Forget being unique - and please keep those 'inspirational' quotes to yourself

All those memes, songs, and 'inspirational quotes' about how special you are. Great. We are all unique. Let's all get the shirt made, so we will never forget how unique we ALL are.

Cheap marketing is all it is. It is a simple statement that tricks you into feeling appreciated.

Always remember that you are absolutely unique.
Just like everyone else.
~ Misattributed to Margeret Mead. Still a nice 'quote'.

But, I'm special, right?

But isn't it true that I'm special, I can hear you think. And what if it inspires someone, isn't that enough?

Well, to be honest. None of us are very special. We are actually pretty average. That average, that we all think we're special. We all consider ourselves a limited edition. There is only one person who has experienced exactly the same things you did, who has had the same thoughts, who has the same (unique?) DNA.

But the fact that you are singular, that there is no one exactly like you, does that mean you are special, exceptional, valuable because of your uniqueness?

We are exceptional

Isn't it more exceptional that we are all somehow similar, related, the same? That despite all the difference we try to invent, the distinctions we make between things, despite all the uniqueness we focus on to make sure we are selected to belong somewhere, to have meaning - that despite all those efforts, mostly we are similar. There is something human in all of us. No matter what we do, that commonality shines through. We all belong to that larger group, even if that group tries everything in its power to make sure that they are considered unique.

This idea of being exceptionally unique is perhaps something very Western. It is as if value is generated from being unique, selling yourself as a brand, creating your own unique voice. Rewards pile up if you can have that special set of abilities that is unique. And this is not in itself bad. It only becomes a problem when it demonizes any other way of looking at things. Other ways of finding value in your own existence.

Value that isn't based on being unique

Because value can also be generated from other things. I especially noticed this when I traveled through Japan. Value was not something in your face, something shouted from roof tops. It was something cherished, something created from a sense of commonality. From the sense of service. The train conductor who enters a train by bowing, respecting the presence of the customer and being respected for it. The shop owner who accepts your money with a bow, taking the money with two hands. Being present in the moment, and by not feeling themselves more unique and important than anyone else. And not less important either.

Value lies not in the product. But in the experience of the moment. In the experience of attention. In the experience of what makes us all human. Value is created not by calling it unique, but because of the value it creates in the experience of someone - yourself or someone else.
Let's put that on a meme. Or a shirt. Or let's not. Let's just live it.

All designs are my own creation. With thanks to the steemit original tutorials by @multi4g.