It takes a special kind of defiance to say no thank you to What the world expects you to be.
Everyone is unique if you only count the things that make them different, and people are pretty similar if you look for things that make them alike.
Even if you are making the opposite choice, if your every decision is predicated on the trends, I'd still call you a slave to them.
Relevant XKCD: http://xkcd.com/610/ (Also a great statement on solipsism.)
Actively defying the norm for its own sake is counterproductive. If your choices are based directly on trends by actively pushing against every one of them you notice your still a slave to them.
I do what I want to do because I want to do it. Sometimes that means doing things that gasp other people also enjoy doing. Are we all sheep then? I get the Fight Club anti-consumerism mentality, but taking it just as far in the other direction isn't any better. Trading one sheeps skin for another means you're still a sheep.
BTW, wines and beers have been produced for almost as long as humanity has been around. If everyone who enjoys a drink once in awhile is only doing it because it's cool, then alcohol is longest lasting fad known. :)
* the church callout is unnecessary, it can be a type of self-analysis
* Alcohol is not toxic and in reasonable quantities does not have a purely deleterious effect.
* When needing to make personal connections (which one always will since you learn a lot from others, not to mention the benefits of having connections and even just social interactions) it is good to look like you fit in, so others do not become defensive.
* there's a limited amount of time and energy available for coming up with your own things. If somebody gives me clothes that are comfortable and look good, I won't spend time thinking of what clothes would "really be me as an individual". On my last personal project I had my own design, but we ended up looking through a Web Design idea book, made something that looked rather standard, and ended up with a better reaction, as it's what was expected and hence more usable. In other words, pick your battles, save up for the big innovations, recognize the value of others, and stand on their shoulders, even if you have to conform a bit to do so
It would really take a special kind of defiance to say "no thank you" to what the non-conformists clique expects their own to be.
It's abuse in a bottle, wolves realize this and profit off the sheep.
Here the weekend means nothing. People work 6-7 days per week, and are always on. They lose the rhythm. Religion fills the void a bit with friday prayers an excuse to work less, but really.
You should be more grateful for what you've got... you benefit from a society that doesn't expect you to be on 7 days per week.
But seriously, if you keep going down this line of thought you will soon end up a lunatic staggering through a hall of mirrors. Just give up and be yourself, whatever that seems to be at any given moment.
Arseholes aren't particularly rare.
What is rare is the person who does exactly what they want without ruining life for everyone around them while actually improving the world in some way.
Most animals are driven by a desire to eat, sleep and reproduce including humans. There are exceptions like worker bees and ants that can't reproduce, there is no analog in humans.