30 responses to “Hunt for uniqueness”

1. Bjorn, this is a powerful piece. I love the phrase “shoplifted glory.” And “likeness to likes.” The social media world has certainly taken “people pleasing” to all new levels.

   • alas… and it is especially bad for teenage girls I feel

2. “believing
   that hunting renewal
   in exposure to networks
   is the same as uniqueness.”

   You tell it like it is.

   • yes – even I feel it, so I can only imagine how hard it must be for the young.

3. Your quadrille is unique indeed, Björn! Powerful stiff, especially the “Instagrammed teens in their shoplifted glory”. I’m glad I grew up when I did.

   • We had some of it I think but now all the angst is amplified.

4. This is exquisitely drawn, Bjorn! 💙 It rings true on so many levels. I resonate with; “only to be swiped sheined and discarded, tossed into sameness.” Such is the era of social media.

   • It’s a shame really

5. I have that same fear for young people trying to develop their own identity.

   • I think we did the same, but without the expansion of social media and fast fashion

6. Biting and true. As a teen, I wasn’t accepted if I walked my own path. So I often pretended to be part of the herd.

   • I think we all share some memory… but no amplified by social media.

7. Perfect. I wanted to write something that bites but lost my way, so it was good to read one instead. Unfortunately we have all lost our way and this is where we are. Forget the Florentine renaissance, gimme a picture of me me me…

   • Indeed… probably destroys the youth

8. I am not a big fan of some social networking outlets. I think it puts extreme pressure on teens to fit in under the watchful eye of a larger audience. Sometimes it causes more harm than good.

9. “shoplifted glory” luv this

   Nice one Björn

   much♡love

10. IG teens are in the never ending cycle of likes and hits in IG. Love the words used: shoplifted glory, swiped and sheined. The youth today have unique growing challenges, that we did not experienced. Lucky for us.

11. Shoplifted glory! What a great description of today’s attention seeking youth!

12. Much truth in this poem, sadly. Nice poem.

13. Very good take Björn. Our new generation is hostage to social media

14. In their quest for uniqueness, they look more and more like each others’ clones! Very compelling write.

15. Sadly, they lose their individuality by trying so hard to be Like-able! Your poem exposes truth.

16. Instagrammed teens…..you’ve nailed it here, Bjorn. How many “likes” can I get? My life exhulted on Instagram…Whats App….and the myriad of apps and “social networking” that assault teens these days. Gone are the days of face to face, asking someone to the prom. In the US, kids think up elaborate schemes to ask someone to the prom…see their approval ratings on line…It’s a very different life to raise a teenager these days. The Hunt for Uniqueness and it all turns out to be the same.

17. In hunting for uniqueness, we somehow end up all the same.

    • Indeed.

18. Yeah, but try to tell the teens. I would not want to be young again, not in this era.

19. Awesome, Björn. I first taught to leave a like. 🤣

    However, I took a moment to reflect and chose to rather comment.

    Good reminder to focus on my needs and not likes. Paradoxically many look out for individuality and end up in TikTok uniformity.

20. Social media is truly an unkind world to live in! Although only an adult as access became universal, I have been sucked into it and it can bring a lot of distress, despite what people say about all its benefits.

21. Shein as a verb is fun!

22. You captured IG teens perfectly, Bjorn! Great poem!

    Yvette M Calleiro 🙂

    http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com

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