POTW: Special Snowflakes

[Diana]

We've all heard the phrase "Everyone is as unique as a snowflake" because, y'know... every snowflake is different, and so is every person!

We've also heard the grumble-grip "You're not a fucking special snowflake" every time someone pitches a hissyfit about wanting to be treated special or different from everyone else.

So when you smash them together, Every snowflake is special and unique, but it takes MANY snowflakes to make a beautiful winter scene. You are unique, but you must work together with others to make an impact.


Thus this week's very belated poll is all about being SPECIAL like a snowflake and how you use that WITH others to make magic! 8D

What is it that makes you unique? Why are YOU a special snowflake?

But on the flip side, what do you do as part of a team, family, or group that creates something special?

 

[Minibit]

EDIT: Delted "special snowflake" hissyfit because *sigh* you're right, we all have heard it before.

I don't think I'm anything special. I know there are probably hundreds if not thousands or millions of middle-class girls who like videogames and creative arts, and that actually excites me a bit.

Everybody does have quirks that probably not a lot of other people have though, and I guess mine would probably be

Um

I did really intend to put something here, but everything I can think of that I would describe as a personal quirk, lots of people do

I compulsive-clean when I'm stressed out, I don't like hanging out in crowds and prefer to be with one or two people that I already know pretty well, I don't like things to be loud; not even my music gets played at or above normal speaking volume (there are exceptions)...

OOH! I know I know!

I have never claimed to be a nice person.
No really, I haven't. I know I'm not a nice person. I can be a right bitch. But that behaviour is earned, not dealt out be default. I am nice to people I first meet, and I am nice to people who are nice back or who I think could use some positive interaction in their day. Basically when I am interacting with a person that has not already established what they are like, I assume they are a decent sort. Prove me wrong, however, and I have no problem dishing back some of your own. If you're going to be self-centered, closed-minded, prejudiced, mean, etc, then yeah, I'm probably not going to be smiles and sunshine with you.

tl:dr: I'm NOT nice; I'm just selectively bitchy.

 

[October Knight]

I am so special and different and unique!

Not really, just an only child.

 

[Super Cat]

You know I think it is more the different experiences that people have had that makes them unique. But those experiences only make them unique when compared against other people who haven't done those things.

With me I joined the army, become a medic and then got deployed to the middle east. If I was talking to other armybros or people in the military in generally I wouldn't be very unique or interesting unless I am talking to someone who hasn't deployed. But then when you compare me against some civilian who has never left the united states and just works as a waiter then I appear to be far more unique. But at the same time if I was talking to someone who goes skydiving and uses wingsuits when base jumping I would think they are more unique and interesting than myself. Especially because they are doing what I want to do.

 

[Quill]

All right …

to everyone who voted "No, there is nothing special about me." I would just like to point out that you are alive. AND you are you. So yeah. CLAIM REFUTED >8D Now go reflect on how awesome and unique you are!

 

[Parson]

Nowadays, most people just seem to imitate what they see and/or hear. What is so special or unique about that? Imitation doesn't mean an individual is special, it means the individual is unable to think for itself and make its own decisions. Specialness or uniqueness arises when an individual has the utmost capacity to think as such: an individual. While I'll cede that imitation is a key part to human development (especially in the early developmental stages), when it comes to determining uniqueness of an individual, imitation degrades uniqueness unless a decision is made outside the bounds of social standards, norms, social and peer pressure, and other miscellaneous factors. When the decision is made to imitate and is influenced by one or more of the previous factors, uniqueness is thrown out the window: that individual is now just part of the herd.

Just because an individual is alive doesn't make it "special". Life is rather binary: the individual is alive or it's dead. Look at the rest of the world. Everyone and everything falls into those two groups. If it's alive, it's part of a massive 6.9 billion group -- and that's just counting humans. Add in insect life, which is at any given moment approximately 10 quintillion, and it's a rather mute point for being alive.

I've tried in the past to look at this philosophically, but numbers don't lie (unless you make them). Maybe I'm looking at it all a bit too mathematically, but the way I see it is the larger the percentage of the population that participates in some activity, the less unique it happens to be. I guess a 'uniqueness score' could be established such that an individual's life is broken down into the core, daily activities that 'define' (but that's rather esoteric) the individual to which a percentage is assigned to each activity (which would be based upon the overall population of those who partake in that activity) and then a simple average be taken to establish a rather rudimentary score -- a very rudimentary one because a more advanced one would use other methods rather than a simple average.

\end{}

-sighs- Ok, now that's out of my system. Back to Fifth Element and nomming on rice!

 

[Dawn]

FEAAAARRR IS HOWWWW I FALLLLL, CONFUUUUSING WHAAAAT IS REAAAALLLL!!!1!!one!!

 

[Minibit]

(Stay with this cause I'm not just bitching, there's a POSITIVE point to this.)
Really. I am me? Wouldn't have guessed. There are over 1000 people with my full name in Canada. Well over half that number are middle-class workers, like me. Hobbies and interests are found from being available; they are made available because MASSES want them. So no, I'm not that special.

