Reading Facebook this morning I noticed someone use the word ‘trendy’, which I shall redefine as ‘descriptive of a fad’ which Wikipedia describes thus: “A fad is any form of behaviour that develops among a large population and is collectively followed enthusiastically for a period of time, generally as a result of the behaviour being perceived as popular by one’s peers or being deemed “cool” by social media.”

In other words, followership. And it is following of something for the worst possible reason – ‘everyone else is doing it’. I think of such people when I see iPhone 5 owners queuing for an iPhone 6 while their expensive contract still has a year to run. I see it in queues of girls screaming at One Direction because the publicity machine tells them they should, and they’re too young to see it. I see it with people who are in professional positions (lawyers in particular) who have boy band haircuts and shoes jutting 12 inches from the end of their feet. Not impressed.

Fashion is the science of appearance rather than true being – and I’d rather ‘be’ than ‘seem’. People who ‘seem’ frequently have no sense of identity so have to comply with the (faddish?) societal norm – and therefore to be judged by it as ‘in’ or ‘out’. (I sense irony there, but I shall go on.)

Meanwhile, here’s another contradiction – school kids complain about uniforms “’Cos it makes us all look the same and we are individuals.” Then, on non-uniform days they all turn up in their own clothes but still all looking exactly the same!

How can you get ahead by mere compliance with the status quo?

Resolution 2 promotes character. Character is not a fad, nor shall I call it trendy. But wouldn’t it be nice if it was?