How Does Conformity Beat Individuality

Americans today tend to believe that being an individual is the typical entity for any civilian living. My whole life I have heard it said that being yourself will have a big impact on my life as I grow older. In that case it has been a been a massive part of my life; however, I have got sucked into the conformity society at times myself. Although I have improved, I cannot help thinking that people in society are also getting sucked in conformity. While they rarely admit as much, people often tell themselves that they do not follow others and claim they are original.

Conformity is a concept that has been heavily researched in the field of social psychology. Conformity is defined as a change in behavior, beliefs, and attitudes due to group pressure perceived as real (encompassing the presence of others) or imagined (encompassing the pressure of social standards) (Myers, 2010, p. 192). The concept of conformity is a powerful influence on the tendency for people to arrange their thoughts, perspectives, and ideas with others, especially when in a group. This takes away from a person’s individuality because they want to feel accepted by others and therefore, a person will accomplish this basic need of approval through conforming.

Conformity, it’s something everyone deals with, even if they do not realize it. Although, what happens when conformity takes control over everything? What if the world was stripped of individuality, no citizen has any rights to hold on to, while not being able to think for one’s self. That is an image what it would be like if everyone in the world were to conform to a restricting society. Just think of all of the advances in technology the human race has come up with in the last ten years alone. None of that would have been possible in a society where no one can go above another person's IQ level. This is the world the characters in Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem live in. The reasons that total conformity is dangerous is because individuality is not possible, no family history, and advancement would not be possible.

In the short but well thought out article, “Conformity Rules Everything Around Me” written by Caslee Sims, she argues “Whatever you decide to do. Consider if your reasons justify your actions.” Personally, I agree with Sims. We all want to “fit in” and “blend in” but why? Studies show that people in a group of four or more are more likely to conform. If an individual has a partner that

“Ordinary people fear what they do not understand” That is such a bold statement from the article “The Sociology of Leopard Man” by Logan Feys. Fey, saying that we conform

According to Logan Feys , he says “Conformity can be seen as the world’s most common but dangerous psychological disorder.”In the story/documents of The sociology of Leopard Man, The Pedestrian, and Dead Poets Society talks about what non-conformity is about. It explains the difference between conformity and nonconformity. As we are members of conformity in today’s society, we cannot break out into the world of creativity. As we are bound to this, I believe that others should step out into the world and show who they really are in their abilities to create and follow their own voice, only then are we able to break out of this cage.

“Why fit in when you are born to stand out?” Dr. Seuss thinks we should stand out on the grounds that he doesn’t want us to give up on our own individuality. We as humans want to fit into the world. However, we hungry to be different, long to stand out, crave to be both an individualist and a conformist. In the world, people will believe we being driven to conform to the guidelines of the society. I agree with the young author of an article titled, “Individuality vs. Conformity: A Healthy Middle?” There is a “Healthy Middle” between individualism and conformity. We have to focus on finding the in between of conformity and individuality.

Not conforming to society’s expectations, or even just standing out in any manner, can affect an individual and how they are treated by others. They can be seen as an outsider and could potentially be treated in such a way that could impact them negatively, hindering their survival. Within a group of adolescents, this can be seen through teasing. In a group of adults, this is exemplified by constant criticism of one’s actions and choices. Suzanne Collins believes that in order to survive in the world today, you must follow social norms, to a certain degree, in order to be happy in the long run. This is extremely relevant today, as opposed to society over twenty years ago, as the modern age is extremely individualized. Everybody is encouraged to be themselves, but within a set boundary of norms, which is ironic.

Society forces one to conform. Like an albino animal stuck in the wild, a human being may face difficult challenges if they’re viewed as different from the norm. An albino animal may be shunned away from its counterparts and may be easily detected by a predator. Likewise, if a man dares to stand out of the norm, they are likely to be viewed as a weak link. Rooting from such ideas about conformity, George F. Kennan argues that Americans have a high tendency to conform, to be like their neighbor, to be equal. While a single person may have control over their decisions, it is more likely that they will endure the burden of conforming with the rest of society in order for acceptance and survival.

I was able to feel more comfortable and accepted by my friends than had I stood out from the rest of the group. However, this observation made me wonder if there could ever be a balance between conforming and not conforming because in a way both behaviors have their pros and cons. For example, conformity can help stabilize and unify a group’s beliefs or attitudes towards a certain individual or object. It can also create a sense of security and belonging within the group members as if they were a family. At the same time, conformity can also have its cons, as it can make people less creative, independent and

Being an individual is something that many people wish or want to be, however, standing out means standing alone which presents a challenge that not many people are willing to accept. Most people in today's society try to step out of the world of conformity, but eventually they step back in due to the fearness that they have in their minds about someone else's perspective about them. Most of all significance is worthwhile, as soon as you forget about other people in the world, individuality is one of the best feelings in the world because you are exploring and enjoying the importance of yourself. And suppose if they do question your diverseness, it is not you who is lonely, but instead it is them who haven’t explored themselves yet. To be yourself in front of the world of conformists is the greatest accomplishment that you can achieve in your lifetime, remember this always.

Through the eyes of the majority, conformity is seen as something as that of a necessity. However if we, as individuals, uphold the very chains that bind us we will lose the very distinctiveness we originally sought after. With this in mind, individuality comes at a price. If one were to choose not to act accordingly to acceptable conventions, they would be ostracized. The reason we choose conformity is to keep the stability of our society constant.

In society, there are many situations that people is pressuring the view of people, then they will think that he/ she can't fit in this society. Today, society as a whole people are getting away from being individuals. Being individual is rewarding, but it is difficult to attain. Also, he/she can't rely on others but yourself. Individuality means you have to be yourself, not a follower and choose your own path.

I do agree with Fey’s in paragraph 6 because people think that they should obey society's rules just to fit in. I agree with Fey’s in paragraph six when he says, “Living in society, we are under constant pressure to surrender our individuality to the will of the majority, the school, the workplace, the family, etc.” We only live one life so why should we change who we are to fit in, I know people who have changed how they look because they wanted to be with a “popular group” of others. When you are yourself you can think outside of the box. Conformity can limit your beliefs and can hold you back from coming up with new ideas or seeing things in a new way. We conform everyday , and sometimes we don’t even know it, the actions of others inform

Conformity is key to survival. Throughout history people have conformed to the people around them, allowing them to survive. If someone is doing something to get food and shelter, you aren’t going to do the exact opposite. “Safety in numbers”, we’ve all heard of it. Being in a group or herd has been vital to the uprising of civilization. If every person was a lone wolf, the concept of civilization and cities wouldn’t have been established. Let’s go back to the dawn of man. Groups of people hunted down big game in packs. One lone man couldn’t take down