on Netflix.
I began considering this perspective while scrolling through my news feed on Facebook. I noticed a few of my friends were sharing the same articles -- some about weird things cats are doing, others about the presidential race. While the articles differed, the message was the same; we care about the same things. Now, I am not saying we are all identical with no new thoughts of our own. I am saying that as humans, we share similar ideals and perspectives, but we are clouded by our desire to be “special” and “one-of-a-kind.” First of all, you are already one-of-a-kind, because no one else thinks, feels, and experiences life exactly the same way you do. We do share similar thoughts and experiences though. Keyword: Similar, not identical.
If you have ever thought that everyone seems happier, more popular and more successful than you, you are not the only one. The funny thing about that is that the exact same lonely feeling we get when we compare ourselves to others is felt by almost everyone at some point in time. So while you are feeling lonely, you are not alone.
Everyone wants to be happy and successful, but many have a different opinion on what exactly that means. We need to unite in our commonalities rather than ostracize those who go against the grain. It is important to have people who think differently than us, and thinking differently does not mean that we have no similarities. It is not whether we agree or not on an issue that brings us together, it is the fact that we both care about the same issue. Human beings are burdened in that we have similar thought processes and the same overall vision for the future (to make it better than it was before), but we get stuck on the minor details that we do not agree on. We think that because someone disagrees with us that we are complete opposites, which is not true at all. What would we be if we all thought and acted the exact same way? Boring and unoriginal. We should want people to disagree with us and challenge our beliefs, and then come together and find common ground. It is possible and it is something everyone, including myself, needs to work on. Once we realize just how similar we all are, those minor disagreements really do not matter.
So grab a friend, grab a stranger, sit down and talk. You might find you are more similar than you previously believed.
