I love that old saying: “always remember you are unique, just like everyone else.”

There are 6 billion+ people on the planet and we’d like to tell ourselves that in an ocean of humanity we each have individual styles, tastes and personalities.

Nope.

Psychologists have identified broad personality types that almost everyone fits into. Novelists and mythologists recognize archetypes that are common to almost all cultures. Fashion, political leanings, and countless other facets of life can be reduced in part to a herd instinct that makes you gravitate toward or repel away from what you think you are –which for most humans is determined by by genetics and other people’s thoughts.

Exactitudes (Exact + Attitudes) has explored these ideas by documenting various dress codes and how they relate to group identity. Visionaries Ari Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek have created a series of images which show people similarly dressed and striking the same poses. The stunning effect causes the viewer to re-evaluate how much he classifies a person based on an individual vs. group identity.

I know I’ve seen this tattooed fellow to the left lounging around in Pacific Beach. And I think we’ve all seen this busy executive (below) striding through the airport.

And more importantly, I know I’ll see him again even if its not him.

Truly, I am what I think you think I am….

Check out the site for more details: Exactitudes

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