Posted on: Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Posted at: 8:04 PM
Posted at: 8:04 PM
CONFORMITY is rather controversial and each person have their own perspective to whether or not one should conform. Conforming, or following rules or trends, may seem to be the easiest thing to do. Rules had been set and all you have to do is follow them. It is not only safe, but also comfortable. Majority of the world today conforms. But will stepping out of your comfort zone to experience the different be of better good to you? A risk is always involved when you attempt not to conform. A risk of being caught with punishable consequences, or a risk of being out-casted in the social realm. So what are then the benefits of not conforming?
In nature, people want to do things differently. When a teenager's mother ask him or her to keep quiet, he would usually feel angered and want to talk more, even more than he was intending to. Yet when he is told to talk more by his mother, he will not want to spend the extra effort exercising his jaw muscles. Its just by nature that no one love to be told by someone else to do something. Thus the law-offenders in the society. Not to conform satisfies the natural urge and desire to bend around the rules.
Eccentrics are light-hearted and oblivious individuals who do not conform to society's board of rules. Research have proven that eccentrics are healthier, happier and more creative than conformists. Non-conformists indeed posses a higher level of creativeness. Perhaps, the latter is the reason for why they do not follow the rules or standards. Bertrand Russel, a late British philosopher and the all-famous physicist Albert Einstein were non-conformists and yet achieved high level of creativity. In a society that forces their people to strictly conform to every rules, they are limiting the creativeness of the people. The robots follow the rules fed to them. They are not able to exercise their innovation and come up with multiple alternatives. Soon the creativeness will wither in them and the result will be a society of uncreative individuals.
Although conforming may be comfortable, at times not conforming may bring about even greater comfort. When everyone in class are talking to someone else and you are feeling dead tired from a basketball match, wouldn't it be more comfortable if you can ignore everyone else expectations and sit at a corner and enjoy some soothing music? Or will you feel obliged to join your other friends in the conversation, knowing that not doing so may label you as being unpopular and quiet? No one around you can tell you what you can or cannot do, but yet why do you feel the urge to conform?
On the other hand, conforming is almost guaranteed safe. There is a reason why countries set laws. Citizens choosing conforming to the laws may result in a disastrous and chaotic country. Rules are made to be followed and behind every rule is a reason. Often, rules are meant to protect the general population. It had been considered carefully and given the approval as the best possible option for that situation. Additionally, following laws will not risk you for being fined or jailed.
Conforming also prevents you from being marginalised. If the trend of today is of low socks, will you want to go to school with knee-high socks given a choice for the length? Unless your purpose is to be unique from others like popular star Lady Gaga, it may only destroy the impression others have on you. No doubt it is your choice, conforming may lead to being excluded from society.
All in all, to conform or not to conform is one's choice but he or she has to be fully aware of the consequences waiting for him. It is perhaps the type of situation that determines if a person should or should not conform. Peer pressure is prevalent and rampant among teenagers today. Conforming to unhealthy things should be discouraged. When wanting to break loose and not conform, look at the situation for there is a time to do so and there is a time that being obedient children may be a safer option.
In nature, people want to do things differently. When a teenager's mother ask him or her to keep quiet, he would usually feel angered and want to talk more, even more than he was intending to. Yet when he is told to talk more by his mother, he will not want to spend the extra effort exercising his jaw muscles. Its just by nature that no one love to be told by someone else to do something. Thus the law-offenders in the society. Not to conform satisfies the natural urge and desire to bend around the rules.
Eccentrics are light-hearted and oblivious individuals who do not conform to society's board of rules. Research have proven that eccentrics are healthier, happier and more creative than conformists. Non-conformists indeed posses a higher level of creativeness. Perhaps, the latter is the reason for why they do not follow the rules or standards. Bertrand Russel, a late British philosopher and the all-famous physicist Albert Einstein were non-conformists and yet achieved high level of creativity. In a society that forces their people to strictly conform to every rules, they are limiting the creativeness of the people. The robots follow the rules fed to them. They are not able to exercise their innovation and come up with multiple alternatives. Soon the creativeness will wither in them and the result will be a society of uncreative individuals.
Although conforming may be comfortable, at times not conforming may bring about even greater comfort. When everyone in class are talking to someone else and you are feeling dead tired from a basketball match, wouldn't it be more comfortable if you can ignore everyone else expectations and sit at a corner and enjoy some soothing music? Or will you feel obliged to join your other friends in the conversation, knowing that not doing so may label you as being unpopular and quiet? No one around you can tell you what you can or cannot do, but yet why do you feel the urge to conform?
On the other hand, conforming is almost guaranteed safe. There is a reason why countries set laws. Citizens choosing conforming to the laws may result in a disastrous and chaotic country. Rules are made to be followed and behind every rule is a reason. Often, rules are meant to protect the general population. It had been considered carefully and given the approval as the best possible option for that situation. Additionally, following laws will not risk you for being fined or jailed.
Conforming also prevents you from being marginalised. If the trend of today is of low socks, will you want to go to school with knee-high socks given a choice for the length? Unless your purpose is to be unique from others like popular star Lady Gaga, it may only destroy the impression others have on you. No doubt it is your choice, conforming may lead to being excluded from society.
All in all, to conform or not to conform is one's choice but he or she has to be fully aware of the consequences waiting for him. It is perhaps the type of situation that determines if a person should or should not conform. Peer pressure is prevalent and rampant among teenagers today. Conforming to unhealthy things should be discouraged. When wanting to break loose and not conform, look at the situation for there is a time to do so and there is a time that being obedient children may be a safer option.