They see themselves as outside the norm, and often it scares them to death. They crave belonging to the 'normie' tribe, and so strive to rub down their sharp edges.

I've known people like this and they make me sad.

> I've known people like this and they make me sad.

In middle school, it's normal for basically everyone to strive to be normal. (and to pick on the outliers)

I had the same thought. Doesn’t everyone have some part of them that is weird? Isn’t that the glory of the human condition? Claiming the weird label is probably beneficial to everyone.