Individuality or Being Controlled?

Many people crave individuality, being their own person, having their own friends and interests.  I'm one of those people.  But sometimes, people take that a little too far.  Dressing abnormally, not necessarily because they enjoy dressing like that, but because they are an individual!  And liking things that most people hate, just because most people hate them.  Or disliking things most people like, just because they like them.
Now, there's nothing wrong with dressing abnormally, or liking things most people don't, or disliking things most people don't...when you're doing it because you actually want to.  But when you're disliking something something because the majority loves it...you might very well be missing out.  What if there's a reason that they like that book?  Maybe it has a good plot line and relatable characters.  Of course, it could also be a book about a girl who is fought over by both a werewolf and a vampire...  What if it's a good book that you would actually, genuinely like, because that's who you are as an individual?
What if there's something more to that TV show than a weird thing about this guy with a sonic screwdriver that everyone is crazy about?  What if you don't watch it--when you would actually like it--just because all the people in your class likes it and you want to be a different person, an individual?  You're just letting them control you anyway.  You're thinking, "Oh, I won't let anyone control me, I'll be my own person, my own individual," but what your actions are saying is, "I want to be so different than everyone, I'll let them control me, just to try to show that I'm an individual."
What if you liked it first, then everyone else starts liking it?  Do you get frustrated and say things like, "Man, I guess I can't like that now, everyone else does!"  That's stupid!
Do you want to be an individual?  Okay.  Then like what you want to like, because you want to like it and dislike what you want to dislike, because you want to dislike it.  Do not let others control what you like and dislike, for the sake of being able to call yourself an individual.
Sincerely, A girl who likes Doctor Who, Hunger Games (the books), wearing mismatched socks, listening to oldies, newies and in-betweenies, because that's what she likes, not because anyone says she should or shouldn't like it.
~Katie :)