Rebel without a cause.

Rebellious, I think, is not a word that anyone would use to describe me, lest it be those who know me best.

I've stuck pretty closely to the rules my whole life, so it seems likely that even they would not think to use that word in reference to me.

But does rebellion only show itself in breaking the rules?

There seems to be a part of me that not only is directly opposed to them, but also takes pleasure in defying conventions.

A perfect example of this is how disconnected I feel from current popular culture. There is one show on television that I make a point to watch, and only one. Any other rare time I find myself watching TV, nine times out of ten, it's on Disney Channel. While that is popular culture for many in America and around the world, most of them are not in my age bracket, so there I go defying conventions again.

I also don't listen to most of the music that the average person my age may listen to. When asked what my favorite music is, the questioners often get quizzical looks on their faces when I give them my answer.

Movies? The newest movie I've seen is The Box, but that was so terrible, it doesn't count. (It's movies like that one that make me run from mainstream entertainment.) Before that was Disney/Pixar's UP, and that released nearly 9 months ago. Before that? I can't even remember.

One of the biggest bandwagons I could consider myself to be a part of is that of Harry Potter. But like I said on my Facebook, I actually left the bandwagon a long time ago, and I now ride a thestral. (Sorry if you don't get that reference. Read the books.) I'm not one of the average, casual Harry Potter fans you can easily find out on the street. I can't count how many times I've read those books. I've studied them as if I was being tested over my knowledge of them. I've read the fanfiction, listened to the podcasts, read the literary criticism, listened to the Wizard Rock, written my own fair share about them, and have dreamed of having my own podcast. I've obviously gulped the Kool-Aid, and it needs to be noted that I've gulped it, not just sipped. Things I just sip, I don't often deem to be worthy of my time. It should also be noted that I wasn't really trying to get on the bandwagon initially. I just read the first three books because my brother bought them, and at the time I thought, "Why not," and honestly wasn't expecting a whole lot. I found more than I bargained for.

Just a little while ago, I got into a discussion on Facebook about my lack of interest in the 2010 Winter Olympics. I haven't watched any part of them, nor do I have any desire to. When I started the conversation, my feelings were that if I happen to watch some part of the Olympics this year, that's just fine, but I don't intend to seek them out; quite neutral, in other words. And then after going through and explaining my complete lack of interest, something changed. I suddenly started feeling like I needed to intentionally go out of my way to make sure that I didn't watch the Olympics. Not because I think there is anything wrong with them, but because everybody, even the apathetic, watch the Olympics at some point, myself included. But I should be different. Because I can be. Therefore no Olympics for me.

I do this kind of thing all the time. Ooh, the general public takes some sort of interest in this, I should stay away. Is the root of all this found in the same place where typical rebellion is found?

I tend to think that is, that this is my form of rebellion. Rebelling without breaking any rules.