Iowa State is a pool of lemmings — grasping onto whatever is the hot trend of the moment, rushing headfirst into the crowd until it is over, and we drown in our indulgence.

Not long ago I happened to have a conversation with KURE’s Animal Chin. A man of many opinions, which are always ready to be shared with you. Just try to tell him that Green Day is punk.

KURE survives on little support from the university, like most college radio stations. Doing what they can to get by while Hilton Coliseum can get a huge videoscreen for better viewing of the basketball games and Jack Trice Stadium can erect the Arch de Triumph.

No one wants the responsibility of thinking for themselves. “What if I am the only person who likes that band. I don’t want to be ridiculed for my individuality.” Just fit in. It is high school all over again.

The latest issue of Spin, with the Raggedy Andy Marilyn Manson cover, has an article on “Who Killed Rock Radio.” It mentions that most modern rock stations, like the Dot, have only 30 to 40 regular plays. The reason most programmers gave for this was that most listeners cannot adapt to more than that. In other words, we are all just idiots who must hear the same song every hour so we can feel good about ourselves.

Luckily, college radio doesn’t bow to the “our listeners are morons” mentality. College radio realizes that those who ARE listening want something different and caters to those with an open mind. Variety is the spice of college life. We can only hope that ISU fits into that category, eventually.

When the higher-ups at ISU are not indulging themselves with research and sports concerns, when they actually get to the education part of higher education, the praises of the engineering and agriculture departments are sung. Funny how those departments trail right back to the research part of ISU. Cold, calculated departments where everything falls into categories and deviations are rare. Herd them over that cliff.

This philosophy has infected the more ignored departments as well. From my experience in the College of Design, everything is separated into convenient categories. Design majors and fine arts majors, with a pretty clear line separating the two. Certain things are fine art, while others, such as illustration, fall into a mysterious void of nothingness.

Fulfilling the status quo is more important than independent thought. “This is how you write.” “This is what Hemingway means.” The race for acceptance continues. It all becomes the same when you hit the water.

Media takes full advantage of the lemming mentality. Telling us how to think and feel. Guilt and innocence are decided before a trial even goes to court. Personal concerns blur with political ones. Let Tom Brokaw give you the facts they think you need.

“Must See TV” pulls us in; it doesn’t matter that half of it is filler. Only seven more episodes of “Seinfeld,” never mind the endless syndicated reruns. We feel like we are losing something, that it is disappearing forever. Use this product to be part of the in-crowd. Convince the lemmings that there is something to strive for.

Prove me wrong on this one. I would be happy to know that we are not all running to our doom. Some days it just seems impossible to get to the surface. We can think for ourselves; it is not still high school. If you happen to be wearing your band T-shirt today, stop by the KURE booth; I’ll be sitting in there from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday night. E-mail me and the Daily expressing the original opinions churning in that brain of yours.

Jump out of the pool all you lemmings. Just don’t all go in the same direction. It is a big world out there, and everyone can be themselves.

Andrew Seitz is a junior in art and design from Dyersville.