Why is it everyone wants to be a special case these days?
Discussion
Growing up in the 1960s, it was very much blend in, keep your head under the parapet. Any distinguishing feature made you vulnerable to ridicule or teasing.
But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
Slow.Patrol said:
Growing up in the 1960s, it was very much blend in, keep your head under the parapet. Any distinguishing feature made you vulnerable to ridicule or teasing.
But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
Seems an improvement, no? If it makes boomers grumpy that people aren't bullied into conforming then that's a small price to pay IMO.But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
Slow.Patrol said:
Growing up in the 1960s, it was very much blend in, keep your head under the parapet. Any distinguishing feature made you vulnerable to ridicule or teasing.
But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
Because it was so much better to keep quiet about things like mental health or sexuality back then right?But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
When's the last time you met any of these people and they told you all that stuff "within the first five minutes"?
I work in a pretty diverse workplace and I really can't think of the last time that's happened to me.
The examples you mentioned don't want to be special, they just want to be accepted for who they are are.
I think its better we don't ridicule or prosecute gay or bisexual people. Its better we don't consider neuro divergent people as thick or disruptive.
There have always been vegetarian/vegans, and protest movements. The 60's was famous for it.
I think its better we don't ridicule or prosecute gay or bisexual people. Its better we don't consider neuro divergent people as thick or disruptive.
There have always been vegetarian/vegans, and protest movements. The 60's was famous for it.
Edited by 98elise on Sunday 1st November 12:41
Slow.Patrol said:
Growing up in the 1960s, it was very much blend in, keep your head under the parapet. Any distinguishing feature made you vulnerable to ridicule or teasing.
But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
You're grumpy because people who have distinguishing features no longer have to keep their heads down to avoid ridicule or teasing?But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
How is this not a massive improvement?
There's no such thing as "normal" and never has been - everyone has always had their quirks, it's just by your own admission people used to desperately hide them in order to not get teased (or worse). Now they don't feel they have to so much.
The more pertinent question is why do you consider this a bad thing?
The more pertinent question is why do you consider this a bad thing?
FredericRobinson said:
Slow.Patrol said:
Growing up in the 1960s, it was very much blend in, keep your head under the parapet. Any distinguishing feature made you vulnerable to ridicule or teasing.
But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
You're grumpy because people who have distinguishing features no longer have to keep their heads down to avoid ridicule or teasing?But now it seems that everyone wants a USP. Some distinctive feature that makes them difficult or special.
So many to chose from. Being vegetarian/vegan, neuro divergent, bisexual, climate crusader. And will tell you within the first five minutes of meeting you.
Yeah, I'm a grumpy boomer, but is anyone "normal" these days.
How is this not a massive improvement?
They should follow the one section of society who’ve been on the fringes of acceptability and have just quietly got on with their lives.
Gingers.
A beacon of hope.
Okay - compare how things have changed in schools (the founding years of an individual's life)
1980's my school year group consisted of the following 'stand-out' characters:
3x Big (fat) lads - they were put in different 'houses' - but formed the front row when we played rugby
1x lad with a frosted lens on his glasses for some reason
1x lad with a 'built up shoe' (which might actually have been the same kid with the glasses mentioned above)
1 x asthmatic in my class of about 25 - 30 kids
2x trouble makers per class
1x proper bad lad in the whole year group that was a 'table tipper' by today's standards
2 or 3 very bright kids in each class... the rest were just normal.
Whats the demographic of an average year group in 2026?
1980's my school year group consisted of the following 'stand-out' characters:
3x Big (fat) lads - they were put in different 'houses' - but formed the front row when we played rugby
1x lad with a frosted lens on his glasses for some reason
1x lad with a 'built up shoe' (which might actually have been the same kid with the glasses mentioned above)
1 x asthmatic in my class of about 25 - 30 kids
2x trouble makers per class
1x proper bad lad in the whole year group that was a 'table tipper' by today's standards
2 or 3 very bright kids in each class... the rest were just normal.
Whats the demographic of an average year group in 2026?
Because you can find the tribe that you didn't know you belonged to online.
There's a risk in that of making you double down on everything to please them to the detriment of your everyday life, but for some it's the difference between happiness and misery.
Which goes both ways of course.
There's a risk in that of making you double down on everything to please them to the detriment of your everyday life, but for some it's the difference between happiness and misery.
Which goes both ways of course.
