Question for those who never met people like them (not people who are liking them):
I'm curious how far individuality goes. If you are 33+yrs old and never seen people who are just like you (fiction and movies' heroes don't count), how would you explain that?
How far to go? . . . by Bluedoll
Metaphorically speaking she was unique in her idea’s and exchanges.
The space craft traveled far with all the information tagging along with her in it’s computer but it was this female passenger that delivered individual messages in her own way.
She said, “The words I use are incomprehensible to some and incompatible to others but it is my way of saying I am unique however it can also be said that no person is totally unique but beside this status, to be unique can be perplexing because we are all forced to conform to some kind of standard.”
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That is your answer.
I account that to my being unusually unique...
I work at a job that only 400 other people in the world do.
I have a sexual preference shared by only 5% of the population.
Just those two things narrows it down to only 20 people in the world who might be like me... it's no wonder that I haven't met any of them.
| ocalhoun wrote: |
| I account that to my being unusually unique... |
Well you are, without even mentioning it. If I may ask, what do you do that only 399 others do as well? Something perhaps to do with electronics?This topic is meaningless without a proper definition of what "just like you" means. Depending on your interpretation you could go anywhere from everyone (identical twins etc. included) being obviously unique in literal experience to every human in the whole world being all the same race, spurned by the same evolutionary desires.
But no, let's debate whether a rare job should even define who you are to the extent where it would be considered something necessary for any level of personal likeness. I propose that it does not, as it could well be that only circumstance (ie. a limited requirement for the job) separates you from another person who could do the same thing. Or does chance and circumstance itself define us as much as who we are born to be at conception? Or is fate?
That's enough of that.
| Nameless wrote: |
But no, let's debate whether a rare job should even define who you are to the extent where it would be considered something necessary for any level of personal likeness. I propose that it does not, as it could well be that only circumstance (ie. a limited requirement for the job) separates you from another person who could do the same thing. Or does chance and circumstance itself define us as much as who we are born to be at conception? Or is fate?
That's enough of that. |
How about horse whisperers, people who are genuinely different from other people to the extent that they can communicate better with horses than other people can. Or people who have artistic ability that is unsurpassed, such as Michelangelo, and that does make him different from others. Mozart, Handel, etc. People with special gifts. I'm not sure whether this has anything to do with fate though. It's in our genes, some of us are lucky, others may be lucky but through circumstances never get anywhere, and then there are some like me who can only admire those gifts in others. 
Subjectively, I have never met anybody like me, although I am only 17. My first instinct would be ‘hey, what ever I still have a few years, right?’ but as somebody the age of 33+ I would be slightly concerned.
Although I wouldn’t think of this as something negative but rather optimistic. I am unique; there is no body out there that is like me, I am special. Having that said, remember there are 6.5 billion people in the world, there is bound to be somebody that is like you, not exactly but have many of the same qualities and similarities as you do. You are bound to meet that person.
Good! I expected zero replies 
At 17 one may be aware that there are no one just like you, at 29 there was more that enough time to met them, years later one starts thinking how possibly could it happens, comparing themselves with others who were around you.
We all came from the same mold (speaking of the same society, that could be different for each of present here): school, extracurricular activities available, universities of the same class around, families with the same kind of people that were around (different as any two individuals will be different, but they came from the same mold), jobs to perform (within profession) the same.
Family influence, ties, values and possibilities is what was left unchecked, together with personal appearances, strength of nervous system, moral flexibility. Add what you consider necessary. Is this really overcomes the similarity of being grown and trained to function within the same society?
I will cut post in two to keep it more readable. Let's talk not about geniuses, it is unlikely to meet them at the free hosting, and not special because of genetic disadvantages or trauma that affected social functioning. Average and above average individuals, not particularly strong to fit well the world of physical jobs, or not so charming that able to charm out of the sheep her offspring and sell the snow in the winter - to fit well in the services or sales.
Horse whisperers know for sure that there are other horse whisperers, people like them, with this unique ability. But how many of them have you met in a large city? In coffee shops, stores, on the streets? Unless it happens to be a neighbor.
