People are a weird lot. They will condemn you for being "different" two seconds after blasting  you for being another sheeple in the grand herd.

Sheeple, for the uninitiated is a term for "...persons who voluntarily acquiesce to a perceived authority, or suggestion without sufficient research to understand fully the scope of the ramifications involved in that decision, and thus undermine their own human individuality or in other cases give up certain rights."-That according to Wikipedia.  I don't think I could improve on that definition a bit.

Oh, well...there is one OTHER definition for Sheeple and that could be anyone who isn't as vastly intelligent and enlightened as the person calling names thinks he or she is.

Anyways, like all other things, being a sheeple has it's good side and its bad side. On the plus side, you have a whole hell of a lotta people telling you how right you are. You're never lonely, hardly ever discontent and you can live a long, peaceful life cruising on automatic pilot.  When it's time to eat, you will eat. When it's time to sleep you will sleep.  When it's time to dance around the fire you will dance. All along the way there will be people to show you the path. Sometimes it will be pointed out to you. Sometimes you will be guided gently when you stray, and sometimes you will be given an unkind shove with scowls and disapproving looks all around. And it'll sting. But you'll be on the path. And being on the path is the most important thing of all.

Are you a sheeple? Do you like being told what to do and how to do it? Good! God bless ya, because there is NOTHING wrong with being a Sheeple, despite what different minded folks may say. The secret is, they (people who claim not to be sheeple) are as scared of you as you are of them. Really. So, you know, this post isn't about bashing sheeple at all. It's about helping those good folks who may not want to be a sheeple get pointed in the right direction.

God knows, the world needs Sheeple like factories need workers, like trains need conductors, or the Lone Ranger needs his trusty horse Silver.  Everyone is meant to be something in particular. Everyone fulfills a purpose in this tapestry of life even if from where you're at you can't fathom the entire design. It takes 4.5 billion or so people to make this big ol' planet go 'round, let me tell ya.

The downside to being a sheeple is that you'll never ever know what lies beyond the places where you're led to graze.  If it makes you comfortable to think that the world ends beyond the boundary of your home or job, far be it from me to tell you otherwise.  But, if you wanna be a sheeple I'm not really talking to you now, am I?

Contrary to what you see in the movies (and god I love them!) If your ass dances to the beat of a different drum-dude, you're gonna spend a LOT of time dancing ALONE! Let me dispel a romantic notion for ya. Being a "loner" is not fun or "cool".  Being a "loner" doesn't mean that you stand tall and squint and ride away in the sunset leaving a trail of broken hearts behind you.  No, it's more like this: Being a loner, or going against the grain or whatever euphemism you want to put to it means PEOPLE DON'T LIKE YOU! They don't want to be around you because your ideas don't make sense to them. The rule of thumb for most people is if it's unknown it's dangerous and to be avoided. YOU will be thought of as dangerous.  No, not because your hands are lethal weapons and you can out Bruce Lee Bruce Lee, but because you're ideas are formidable unknown weapons.

Also, if you're not a sheeple you're something else. It don't matter what. Its enough to know you're "something else".  Everybody likes to live within their labels, consciously or unconsciously.  No sheeple whats a thing to do with you. And guess what? You don't want to be seen with them either, do ya? We mentioned this earlier.

Still want to learn how NOT to be a sheeple?

Here's the quick and dirty Pratt guide to leaping over the sheeple fence and running like hell.

1.) Don't be SO sure!

This is a frickin' hard rule to live by, trust me, but the older I get the more I see the wisdom in it.  Leave room for doubt! I'll use the term "convictions" loosely because it makes for a good example. Everyone understands that.  You must have faith in yourself-in the things you believe.  You just must. That's a given.  But don't let those things that you believe in hold you in their grasp so tightly that you can never stop for a moment and ask yourself-AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING??? If the answer is always "Oh yes, of course!" Then brothers and sisters I'm here to tell you right now you've been blinded by your own convictions and you're driving 100 miles an hour straight into that brick wall known as being a zealot.  Oh, you don't want to go there! Many a good intentioned person have fallen victim to their own blind faith. We're human. Sometimes we're gonna screw up. Bad. Good intentions or not. Just remember to think twice.  If you have no doubts whatsoever you may need to open your eyes.

2.) Intelligence


People somehow concoct the idea that sheeple are dumb.  This is false. Some sheeple are scary smart. Some non-sheeple are dumb as fire logs. To sheeple or not to sheeple is a lifestyle choice. Its not based on intellect so stop trying to feel somehow superior. You're not. Remember, you're one of those people who are dancing alone! :)

3.) To Thine Own Self Be True...

I'm afraid there's just no getting around this one. Do you want to be happy? Really happy? Not fakin' it happy? Dude and Dude-etts, just be yourself. Warts and all. It's the only way. There comes a point in every life when accidentally or by purpose we face the mirror and glimpse our true naked self. (Eww, right?) Hell, my whole life I've fantasized about playing the guitar. I can't. Not like I want to. Oh you know, I can sit on the edge of my bed and put on my most serious concentration face, hold my tongue just right, and on a good night I may be able to plunk out a discernible melody that almost sounds like what I'm trying to play...but I'll never be able to play fluently enough to get more than the most humble and polite applause from close family members (thanks, mom!). It's a silly example but it goes to illustrate at some point you have to level with yourself and come to terms with your own strengths and (sigh!) weaknesses. Sometimes sheeple wear non-sheeple clothing and vice versa because we feel unduly ashamed of our true natures. We have to realize that when we use what we have to the best of our abilities there is no shame-on the contrary, there is great delight in just being that thing we were meant to be.