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You could also simply live the way you want, even if other people see it as some kind of rebellion, without it being for anything.

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Yes. I don't really get it: why the burning need for fulfilling the definition of rebellion? Does it give you some sort of safety? Want to be both unique and socially accepted? This is an immediate contradiction, you know, as wide acceptance comes at a price of fitting oneself within one or more (couter)culture categories. Instead just do whatever you want man.

It's because you will probably interact with people, and having a socially aware human brain will cause you to recognize surprise and judgement in others, and you'll have to find a way to emotionally deal with the resulting rejection and exclusion.

Most people do this by saying "It's ok: I'm doing it on purpose. I didn't want to be accepted anyway."

And that's what rebellion is.

I agree with you and I've never cared much for being called a 'rebel'. It means you are doing what you are doing/being who you are as a reaction against something/someone, instead of just doing what you want to do/be who you want to be, which, in this day and age, in the U.S., is pretty much available to anyone.

That is, itself, a cause.

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