I do not feel sorry about being the only one of own kind, just curious:
1. If this happened to some other people as well, then hear their opinion why it could happen.
2. Or all people are that different and this is a norm, not an exception.
3. What allows some people to overcome their circumstances (apart from lucky chance, good health or appearances, being extrovert or having a thick skin, or family fortune).
4. Those who didn't overcome their circumstances and have to live and work way below their abilities (not talking about interests), what outlet for using their abilities they have?
You know how many university graduates are produced each year and how many jobs to fit their qualifications appear (or disappear) each year.
Internet allows to widen horizons, come in contact with people with different interests on different forums or blogs, yet nothing was found - to ask them what they are doing with their lives.
How about you?
I don't feel like one of a kind. From the point of view that I often meet people who think like a do, or do like I do. A sort of instant familiarity of having met them before. I have not met many people like that, but my dad and I am quite alike. I have had some friends whom are alike. I am separate of course, with my own thoughts, but no, I don't see myself as different and unique.
| deanhills wrote: |
| I often meet people who think like a do, or do like I do. A sort of instant familiarity of having met them before. I have not met many people like that |
That is exactly what I was talking about. I don't, and wonder what are the odds It's impossible to NOT find somebody like you.
All humans on this planet are 99.9% identical.
I'm pretty unique. I'm at school, so I have yet to broaden my horizons.
| deanhills wrote: |
| How about horse whisperers, people who are genuinely different from other people to the extent that they can communicate better with horses than other people can. Or people who have artistic ability that is unsurpassed, such as Michelangelo, and that does make him different from others. Mozart, Handel, etc. People with special gifts. |
From a pragmatic point of view, the "gifts" these people had were nothing more than a very high level of skill and the fortune to become famous. You can fairly say they are different to an ordinary person without such skills or fame, but particularly with artistic fields it would also be fair to say there were other people only slightly less gifted and well known in their time. Were (/are) they really different to be called unlike each other? Where do you draw the line between alike and something unique, and how could anyone practically know enough about other people to make that claim? | ocalhoun wrote: |
I account that to my being unusually unique...
I work at a job that only 400 other people in the world do.
I have a sexual preference shared by only 5% of the population.
Just those two things narrows it down to only 20 people in the world who might be like me... it's no wonder that I haven't met any of them. |
You seem like a very interesting person! Care to share more about yourself? What is your job and sexual preference? | tony wrote: |
| ocalhoun wrote: | I account that to my being unusually unique...
I work at a job that only 400 other people in the world do.
I have a sexual preference shared by only 5% of the population.
Just those two things narrows it down to only 20 people in the world who might be like me... it's no wonder that I haven't met any of them. |
You seem like a very interesting person! Care to share more about yourself? What is your job and sexual preference? |
Radar maintenance, and a preference for animals, which is shared by (the surveys say) 5% of people... (So, when you're in a room with 20 people... chances are that one of them is... 
)
Actually, I could get more specific, with horses only, then mares, which makes me even more unique.
Then, there's more detail, like being a registered Libertarian... If you go into enough detail, everyone is absolutely unique, while if you use only broad generalities, nearly nobody is unique.I have met only one person who has a personality very close to mine, my husband.
5% of the population has a preference for animals???? wow! That's...hard for me to wrap my brain around. I will think about that.
I have a hard time thinking that anyone would ever just meet someone like themselves. Aren't all people unique? I guess I'm not sure how closely similar you mean.
No one has ever had the exact same experiences in life as you have. It's what makes people interesting. If everyone had done/do the same exact things you wouldn't have anything to talk about or anything new to discover.
I get told (with some frequency) that I remind people of someone they know. I think this is usually a visual reminder (I guess I'm very generic?), but occasionally I get the feeling it's more than that. I don't know if everyone has these experiences or not.
Never met anyone who's exactly like me, even though I have some core characteristics that other people have. Thing is, I have a wide variety of interests, most random, so few people share them with me. I do have a friend who shares many of these interests, but we have different viewpoints on everything. For example, if he supports one thing, most likely I'll support the exact opposite. However, the interest is still in the same field. 
