What does being a rebel mean? | Teen Ink

What does being a rebel mean?

June 18, 2009
By vivian78 GOLD, San Jose, California
vivian78 GOLD, San Jose, California
10 articles 0 photos 12 comments

A few days ago, I saw a poster of Twilight with Edward Cullen in the very center. I was immediately struck by the sheer beauty of his face and immediately posted as my Facebook status: "I believe that such gorgeousness as seen in Edward Cullen's face ought to be outlawed."

In less than a day, there were several people commenting, saying things like "Not you, too" and "Aww, I never knew you were obsessed as well." One girl asked me the next day, "You too?" with what I imagined to be a tragic "Et tu, Brute?" expression.

The people who commented on my status were all girls. Now, I know they were half-joking, but with every joke there is a grain of truth. But what struck me as most strange is that nowadays, the moment someone, especially a girl, says, "I like Twilight" there are various assumptions made within half a second.
1.) You must be obsessed with Twilight.
2.) You are obsessed because it is a romance story and all teen girls are obssessed with romance stories.
3.) You probably watched the movie as well, and only watched it because you think Edward Cullen is handsome.
4.) You have a poster of Edward Cullen in your room, and you spend a lot of time drooling over it.

And all because I said three simple words: "I like Twilight." People claim they are tired of the fuss people make over Twilight. Well guess what? I'm tired of the fuss people make over the fuss people make over Twilight. Try to figure that out :)

But I wasn't all that surprised with the response to Twilight. Many of us are so anxious to not be accused of being obsessed fans that we swing to the other extreme. We become haters. We join Facebook groups like "The group that hates Miley Cyrus." We make a disgusted face whenever Britney Spears' name is mentioned.

But is all that really necessary? We are so determined to prove we don't follow every "typical trend" that we have actually made a "typical trend" of our own: the hate-the-popular-people trend. However, that backfires. In the attempt to prove we DON'T care about those things we prove we DO care. Why else would we go to such lengths to prove that we don't care?

The worst way you could treat someone is with apathy. If we love someone, we care about them deeply. If we hate someone, we also care about them deeply. Love and hate are both deep feelings, after all; that is what makes them so close and so similar. So actually, to prove that we are "not like that," we should just let people who love Twilight love it without bashing them and making all these crazy and ridiculous assumptions.

I remember me finally getting fed up one day and saying, "I think Edward Cullen is hot and I'm going to think he's hot as much as I please." I also remember a girl telling me (and not in any mean way, of course), "Well, that's just lame." And I laughed. I laughed because I thought it was lame that she thought she could bring me down by saying that I was lame.

So this just brings me to think, "What exactly does rebel mean?" In my opinion, and my opinion only, a rebel is someone who just let's people talk, who doesn't become a hater or laugh at people who like something that happens to be popular at the moment.

I am a nerd who thinks Edward Cullen is hot, who thinks Miley Cyrus is a good singer, and who still respects Britney Spears. I am a dork who believes that getting good grades doesn't prevent me from admiring beautiful boys and admitting that I think they're amazing looking. Thinking a guy is hot doesn't mean I'm being superficial. It just means I'm being a girl.

And I don't see anything wrong with what I do and don't admire.

So let's not become a hater of Twilight. To prove you don't care, let people love, and let people hate. It's ironic but true.
And as for the title of this entry – what does being a rebel mean? A true rebel is so respectful and courteous that they don’t turn people off, and a true rebel never says no for the sake of saying no. Sometimes a true rebel has to say yes.


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This article has 48 comments.


on Oct. 2 2009 at 5:33 pm
mellow_melon PLATINUM, Jefferson, Maryland
41 articles 14 photos 67 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but my the number of moments that take our breath away."

you have some really good points-i totally agree

Sean3 BRONZE said...
on Sep. 23 2009 at 9:08 pm
Sean3 BRONZE, Fowler, Colorado
1 article 0 photos 13 comments
this is an exelent point even though im a guy and dont care for Twilight

on Sep. 18 2009 at 4:07 pm
brenda15 BRONZE, Denver, Colorado
2 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
you wont go anywhere unless you try. anything is possible.

i have to agree with you on everything you just said!! you are very talented at this kind of stuff!! nice work!!

vivian78 GOLD said...
on Aug. 23 2009 at 12:22 am
vivian78 GOLD, San Jose, California
10 articles 0 photos 12 comments
griffinwing, thanks so much <3

on Aug. 21 2009 at 4:24 am
Griffinwing SILVER, Manchester, Michigan
9 articles 0 photos 37 comments
Love this one too. Did anyone tell you that you are very wise?

vivian78 GOLD said...
on Jul. 29 2009 at 5:07 am
vivian78 GOLD, San Jose, California
10 articles 0 photos 12 comments
Thanks, you guys! :) And musicgirl757, I like the JoBros too! A lot of people do, and it's hard to admit sometimes haha. I like their sitcom - I was pleasantly surprised. People think I'm kinda weird for liking Legally Blonde, but Elle Woods is my role model, even if she isn't real. She doesn't give a snot about how people think of her, and i realllly admire that :)

IRBFGW DIAMOND said...
on Jul. 27 2009 at 1:58 am
IRBFGW DIAMOND, Cincinnati, Ohio
53 articles 1 photo 223 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Hey, assbutt!&quot; Supernatural, Castiel.

THANK YOU! People's opions shouldn't be put down, it's what makes us who we are. I get put down every day because I like the Jonas Brothers, and it sucks. I mean, people have a right to say "I don't like that" but theres no need to insult people that do. Personally, I didjoin that facebook group "I hate Marilyn Manson" and I feel bad about that, but if someone likes him I don't call him stupid. Your not a nerd, you are brave to not listen to what people say. Good for you!

on Jul. 11 2009 at 12:52 am
pinksage33 BRONZE, Woodstock, New York
4 articles 1 photo 211 comments
You have clearly put some thought in to this.