“Look, think, act differently than others” – this need is characteristic of those who strive for independence.
But here’s the paradox: sometimes nonconformists, for whom it is extremely important to oppose themselves to the “gray mass”, turn out to be … very similar to each other. According to mathematician Jonathan Touboul, we underestimate the speed of change in society*. The very appearance of a new trend in our field of vision suggests that someone has already noticed and comprehended it. And since we found her attractive, many others probably like her too. So those who go against the current are really just joining another stream that has already gained momentum.
* The Mathematical Neuroscience Laboratory, online publication October 30, 2014.