In the following excerpt, a character reflects on the societal pressures that define personal identity and values:
“As I walked through the bustling streets, where every face seemed perfectly aligned to a common ideal, I felt the weight of expectation settle heavily upon my shoulders. What does it mean to truly belong in a world that demands conformity? Each smile I encountered appeared scripted, rehearsed, and perhaps even displaced. I wondered if authenticity had become a relic of the past, a fleeting notion lost in the shadows of uniformity.”
Based on this excerpt, which of the following statements best represents the main idea or theme?