Unconventionalism: the new black

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/article4653187.ece

I love stuff like this. Which would you rather read: this article, or a piece that begins: "In an era where the most important aspect of fashion is a statement-making bag, many women-" You lost me at "in an era".

Do you know the percentage of high school journalism advisers that would take one look at that piece and say: "Are you kidding me?" (I'm not trashing Stobbe, he'd love it). Yet one of the most prosperous newspapers in the world publishes it.

This is because The Times understand unconventionism. It's a long, many prefixed and suffixed word (in fact, I'm not sure it's a word) but it's also a concept that's a defined part of being successful.

The power to make the public read, watch or hear something and think "man, this is weird" is indeed a potent one. About 95% of our lives is doing and saying the same things we have always done or said. Ideas that are new and even quirky break up the monotony and save us from the properness of our lifestyles.

The people at the forefront of unconventionalism were teased as kids, I just know it. It takes a touch of unusualness to personify a handbag or write a screenplay about a nerd named Napolean. But think about it: the people who weren't teased as kids, it doesn't mean they are more normal.

They just hide it better.

The unconventional article, movie, opinion, connects us to our own hidden quirks. Being a little on the odd side is very tangibly human. This is why I appreciate people who aren't afraid to admit it. Like President Bush. Or Cher.

Those quirky people are probably even more self confident than the rest of us. (Okay, except for President Bush). That is why they are the world's entertainers, thinkers, trailblazers.

Just don't tell Bag I told you guys.