there are 6 billion people in this world. think about it.

at any given time, there are over 6 billion people in this world. almost 300 million in this great country we live in.

this is going to come out pessimistic at first but hear me out. everyone thinks they are unique, that they are somehow different than other people in their demographic. how often is this true? stastically, it'd be near impossible if everyone truly WAS different than each other. there's only so many clothes you can wear, only so much music you can listen to. every thought you've had, someone has probably thought it before. your friends shape you and quite often, you share the same interests. there are already a few people who are quite similar to you. nearly everyone can be categorized into some stereotype, someone whose actions can be accurately predicted.

you're unique to your own world of family, friends, colleagues... everyone who knows you exist and who coexists along with you. that if you were to leave, they'd feel a hole for a very long time. that's what makes you unique.

so how does one stand out in this great world of ours, overcrowded with people? how do you get through it, being more than a face in the crowd, more than just another person on the subway reading a book? more than another face at a concert, more than another person walking on Broadway?

i guess the most popular answer would be to become world famous, have everyone know who you "are" (i use that generically... we don't know celebrities, the public just likes to think they do). stand out from the 6 billion faces that surround you with help of the media, your talent and having more people know YOUR name, rather than the names of most other people who walk this Earth.

i don't quite think that's the answer... it can help sure, but how many Marilyn Monroes ripoffs are there? She became an image, a THING, not a person anymore. we didn't truly know her, we knew what she looked like. we see someone with blonde curly hair and a deep-cut white dress and think Marilyn. she became unique only that we now associate people we see with her, if they happen to share some of the same characteristics.

on the musical side...

The Beatles would be the closest thing that I could think of to being unique... I truly believe there will never be a SINGLE act that the entire world, in unity, believes to be the best thing to happen to music. they were insanely talented, yes, but it went way beyond that. they came around at a time when the world could grasp onto the same thing, when we agreed with Europe and all 6 billion people (albeit a few) fell in love with their shaggy hair and lovesick lyrics. the whole world wanted to hold their hands. whether you like their music or not, you can not deny the sheer impact they had.

it won't happen again. our kids will not agree with us on a musical artist like we agree with ours about the Beatles. in this day and age, could you truly point to an artist who is so unique and so universally loved as the Beatles were? I can't. acts are too polarizing these days... there are just too many. our parents can't tell the difference between the Kanyes and the Jay-Zs and we can't tell the difference between the crops that keep getting manufactured at Disney.

Madonna seemed unique. then came Britney. Whitney seemed unique and talented and that no one could touch her..... and then came Mariah.

and so it goes.