Well, I am 16, I have never met someone like me, but I dont want to! I love me but I hate people with some kind of similar personality (way to be) to mine..!
btw, What's the difference between points and frih$?
true enough, I've already met around 1 or 2 people just like me....
Although I don't meet the age of 33+ requirement, I can say that I haven't met anybody that similar to me in personality or outside appearance. Not sure if I want to ever run into somebody to similar to me.
I have met some person who looks like me, sorry to say i could not interact with him closly.
In my family, I am a unique. The rest of the family slightly look each other, but, I am different.
That's why I count myself as a unique. I have never met anyone like me physically, but I have got a lot of people who mentally and emotionally, like me.
This is quite philosophical, so I moved it. it has been said that there is a twin who looks exactly like you in the world, you will just never find him
ps - i am not only unique but i am one of a kind, i am a bloody enigma of humanity
People like them is a tricky aspect
There are no individuals in this planet that are entirely alike I don't mean the appearance I mean other aspects so I don't see any one can possibly meet a person who is like them prbly they can meet who si close in thinking!
| yagnyavalkya wrote: |
People like them is a tricky aspect
There are no individuals in this planet that are entirely alike I don't mean the appearance I mean other aspects so I don't see any one can possibly meet a person who is like them prbly they can meet who si close in thinking! |
Maybe there is an element of "survival of the species" in it? If we were all alike, then it would have meant that we would have been equally strong or weak and completely inflexible as species go. 
if evolution works by picking best aspects do you think that in the far future EVERYONE would look the same?
| Bannik wrote: |
| if evolution works by picking best aspects do you think that in the far future EVERYONE would look the same? |
If it worked that way, wouldn't we already be all the same?
Evolution works more by diversifying, then eliminating the 'bad' variants. | Bannik wrote: |
| if evolution works by picking best aspects do you think that in the far future EVERYONE would look the same? |
I agree with Ocalhoun, it would be about diversification and also about fitness of survival. I can't imagine that everyone could be identical one day. Would they then by definition be equal to zero, i.e. they won't be able to continue? | ocalhoun wrote: |
| Bannik wrote: | | if evolution works by picking best aspects do you think that in the far future EVERYONE would look the same? |
If it worked that way, wouldn't we already be all the same?
Evolution works more by diversifying, then eliminating the 'bad' variants. |
but thats the thing, the point of diversifying the 'bad' variants is so that they had less chance too occur and in the long term all together disappear so by definition only the good traits would stay so lets imgine noses as part of evolution, there has too be a perfect nose that evolution deems the best if thats the case then shouldnt that nose stay.
and yes i agree survival of the fittest is the answer the strongest nose survives (lol) but thats what i dont get if it worked that way sooner or later there will only be the same type of people by definition only the most strongest traits would have survived.....
it just baffles me how diverse the human race is. | Bannik wrote: |
| ocalhoun wrote: | | Bannik wrote: | | if evolution works by picking best aspects do you think that in the far future EVERYONE would look the same? |
If it worked that way, wouldn't we already be all the same?
Evolution works more by diversifying, then eliminating the 'bad' variants. |
but thats the thing, the point of diversifying the 'bad' variants is so that they had less chance too occur and in the long term all together disappear so by definition only the good traits would stay so lets imgine noses as part of evolution, there has too be a perfect nose that evolution deems the best if thats the case then shouldnt that nose stay.
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There is no 'perfect' nose though. Some noses are better at some things than others, but they all have advantages and disadvantages.
It's the same way with nearly all the other traits.
| Quote: |
and yes i agree survival of the fittest is the answer the strongest nose survives (lol) but thats what i dont get if it worked that way sooner or later there will only be the same type of people by definition only the most strongest traits would have survived.....
|
But which traits are the strongest? It depends on your situation in most cases. As long as humans find themselves in a variety of situations, they will continue to evolve into a variety of sub-species.
If every human was put into exactly the same situation, then yes, eventually they would evolve into a single form perfectly suited for that situation.
| Quote: |
it just baffles me how diverse the human race is. |
It isn't really that diverse...
Some other species show a LOT more diversity.