And that's OK. It's OK to not be totally different from everyone else. In fact its cool to have so much in common with the world; it makes it easier to meet people. And among the people you meet, not all of them are going to be like you in every way, so isn't that good enough? Why do we all think so highly of ourselves that it's not enough to be unique in our social groups, but that we can't stand to think that there are other people in the world who are probably a LOT like us?

Don't hate your commonness; embrace it. It's not a bad thing.

 

[Xnijmai]

I WILL KILL YOU DAMNFACE FOR STEALING MY POIGNANT POST!


....


COONNFFUUSSSSIIINNGGGG WAAATTTTTT IISSS RRREEEAALLLLLL!!!!!

 

[Drew]

I have to yes or I will get in trouble by the voice in my head that tell me that I am. Does that count? If not I just wont tell them. (Shh! Wer're hidding. Who's making that noise? Oh thats me again.) *smiles with after an eye twitch*

 

[Kitti]

That's right, I'm posting this while I'm at work because all of this " I'm not special" bothered me.
Do you know how many sperm cells your male parent had? An average man will produce 525 BILLION sperm cells on his lifetime. Your female parent will have had about 400,000 egg cells. You are the special one. Of all those cells that never formed a child, you were made. Your DNA is unique, unless you have an identical twin. You are the product of 3.8 billion years of breeding. In the survival of the fittest, you are part of that lineage. For all of the billions of men who are and were, most had several hundred billion sperm cells. Do you know how many combinations there are that never existed? You exist. You have a life, with which you can do innumerable good and bad things, great and small. You have potential to do so many things.

Who you ARE? That's an incredibly special statistic. But if you don't feel satisfied with your life, then do more things you dream of doing. Take risks and give it your all. Make yourself special.

I'm special, but I know that my goals and scientific aspirations mean nothing without collaboration and the research of those brilliant minds before me.

 

[LuluRS]

Everyone is unique and different. We are all special snowflakes.

And in that sense, every single person in the world is completely ordinary.

There is nothing special about who you are, the gifts you're given at birth, the personality you carry as your individuality. Everyone at birth is equal, and we all carry the same basic toolset. As we grow, we each create something beautiful and unique. Which doesn't make us special, as we've all done it. I believe that that commonality between us is needed. We are all human. We all share that commonality, which binds us together as a people.

I don't mean to say that everyone should strive to be exactly the same, as not only is this impossible (while staying human) but also depriving us of the exact thing we wish to recreate; a common bond.

 

[Diana]

You guys all suck cause no one is answering my two questions! ;____;

 

[Parson]

Haha, sorry. My original post got caught up in technicalities... so to answer your questions:

1) I'm an amateur mathematician that wants to cycle professionally. I'm in a non-typical relationship (far from it) as my partner is transgender and I could be considered genderqueer. I am addicted to knowledge regardless if it is defunct and as a result, I'm also a WikiChain addict -- spending hours at a time just reading Wikipedia articles that are linked together. I am a hopeless romantic at heart and melt every time Drew gives me roses. (-giggles and blushes- He gave me some the other day! Rainbow ones... and oh my goodness do the pink ones smell wonderful!) ... Not sure if that really makes me unique but I tried to think of things when in combination kinda makes it feel like there aren't very many like that. -shrugs- I gave it a shot.

2) My mom is a HUGE quilter. On a regular basis I'm summoned to help her do "quilt math," help her find good color matches, discuss future projects or admire fabric she has recently bought. I also tend to be everyone's vent person so it isn't uncommon for Drew, my mom, or some of my friends to vent to me while I just quietly listen adding my thoughts when cued. My family is... small. Before Drew but after my ex it was literally only my mom. After Drew it's gotten a bit bigger, which is nice. So continuing with the family, I've been texted before to help Drew's nephew with math homework which was rather flattering. Ummm... -reads question again- I used to help make sandwiches/bagged lunches for the poor kids in Houston called Meals-On-Wheels but that's a 'used to'. I'm not a huge team person, preferring a duo or trio at most so... that also kinda rules out community because the more people that are involved, the more stressed out/anxious I get which makes me unable to function.

 

[Itoxicated]

Alright so I admit to being one of the people who voted the Linkin Park song but I'm NOT putting more lyrics out there because I think it's just dumb to do that... Instead I'm going to say that I am very special, but maybe not in a good way haha. Well, maybe in an okay way (sometimes) and a not good way most of the time.

I want to start out by stating my opinion that yes, I acknowledge some people are very common with common interests and common personalities that you can probably find a lot of different places; however, we are all unique even if we don't think it; were all born differently and that makes us unique automatically.

Next off, I want to say that I know I am unique, maybe not in the best of ways, but I am unique. I'm overly picky about everything, the food I eat, how I prepare food, what kind of soda I'll drink and like, the type of ice cream I have to have, what type of man I'm attracted to, the type of clothes I'll wear, the brand of shoe I wear, what TV shows I will watch, what movies I'll watch, the people I hang out with, games I'll play, books I'll read, music I'll listen to, cologne/perfume I'll use, how I role-play, how I like my pictures taken, how I put my hair up, how I want my hair cut, what colors I'll color my hair, the type of glasses I will and won't wear, etc... the list goes on and on. I guarantee a lot of people have the same problems I have with being picky, but I also guarantee they don't have the exact same problems that I do. I think that answeres your first question well enough haha.

