This is very much a personal definition, but also one of the main points of my argument. Going back to the dictionary definition, freak as an adjective is something unexplained or out of the normal scheme of things. A freak occurrence is one which happens spontaneously, something unpredictable. I don't find this to be a perjorative adjective in this context. When someone in the modern world describes someone as a 'freak', however, what they mean is that the individual in question is beyond comprehension to the person describing them. Freak in this context is perjorative. I view this as an abuse of the language, in much the same way that to call someone a 'spastic' is an abuse of the terminology towards sufferers of cerebral palsy. What someone like, for example, Jerry Falwell means by describing, for example, Marilyn Manson as a freak is that as Manson is incomprehensible to him, he is either worthless or, worse, harmful. This attitude in its lesser form can be dismissed as small-mindedness, and whilst an irritating character trait is not necessarily dangerous. In a wider context, however, this small-mindedness can be a highly damaging thing. If a freak is taken to be someone who exists outside of the normal scheme of things and is a member of the minority, then they are wrong NOT because of what they are doing, but because they are outside of this mainstream. This bias can lead to the ostracism of these individuals and possible exclusion from society. For modern examples of this, look at the way goths seem to be treated by America's mainstream. For examples further into the past, look at the persecution of the teddy boys, the mods or the rockers.

The time has come, in my opinion, to attempt to reclaim the word 'freak'. I am proud of the fact that I do what it occurs to me to do upon my own judgement. I would consider myself a failure if I didn't base my decisions purely upon my own opinions. Freaks are those who choose to live outside of society for their own reasons. It is wrong to say that goths dress the way they do because of Marilyn Manson, or Siouxsie Sioux, or Neil Gaiman or anybody. Sure, these are influences, but if a goth didn't want to look like that then he or she wouldn't. I'm not a goth, at least not in the fashion sense, in fact on the whole I fall into no particular category as regards my appearance, I just do what I want to, on the whole so do most people, including those defined as being 'freaks'. A misconception I may have inadvertantly created is that a freak lives entirely outside the bounds of society. Of course we don't. Every time someone buys a pint of milk, or watches TV, or looks both ways before crossing the road, they are acting as part of society. What I am trying to say is that I do not wish to be bound by social rules about what I should do, or how I should dress, or what I should think. These are just bullshit, and dangerous bullshit at that. I'm a mature and sensible adult, and so I don't need to be told the difference between right and wrong any more. If I dress in a certain way, I do so because I want to, and it is nobody's business but my own. As long as I am not hurting anyone, and to be quite frank, I'm NOT, then my actions are or should be answerable only to myself. My personal definition of a freak is someone who ignores the rules of society. You don't have to be outside society to ignore its rules. I go to university, I work at a net cafe, I exist within society, but I pay little attention to its rules. I do what I think is right and wrong, and if this happens to concur with what society says I should do, then all that says is that I am a member of a reasonable society. I am not ashamed to give myself the personal definition of 'freak', in fact I see it as something to be proud of, a declaration that my actions are up to me and me alone.