By LOUISE PLATTER – Features Editor
Although historically society has smiled upon meticulous effort, especially when it comes to physical appearance, the tide appears to be turning with a recent trend of mob-like elitism.
Archetypes band together and lock the gate to their clique. The true members are allowed in and anyone deemed ‘fake’ is harshly criticised.
This clubby mentality is accompanied by an increasingly strong pressure to be a natural paradigm. People who don’t seem authentic enough are criticised for ‘trying too hard.’ This effort is villainized and these people are told that they ‘don’t belong.’
Whatever you’re going to be, whether it’s a hipster or an athlete, you have to come by it honestly and if you don’t like what you ‘are’ then that’s too bad for you, just don’t try and blend in with the real members because they will call you out.
This trend, although prevalent, is baffling. Since when is trying a bad thing? Putting forth effort used to be a form of politeness and suddenly it’s reviled.
So what is the extent of these self imposed castes, and just how permanent is this trend? In a culture where the advice, ‘Be what you want to be,’ is constantly offered, how does that reconcile with the current fever of clanship?
Can people really be whatever they want to be, or is that just another archaic motivational fairy tale?
