Fitting in or standing out! What exactly is life all about? Which category do you fall into? Isn't that a million-dollar question? We as humans are social creatures who have this inherent desire, something we are born with, a desire to belong which refers to a human emotional need associating with members. The need to belong, to fit in is instinctual in nature and researchers believe it to be something that may be evolutionary in origin. But at the same time, we humans are paradoxical in nature which brings their inherent desire to action to stand out in a crowd and weave a unique identity for ourselves.
Instead of fizzling out in the sea of anonymity, they have the innate need to create ripples of prominence and eminence within the crowd. People wish to be recognized for their achievements and break free from the mold of social norms.
Human Nature - A Paradox
However, one can't deny the reality of the world that we live in, a world of uniformity rather than a world of diversity. There is a heavy price to pay when one tries to rock the boat and try going against the tide.
Often society doesn't take kindly to people trying to break free from the clutches of conventional norms and ethos that are laid down by society. Everyone wants to feel appreciated and be recognized for their own achievements and carve out a footing of their in society without being alienated or cast aside for those same things. The contradictory nature of humans makes them want to fit in and be a part of a group or a crowd in order to seek a sense of security and comfort, all the while aiming to achieve social recognition and standing, the urge to stand out in a crowd that they want to be a desperate part of.
A set of paradoxes encountered in human life-
1) Fitting in makes the person crave to carve a niche of their own in the society
2) Standing out makes the person crave to fit in and develop a sense of belonging.
Let's see what people had to say when asked for their take on this million-dollar question- Fitting in or standing out?
As a person who has been there and tried my hand at both of the things, I speak from my experiences in life when I say that whether we deny ourselves to fit in or push hard to stand out, in both cases we are testing our authenticity by putting a lot of pressure on ourselves and all of this gets pretty exhausting after a point of time. After all, everything and everyone else is going to fade away but it is our own self that we have to live with and we need to remain true to our own self in order to preserve our self of being and individuality.
Dr. Ankita Kamal, [BDS], Dental Intern at King George's Medical University
In the struggle to fit in, we tend to lose ourselves and if we stand out we tend to lose people. But this totally depends on an individual's perspective and the situation they are facing.
Lalitha Lavanya Shree S. [4th year medical student at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv], MedBound Intern.
I believe we are given one life and we should try to make the most of it. When we can stand out, why try to fit in? We build our personality as we navigate through life and instead of trying to suppress that part of ourselves in order to fit in, we should allow it free reign and people who love us and understand us will accept us with all our quirkiness and flaws.
Dr. Anurupa Roy, [BDS], King George's Medical University, currently practicing in Lucknow.
If we talk in sense of the workplace organizations, if one is the kind of person who stands out culturally then in order to feel a sense of belonging with their peers and colleagues they need to fit in. And if one stands out structurally then they don't belong to one particular clique and they tend to bridge the gap across those individuals that are otherwise disconnected from others.
Naman Choudhary, Final year MBBS student at International school of medicine, Bishkek Kyrgyzstan.
One should try to remain true to their own self because everything else in this world is temporary but one's own self. So, the people need to decide and choose for themselves because whatever they choose, there will always be a ratio and an amalgamation of the two, fitting in and standing out. Because no one can live a life that is completely asynchronous from society. People need to find a balance between being their own person when they want to without the fear of judgment or being alienated and fitting in a group that gives them a sense of belonging. It is when they find the perfect balance, they would be able to live their life on their own terms and conditions without the added burden to be someone or do something they don't wish to.
