Optimus Prime and E.T.

There was this scene in Heroes where Wes asked Claire, “Are you a robot or an alien?” This got me to thinking. Am I a robot, an alien or none of the above? We may not be aware of it but we’re robots and aliens in some way or another. Robots are the hoi polloi in society. They always conform to a prescribed norm. They do everything automatically even if they don’t necessarily believe in it, because they always have this need to fit in and belong to a group. Aliens on the other hand are the complete opposites of robots. Aliens have their own world. They do their own thing without giving a damn about what the majority has to say. They hate conforming and would do anything to break out of any mold that they may be cast in.

I’m not sure where do I exactly fall between the two. Perhaps I’m an alien-robot cross breed. Sometimes I can be a robot, a trend seeking follower if you’d like to call it that. But sometimes I can also be an alien going against the tide. Perhaps there isn’t any right or wrong type to be in, because we’re all built differently. What may work for us may not necessarily work for someone else.

With that being said, we shouldn’t judge someone as being odd just because they’re doing something that we’re not accustomed to doing. We shouldn’t crucify someone for not being like “us” (us here would mean the majority). But then this does not mean that we should start being eccentric and act like an outcast to everybody. Being an outcast is not (I repeat, not) cool. Being different doesn’t mean we have to go against everything else and scrap all rules. We need to find a middle ground. Being a little of both types will surely give us a lot of flexibility, don't you think?

Robot or alien, it doesn’t really matter. We all have our own unique way of doing things. We shouldn’t be programmed (as is usually the case) to think that there is only one way, one solution, or one right thing that we have to follow every single time. Ultimately it is our life. We should live life the way we feel and see it, and not on some other’s idea of how it should be. If you think being a robot will do you good then go ahead. If you want to be an alien, then so be it. Whatever your choice will be, promise I won’t sue you.