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Something I've noticed on Gaia is that the "outsider" portions of society pride themselves on not being told how to dress and being accepting of difference.

Something else I've noticed on Gaia is that this is a big crock of s**t.

You'd like to think that people who got picked on, mistreated or shunned would learn from other people's mistakes and choose to, as my journalism professor said, "not be that guy." Sadly, this is not the case, and there follows an incredibly picky, precise set of rules you have to follow unless you want to deal with some frothing 15-year-old spamming your profile page. You can't dress well at all without being shallow or "obeying society's rules" or-- if you're a girl-- submitting to the role of a sex doll. Admit to going outside in a shirt that's the proper size and jeans that were made in the last three years, and people will call you a weak-brained whore. You can't enjoy athletics, because if you do you can't be smart. People will indeed imply you're mentally behind them because you like playing pick-up basketball after class. God help you if you want something normal for a career-- or, again for the ladies, who can't catch a break, want to raise a family-- because you're brainwashed and people will trash your dreams with gusto. Yes, there are slutty girls in the world who live entirely for other people's approval. There are guys who would only use a book to wedge under their soccer goal so it stays put. There are even people with no personal ambitions who will end up doing whatever they're told to do. But that's not everyone. That's not even most people, I'd hazard a guess. Good job on being as "omg narrow-minded" as the kids you hate so much.

Possibly the only thing that could make the above and sadder and funnier is that really, all the lists of approved clothing, aspirations, habits, activities and attitudes are still determined by society at large. Like it or not, defining what's good as "everything most people don't like," or "the opposite of what's popular" is still defining your value system externally. Personally, I prefer the, "if it's not mine, leave it the hell alone*" line of thought, but I suppose that's half the reason so many people call me brainwashed or a fascist for deleting their flame posts. Think it over, no?

*Unless of course it can be mined for the sake of entertainment and comedy. Then it gets 5 minutes at center stage because let's face it, everyone laughs, and people on the whole provide a lot of amusement.