Conformity Vs. Individuality: Blindness Of Society

Many individuals is faced with the decision of conforming or choosing personal desire, and it is not an easy decision. It is hard because being shunned by others for being different is not a good feeling. Choosing to conform over personal desire, often leads to loss. On the other hand, personal desire is what sets others apart and gives them joy. In the poem, “The Jackhammer Syndrome”, Al Purdy discusses the good and bad memories he has experienced. He goes through his memories of when he had fun and made mistakes, but he reflects on what he could have done better. The author of “The Jackhammer Syndrome informs against choosing the welcoming joy of conformity over the long-term gains of personal desire. Making the decision to pursue conformity over personal desire may seem easy at first, but if the choice is to conform, the joy it gives will not last. Making the decision to pursue conformity over personal desire Conformity may seem to give joy at first, but it does not last. When Al is playing pool with his brother, he wants to win badly, but losses. However when he did not care to win, Al wins! Conforming can lead to loss but personal desire has much to gain. If the choice is to conform, personal identity may be lost. In my life, I recognize several instances in which I found several similarities between Al and myself. I have made decisions that were not always good ones such as swimming across long distances with friends.

In fact, this also applies to the situation of understanding what social conformity is. This subject has been around for centuries, forcing many to behave in a certain way that the society expects. The influence of peer pressure is still a topic has an impact to the world, especially the adolescents. The “[s]ocial psychologists have suggested that one core function of compliance and conformity is to maintain group harmony”(“Social Influence and the Brain:Persuasion, Susceptibility to Influence and Retransmission” Cascio,Scholz,Falk) and this applies to many individuals who value public opinions more than their own. They seek to be “good” people and make an effort to follow the trend of the crowd. More often than not, this also relates to the confidence level of an individual, “If those others agree with one’s beliefs, one gains confidence in them; if they disagree, one loses confidence” (“Conformity,” Levine). This is indeed what many people face today from all different phases of life. Daisy, one of the characters in the book The Great Gatsby, is a perfect example of a person soaked into social conformity. From the beginning of her marriage life with Tom to the end of the book, she progresses into immoral stages of life. Day after day she conforms herself into a world filled with corruptions, such as adultery and murder. Although, she is an adult, she is a character that is stuck in a stage that her age group have already

We must decide for ourselves whether to conform to such a social etiquette. We are taught as soon as we are old enough to grasp the idea that it is bad to be unique and to avoid being different. At some point, however, we must decide within ourselves whether to spend every day trying to be like everyone else because society says we should or living each day true to ourselves. Our strength as a person is proven through what we decide. The benefits of being true to ourselves greatly outweigh any negative aspects of choosing that path.

An issue that has been circulating is whether or not to conform. Rob Siltanen says, “... The ones who see things differently. They 're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can 't do is ignore them. Because they change thing.[...]” ( cited) What he says is agreeable because the one that does not conform, will be the one that changes themselves,their society and even their future. This matter is an open topic of debate because one may agree that an individual does not need to conform to society 's ideals in order to find their happiness or be successful in life.

Willa Cather's "Paul's Case," displays the conflict between conformity and individuality through the main character, Paul. On a number of occasions, Paul is forced to lie and steal to escape the conformists who wish to control him and stifle his unique imagination. However, his lying, stealing, and attempts to escape the conformists, only force Paul into isolation, depression, and feeling a sense of shame for his individuality. Throughout the story one might see Cather's constant contrast of individuality versus conformity, as well as Paul's lying and stealing. Cather seems to draw the conclusion that extreme individuals, much like Paul are simply misunderstood, and not offered the acceptance they desire

    There are, apparently, many qualifications that you have to reach in order to be popular. If you did not wear the same brand of clothing or did not act like them, you were not popular. In the fifth grade, I was bullied from two main girls that I foolishly wanted to be. Well not a bully ,but to be “popular” like them. One of the two girls was my friend. At least I thought she was. I guess she was using me for when her and her best friend would get into a fight and then she would use me for a friend. She told me i was her friend; she just did not want her best friend to find out she was hanging with me. In other words, she was embarrassed of me. Her best friend was the

When anyone faces a new environment were their society does not align with one’s own, the initial reaction is to not conform to their ideals. In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, his protagonist, John, is stuck in the Brave New World. He lives his everyday life by challenging the customs and morals of the brave new world society. This eventually spirals out of control and only shows that conformity is inevitable no matter how hard to try to be the odd man out. John is considered a savage in this novel because he is not from the brave new world society.

“I think everybody’s weird. We should all celebrate our individuality and not be embarrassed or ashamed of it.” states Johnny Depp in one of his brilliant quotes. Individuality is “weird” to some people, but maybe it is because they are lost in the control of conformity. If we were all to just be ourselves and embraced or individuality then conformity wouldnt control us. In my own view of conformity and individuality as it relates to humanity, society, teenagers, and the world is do not let conformity control you but use it to an advantage while being an individual.

I’ve always believed that being individual was good. But other people prefer to believe that conformity is better. Although I should know better by now, I cannot help thinking that sometimes people do need to get involve with other people. Furthermore, I believe that people should just try to be in the middle, so that they would be able to make their own choices

Most people don’t want to grow up and want everything done easily just like my friend Jack. Jack thought he could stay little forever and that others would care for him and do things for him whenever he wanted. Later in life he had encountered high school. This is where he found out that life will not always be easy every single time. Also that he can’t stay little forever which meant he has to grow up and be responsible for what he does. I told him that this connected with a book called, “The Catcher in the Rye”. There are some who say conformity is not inevitable. However, conforming to society is to following the easy way out of things while knowing that you grow up at every step you take.

It is one thing to conform to fashion trends, but never to change the way you see something in order to protect yourself. In a research study, a group of individuals were examined to evaluate conformity in societies “… due to the conformity, the group may express an opinion opposite to the opinion which each of its isolated members would have” (Efros, Pg.

When most people think of popular people they think of bullies or people who are just popular because they are mean so they put themselves above others, which is true and I agree that there are people who are popular because of that, but there is also people who are friends with everyone and are nice to everyone and there isn’t a single person who doesn’t like them. I’m not going to make this essay about bullying but more of what popularity means to me and how important I think it is to be popular.

What would you do if you were trying so hard to fit in, but found out that you’re perfect just the way you are? People everyday try so hard to be who they are not. This is because they think it is weird or stupid to be a little different amongst the rest. We judge each other because of our different styles, but if we were all the same and had everything in common the world would be such a tedious and bland place. I say, there is nothing wrong by us having a diversity of different interest.

Mass public schooling has created a divide amongst the foundation of whether to prioritize individuality or conformity. If we as a society choose to base schooling off of the guidelines of conformity, the individuality in each and every student will soon be lost due to being forced to comply to the school system, therefore hindering student’s sense of individuality. Prioritizing individuality in the schools allows students to be free of constraints, and to increase their want to learn through being able to differentiate and personalize their schedules. An education system based off of forcing individual and different students to all follow the exact same course standard should be outlawed due to this being an outdated guideline of teaching.

I am not staying popular people cannot be friends, but they are friends based on a superficial idea. They care about the clothes, the looks, and what people thought of them, while my sister did not care how she dressed or if what approved of what she was doing. All she cared about was having what she determined to be fun. While most people looked at her as being a nerd, I look at her as being a cool person who was content with her life.