"You Evil Conforming Non-conformist, You!"

Ya know what I really hate?  People who assume that since I say I'm a non-conformist that I must conform to non-conformity.  x.x Um, no, that would defeat the entire purpose of non-conformity.  I agree people who blindly choose what they do and like based on what is not popular are as bad as people who choose what they like based on what is popular.  But that's not me.  I'm a non-conformist in the true sense of the word.  I don't conform to anything.  I decide who I am and what I like based on what I think, not what others think.

It's true I like things that are different or unusual.  I like to be weird.  I have a rebellious and defiant nature.  That's just who I am.  But that doesn't mean I choose things that are different blindly just because they are different.  Walking around with pencils stuck in your eyes is not a popular fashion statement.  But ya know what, I think there's a pretty good reason for that, I don't think I'm gonna start doing that, even though it would definitely be weird.

For example, I love rats.  One of the things that first drew me to rats as pets is that they are unusual pets, and most people think they are creepy and gross.  But that's not the main reason I love rats.  I love rats cuz they are incredible little critters that make great pets (I could go on and on about how great rats are, but I'd get off track).  And rats are becoming more and more popular, that's not a bad thing, that's a good thing!  Everyone who wants to should be able share their life with rats, and every domestic rat deserves a good home with people who understand them and love them for who they are.  I'm not gonna stop loving rats because more people love rats, that would be incredibly stupid!  I love rats because of what rats are, not what people think of them.

Another example, I've been collecting 80's toys for a long time, long before all this 80's nostalgia started showing up everywhere.  Now you can't walk into a store without falling over something Care Bear, My Little Pony, or Strawberry Shortcake related.  Am I going to stop my life-long obsession with my childhood toys just because it's now an in thing to do?  Hell no!!  I'm delighted cuz now there's more junk for me to buy.  I love to buy junk.  This is nothing new to us "Pony collectors" and we'll probably collect our favorite 80's toys till we're old and gray and can't remember our own names.  (But we'll probably still remember Cotton Candy and Glory's names!)  But even if everyone else completely forgets the 80's, I'll still have my collection of Ponies sitting side by side with my Alien action figures.

Get the point?  I like being weird, that's who I am.  But I like things because I like them, not because other people like or hate them!