I'm that first guy and always have been. You pay a price for being your own man but its worth it in the end. When I was in high school, I had a teacher who went into great detail to explain what being a NON-CONFORMIST was about. He made it clear that it was difficult to do but in the end it was worth it because those who do not yield to the pressure of the crowd always have high self esteem and confidence. They are admired by many and hated by some. The one's who hate you are the one's who want to control you. The one's who admire you are the one's who wish they had the nerve to be like you. The non-conformist accepts nothing at face value and checks to see what the facts are before deciding what is true and what is not true. At this point I'm going to quote something that is NOT an old Chinese proverb. It is something I have come to believe because I watch people's behavior and it seems to be true. "He who talks too much, knows too little and he who talks too little, knows too much". Here is another one that is worth noting. "Do not brag about yourself. If you are that great, others will brag for you."
