MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
It's a dilemma for so many teenagers - how do you blend in, but still stay different enough to stand out? Two middle schoolers in Lone Tree, Colorado, shared their secret in an entry for NPR's Student Podcast Challenge. They call their approach strategic nonconformity. Here's Kinsley Glassel and Wynnona Mattison, students at Rocky Heights Middle School.
(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, "THE ANTI CONFORMIST GUIDE TO CONFORMING")
KINSLEY GLASSEL: Sometimes the best way to be unique is to fit in, in a unique way. Ever think about it like that?
WYNNONA MATTISON: Ugh. You sound like one of those motivational speakers who tell you to (imitating high-pitched voice) be free by following a 10-step program...
...Which is ironically totally conformist.
KINSLEY: You're exactly right, and that's where we come in today. You, Wynnona, my free-spirited friend, are here to learn how to conform in the most nonconformist way possible. We're talking about blending in but being just different enough to stand out. Like, maybe instead of wearing a plain black T-shirt, you add some ironic band name on it. Maybe have a Rolling Stone (ph) shirt, but instead of your shirt actually saying The Rolling Stones, it's just a picture of stones rolling down a hill.
WYNNONA: You know what? That's actually kind of brilliant and so unnecessary. I love it.
KINSLEY: Exactly. The trick is to create the aesthetic, where people see you and think, wow, she's so edgy and alternative but in the most standard way possible. They're all questioning - is it genius, or is it tragic? Yet, they still don't dare to ask questions. Quite frankly, they don't want to know.
WYNNONA: All right. What's next? Tell me about the anti-conformist ultimate social hack.
KINSLEY: Ah, socializing - the key to becoming the most anti-conforming conformist is perfecting the art of talking a lot yet saying nothing. You show up to a party. You can't just be like, hey, how's it going? Because that? That, my friend, is basic.
WYNNONA: So I'm supposed to talk in philosophical riddles like, what if the chair you're sitting in isn't even a chair, it's a reflection of your mind's limitations?
KINSLEY: Precisely. You just need to throw out those sentences that make people question their entire existence. Then sit back, sip your kombucha and watch the chaos unfold as they try to figure out if you're an enlightened guru or just, like, way too deep for them. Now, you might not get invited to any more parties after that, but that's a part of conforming to anti-conformity.
WYNNONA: (Laughter) Oh, my gosh, I'm loving this. What about when it comes to social media? Is there any anti-conformist way to post on Instagram without looking like everyone else?
KINSLEY: Absolutely. If you want to be an anti-conformist, you've got to post the unfiltered reality. Post pictures of your socks, but just the socks. Or maybe the corner of your couch but make sure it's blurry. That's the kind of anti-conformist content that nobody expects.
WYNNONA: I am so doing that. People are going to be so confused.
KINSLEY: And that's the point. The beauty of being an anti-conformist is knowing that the more you make people question your intentions, the more you've succeeded.
WYNNONA: Right. I think I'm getting the hang of this. So ultimately, it's like I'm not following the rules, but I'm also following them. But I'm doing it in such a weird, unexpected way that you think I'm not.
KINSLEY: That's the spirit. And trust me, when you finally pull it off, you'll look so anti-conformist, you'll be the most conforming person in the room. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
