what is your opinion on coforming to society?

Question

in other words....would rather conform and be accepted by everyone or be yourself and be accepted by the few?

Answer 1

as long as you don't hurt anyone else , you don't need to conform to anything. there is no such thing as normal. we are all different and all think different.

Answer 2

In High School, I was a social pariah. Outcast from almost every possible click, I had a few friends to hang out with... but that was about it. Society is terrible, and popularity is a lie, a fleeting imitation of life, which leaves you when you leave school.

To this day, I am a vehement individualist. I do not bow down to popular opinion. Metaphorically, "If I like something, then I will take it as my own. If I do not like something, I will not take it at all." Following the crowd is okay if you agree with the crowd. If you don't agree with the crowd, then you shouldn't be there.

Never lie to yourself, Never be anyone other than whom you WANT to be. Other people cannot control your thoughts or happiness unless you let them. Seeking answers from the outside is good, else how could you learn, but if those answers feel wrong, then maybe they aren't the right ones for you.

My own Philosophy:
Fear Nothing. Live your Own life. Never let "them" tell you who to be. Conformity is the downfall of society, Individuality is what separates man from beast.

John F Kennedy:
Conformity is the Jailer of Freedom.

Eisenhower (Or McArthur, I can't remember which)
If everyone's thinking the same thing, then someone isn't thinking.

Never conform for the sake of conformity. If you like Dockers and Polo shirts, then wear them. If someone says you can't wear your Detroit Tigers baseball cap, but you want to wear it, then leave. It is up to you to control your life. Letting others do it for you lessens you as a person.

Some people don't want to take control over every aspect of their lives. They are still choosing a person (or God) to take this position. So even if you want someone else to take control, it is up to you to decide if you like the way that they are doing it. If a person cannot lead well, you shouldn't force yourself to follow them blindly. Always remember, you have choice, you have a mind, you have individuality. It is ultimately always up to you.

Answer 3

I suppose that I don't conform in many ways to the overall society (USA) we live in. That is, I don't care to just go along without thinking to whatever the current accepted "norm" is. A close friend calls me "eccentric" and thats just fine. At this point in my life I must be honest about my beliefs and opinions, even if it means being accepted by less rather than more people. As Popeye said, I yam what I yam. In high school the big thing was to be popular and to have a "good" personality,whatever that means. Twenty years later the jocks and the cheerleaders haven't changed a bit. Glad those days are behind me!

Answer 4

The decision from the type of society you're interacting with is also a factor here... some groups are more inclusive than others, thus truly being accepted by everyone is actually impossible. Look at celebrities... who in America is 100% loved by everyone?

The truth is that conformity is a coping mechanism that humans use to try to manipulate their own behavior to exclude others. You do it subconsciously at some level every minute of your life. Even when with your family, notice how the entire group reacts when another family meets with you. What behaviors do you exhibit as a group? What does the other family do collectively that they are not aware of?

So to aid my perception in being accepted by everyone, I would be essentially trying to analyze other people's reactions to my behavior and change my reactions accordingly, whether or not the others are aware of whether or not I'm doing it. Wouldn't it be easier to simply behave as you are and not worry about such things from the standpoint that if your actions cannot be understood by others that it is by factors beyond your control that cannot be changed by your controllable response?

In short, to hell with the masses. Be yourself.

Answer 5

How do you distinguish yourself from what other people's expectations have shaped you into?

First define who and what you are, then you will naturally see how you fit in with society. If your goal is public admiration, then conform conform conform. If your goal is to reach the pinnacle of human achievement in some field, then you will have a select few individuals that will be your mentors and good friends.

Honestly, I don't know who I want to be yet. I feel I am still in a coccoon stage. The butterfly is yet to emerge...

Answer 6

In my opinion, just be yourself. How would the world look if we just had blonde 5'5" females who all looked and acted the same? I probably speak for a bunch of people when I say do what you want, when you want, and don't let anyone else have a say in that. So in answer to your question, I would rather be myself and be accepted by the few because obviously those few, the few who can take me for me, are my true friends.

Answer 7

Nonconformist is the path I've chosen.

And I'll be honest, I have very few friends and the smallest popularity stance any human being possibly can, but I'm better for it because I'd rather be accepted for who I am instead of who everyone else is.

The small group of friends that I do have accept me for me, theres no suprises, I never have to conform to society to be accepted by them, and they love me for who I am.

But I do get in fights with the conformist bastards at our school who think that they are better than me or my friends.

Answer 8

Personally, I don't pay too much attention to what fads are. If I want to do something, it is because I choose to do it. Not because it is in or hip or fashionable. Some things are good to conform to, though like rules and laws. Things that make the world a better place. Environmental things.

Answer 9

Uhm.. well anyone who knows me knows I don't give a sh*t about what most people think. I am far from the norm and I like it that way. I don't like people anyways so I'm happy with the few people who I get along well with xD

Edit: "Its hard being different" <--so? who cares if its more difficult. Grow a backbone and learn to be who you are. You don't need to be like everyone else. You know, despite what I say about being different and not liking people and going against the norm, I actually get alot of respect from people, LOTS of people not just my groupd of friends, because I can stand up for who I am and not cave under the pressure of society.

Answer 10

See, but that is where you get into a philosophical question, because being a non-conformist, is actually conforming into being a non-conformist. So, in other words, if you are one of those people who thinks that they are not conforming, then you're wrong, because being a non-conformist is conforming!

Answer 11

I say (and I think many others would too) that I would rather be myself and not care who I was accepted by, but for some strange reason we find ourselves occasionally caught up in the battle of acceptance.