Steamer said:
Okay - compare how things have changed in schools (the founding years of an individual's life)
1980's my school year group consisted of the following 'stand-out' characters:
3x Big (fat) lads - they were put in different 'houses' - but formed the front row when we played rugby
1x lad with a frosted lens on his glasses for some reason
1x lad with a 'built up shoe' (which might actually have been the same kid with the glasses mentioned above)
1 x asthmatic in my class of about 25 - 30 kids
2x trouble makers per class
1x proper bad lad in the whole year group that was a 'table tipper' by today's standards
2 or 3 very bright kids in each class... the rest were just normal.
Whats the demographic of an average year group in 2026?
Plus all those who lived miserable lives keeping their heads down and going unnoticed1980's my school year group consisted of the following 'stand-out' characters:
3x Big (fat) lads - they were put in different 'houses' - but formed the front row when we played rugby
1x lad with a frosted lens on his glasses for some reason
1x lad with a 'built up shoe' (which might actually have been the same kid with the glasses mentioned above)
1 x asthmatic in my class of about 25 - 30 kids
2x trouble makers per class
1x proper bad lad in the whole year group that was a 'table tipper' by today's standards
2 or 3 very bright kids in each class... the rest were just normal.
Whats the demographic of an average year group in 2026?
Wheel Turned Out said:
There's no such thing as "normal" and never has been - everyone has always had their quirks, it's just by your own admission people used to desperately hide them in order to not get teased (or worse). Now they don't feel they have to so much.
The more pertinent question is why do you consider this a bad thing?
It's not a bad thing, but the pendulum has sprung the other way in that it seems like a badge of honour. The more pertinent question is why do you consider this a bad thing?
Edited by Slow.Patrol on Sunday 1st November 11:53
FredericRobinson said:
Steamer said:
Okay - compare how things have changed in schools (the founding years of an individual's life)
1980's my school year group consisted of the following 'stand-out' characters:
3x Big (fat) lads - they were put in different 'houses' - but formed the front row when we played rugby
1x lad with a frosted lens on his glasses for some reason
1x lad with a 'built up shoe' (which might actually have been the same kid with the glasses mentioned above)
1 x asthmatic in my class of about 25 - 30 kids
2x trouble makers per class
1x proper bad lad in the whole year group that was a 'table tipper' by today's standards
2 or 3 very bright kids in each class... the rest were just normal.
Whats the demographic of an average year group in 2026?
Plus all those who lived miserable lives keeping their heads down and going unnoticed1980's my school year group consisted of the following 'stand-out' characters:
3x Big (fat) lads - they were put in different 'houses' - but formed the front row when we played rugby
1x lad with a frosted lens on his glasses for some reason
1x lad with a 'built up shoe' (which might actually have been the same kid with the glasses mentioned above)
1 x asthmatic in my class of about 25 - 30 kids
2x trouble makers per class
1x proper bad lad in the whole year group that was a 'table tipper' by today's standards
2 or 3 very bright kids in each class... the rest were just normal.
Whats the demographic of an average year group in 2026?
Slow.Patrol said:
Growing up in the 1960s, it was very much blend in, keep your head under the parapet. Any distinguishing feature made you vulnerable to ridicule or teasing.
Also the source of this country's pathetic crabs in a bucket attitude to anyone who dares try to improve their lot.Slow.Patrol said:
Wheel Turned Out said:
There's no such thing as "normal" and never has been - everyone has always had their quirks, it's just by your own admission people used to desperately hide them in order to not get teased (or worse). Now they don't feel they have to so much.
The more pertinent question is why do you consider this a bad thing?
It's not a bad thing, but the pendulum has sprung the other way in that it seems like a badge of honour. The more pertinent question is why do you consider this a bad thing?
Edited by Slow.Patrol on Sunday 1st November 11:53
hmmmm
Slow.Patrol said:
My school teacher friend in Essex has nine kids in his class that are not autistic, ADHD or neurodivergent.
That's without getting into any physical issues.
Some elements (eg dyslexia) are far better diagnosed these days and there are a range of adjustments that don’t cost much/anything (eg different fonts, coloured film etc) that can make a world of difference. That's without getting into any physical issues.
Dyslexia is a good example of something that can have far reaching impacts. It’s not just about English. If you. Ant fully read a maths problem then you can’t translate it into the mathematical questions, etc. in the 80s kids were called lazy, not trying etc and pushed to the lower sets…
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