Against the Grain?

Thoreau defended the right of an individual to be out of step with the rest of society when he said "Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer." In what ways do you consider yourself to be in this category? What are the pleasures and pains associated with it?
Some might say that ignorance is bliss while others would say that ignorance is hell. What we need to know first is, "What is ignorance?" Is ignorance anything that is not the normal? I know from my psychology classes that ‘abnormal behavior’ is defined differently because it’s definition is set by culture and time. So what if I where to march to the beat of my own drummer? It is only a menace to society if it disruptive to righteous practices. If everyone decided not to steal it would not be considered ‘individual’ of someone to steal it would be wrong. Now let us say that I am a Cardinals fan from Chicago. Some people might not like me, some might even hate me, but it is not wrong to a Cardinals fan. However we all fall short. If a cubs fan sat next to me at game 7 of a series I would probably not care much for that person. I happen to like to listen to rock, hip hop and r and b. Some of my Caucasian friends give me strange looks when they see me jammin’ to some old school hip hop and my Neo-Nubian (black) friends give me strange looks if I’m rockin’ out to some Metallica. I am individual in this sense. I am also individual in the way God made me. There are others like me but none are me. Jesus Christ went against the norms of the Jewish and ancient society and look at the status to which he is know. We divide time by his death! When you smooth a piece of wood sometimes you go against the grain, maybe we should welcome this more often. People fear what they do not know. Mind you that when I say all these things I don’t mean to say that we should just throw caution to the wind. Some things are sacred and some things are absolute truths it is our job to protect them.