An individual’s place in society is an important aspect of development, daily life, and emotional connection. People form communities due to shared objectives and beliefs, and while modern social groups are inherently more diverse than others, based on context, there are individuals that have trouble fitting in – they are othered. Otherness is uniqueness, which can be good or bad, an aspect of choice or something that an individual has no control over. However, otherness places one outside the community, an outlier of society which dramatically shifts the interaction and power dynamics in comparison to those who do belong. In the poem “Skinhead” by Patricia Smith, a troubled man reflects on his experiences and beliefs, disillusioned by his fascist radicalism and disavowed by society, who at the same time is trying to find acceptance of himself and belonging in a country that he loves. The poem is written in the form of persona poetry, examining the life and thoughts of white supremacists that are commonly described as ‘skinheads’ in slang terms. These individuals typically represent the radical outliers of a white supremacist ideology. The protagonist sees himself as chosen for fulfilling a purpose, almost as a sacred duty of his ideology, “These are the duties of the righteous/ the ways of the anointed” (Smith stanza 1). This immediately established the skinhead as different; he does not conform to society and he seeks to differentiate via his shaved head, symbols, and tattoos on his skin. He realizes that it is appalling to others, but sees it as “my own beauty” in his efforts to embrace his otherness. Humans tend to flock towards community and society, like an instinct of survival from past millennia and for the emotional acceptance and fulfillment that is received when one is recognized as an ‘insider’ or part of a community. Individuality is a key and precious resource, defined by differences set against the backdrop of sameness. Being an ‘insider’ often means sacrificing some elements of individuality to be part of a community in behavior, physical appearance, and goals in life. Any difference ultimately becomes a zero-sum game, either one is respected and revered as a trend-setter and innovator, or one is labeled as ‘weird’ and eventually pushed out as an ‘outsider.’ Being an outsider can be both, childhood trauma carried into adulthood that creates distance between the person or society, or a purposeful attempt to get away from society, because of the blame for one’s problems (Oliker) While the modern world has become more expansive in inclusion in terms of diversity, race, ideas – there are certain boundaries which are not tolerated by society. The poem does not present much of the ‘insider’ view of society, other than it is inclusive and free, with racial minorities allowed to work and live their lives. Meanwhile, the violent actions of racism and racially targeted attacks are condemned. It becomes evident that the view of the protagonist strongly clashes with that of the society in which he lives. The skinhead in the poem is an outsider. After losing his fingers in an accident, he does not work, but blames other social groups for his troubles, regardless of the irony that the social group of inner-city black neighborhoods similarly struggle wit