To answer your next question, I don't work well with others, never have, never will and it's something I really need to get over. I can get along with one or two people at a time and I can have a conversation with them just fine, but if anything I prefer working along rather than with someone else. I don't like things going a different way than how I think thay need to go. I understand that it's a bit selfish and everything, but I honestly am a selfish person most of the time. I don't even work well with my family that much and it's just my parents and my brother at the moment. I have no grandparents and my aunts, uncles, and cousins all live two hours and more away from me. If anything I can't create anything special in a group unless it's music. Being a marching band member and a concert band member, I have no choice but to work with the others to make harmony, melody, and musicality.

Recapping:: We're all unique.
Recapping:: I'm a very picky person.
Recapping:: I don't work well with others unless in band.

I hope this explains how weird and/or how special a person I am haha.

 

[Vay]

Make the joke options funny again.

 

[Drew]

I agree with Vay.

*Gives cookie*.. and it was not a brib. I had extra.

 

[Diana]

Make your FACE funny again, Vay! ;___;

 

[Fluffy]

What is it that makes you unique? Why are YOU a special snowflake?

Oh man, I'm unique in so many ways. I have 'cute' mannerisms, for example, that make people so tickled. I shit you not, every time I see a picture or item that is a panda bear, I squeal with delight and my cheeks get all red while I grin like an idiot. There's the tomboyish nerdy factor, too. For some people it's probably not all that unique, but seeing how my family is full of feminine people and the schools I attended had mostly girly girls, I was always out of place and people who got to know me acted as if I'm some rare species. ~__~ When I go shoe shopping, I buy the first pair of shoes that fit and look good. I won't bother trying on more; I HATE buying clothes. Even when I was a five year old, my mom expected me to be a lesbian. lolz But she wasn't totally wrong. I'm pansexual, which is also a unique thing about me.

You could call my social skills 'special', too. I'm such an introvert that it exhausts me to do anything involving with people. Weddings, retail work, parties... Stuff like that turns me useless at the end of the day because of how much energy it takes out of me. It's a lot of work for me to do the simplest things, like carry conversation. I'm much more effective as a behind-the-scenes type of person. Put me at a desk where I don't have to see peoples' faces and you'll be satisfied, I guarantee it. If you want me at a celebration of some kind, I'm better off being a voluntary cook or something instead of a guest. Also, I'm horrible at cashiering and selling stuff. >>;

There are things that make me grumpy. I hate My Little Pony, I hate dubstep, I hate that girls wear leggings as pants, I hate the faux hawk, I hate Twilight... Pretty much anything that's stupidly popular, I hate. :D I'm uniquely grouchy, something like that. It makes people love me and despise me all at once.

Oh, and, according to my mother I have a wise, old soul and a love for practicality. I'm not sure how to explain that. All I know is I'm not your average 21 year old. n__n; Maybe it has to do with the way I appreciate things. For example: the aforementioned hate towards leggings as pants. The reason I don't like that is because leggings do not have the protective, useful functions as actual pants. You're going to get cold, your ass is not being properly supported, and they get damaged more easily... So, the use of them makes no sense to me. ^^; Additionally, I connect better with older people. I am dating a man who's 7 years older than I am, because I have less in common with people my age or younger.

There's lots more I could say is unique, but I don't feel like writing more. TL;DR: I'm a weirdo.

But on the flip side, what do you do as part of a team, family, or group that creates something special?

When I'm with my family, we have a jolly time together. We can create wonderful memories from just people watching at the mall, or spending the day baking goods. My mother did a fantastic job raising us to appreciate the little things in life. That, is something special. I love it when we can spend hours laughing about stupid things. They're generous, thoughtful people also. Even when we have so little to give, we'll do what we can to help the less fortunate. My mom has accepted people and animals into her home that we help get back on their feet. It's beautiful stuff, I'll tell ya.

Peter is family to me, too. Especially since we're having a kiddo together. When we're together, there's never a dull moment. I can't help but smile around him, and he me. Our childish personalities allow us to have a lot of fun, too. At the grocery store, we'll whack each other with packaged meats that are penis-shaped. XD And when we're stoned as fuck, we'll laugh at idiotic stuff until I pee myself. That kind of happiness is pretty damn unique. Also, we just never get tired of each others company. With past lovers, we've both loved it when we could get alone time. Now that we have each other, we can't ever get sick of each other. :3 And, when there's someone in need, he and I make a great team to help them. <3

 

[dog_mu]

Everybody has something unique about them; that something is not always interesting, useful, or healthy. I like to think that I am more intelligent than the average person, more creative, and more self-aware; I know that I have flaws that I try to control or compensate for. I know that I am definitely more weird than average. In my experience, "normal" is boring (at least as defined by this society at large). I'm just trying to live an interesting life (and comfortable if I can do that too).