Opinions on Conformity

Everywhere in society we are told to conform. Girls are told that they need to own cute outfits, make up, nice hair and slim bodies to be perfect. Apple tells us that we need to ave iOS6 to be "in". Teachers and schools tell us that we need to achieve academically to be a good student. The world tells us that only by having human recognition, degrees and earning a truckload of money to be successful. Seldom anyone tells you being deviant is okay. People just tell you to do this and that and we agree that they are right just because everyone is doing it.

Sometimes, conformity can be good. Like the law. It conforms everyone to obey a certain set of rules that functions the society. For example, everyone has to follow that murder is bad and morally wrong, therefore forcing everyone to conform to that is good. Uniforms display conformity as well. It also identifies a person. For example what school they are from, their job or job status. Like policemen have uniforms and their shields to prove their identity while pizza delivery guys wear shirts of their pizzeria to identify themselves. Conformity can also be seen in manners and ethics. For example, people greet or wave to each other when they meet. That is a social norm.

However, conformity can be detrimental as well. Even though conforming is good in certain contexts, conforming to a certain norm can be bad. Lets take the example of  the extreme. Cults. They cause you to follow their ideal of a norm and it sometimes turns out to be bad. To be deviant and think for yourself isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes it is good to question norms and go against them.

Taking it into a school context. Every school has cliques and groups. Usually, these groups identify who we are and how we behave and react. Naturally a closed group would start to morph and behave alike to each other or at least believe a certain way is right. For example popular crowds might start to believe that they are they best and only they are right, looking down on those who are not of the "same social standing" as them. Being mean to those around them and even worse, making use of them. It disgusts me. I have been bullied before and I didn't like it. Closed groups like these hurt people without question and sometimes it is all just because they wanted to accepted within the group. Questioning the decision of the group is usually not up for debate since it could mean default exclusion and ridicule. However, does conforming and the desperation of being accepted hurt someone else and blind your vision? If it does, why do these people still do it?

Although for most people drawing anywhere you want and walking around aimlessly for no apparent reason is not what they would do all the time, it is how my close group of friends in High School were. Even embarrassing ourselves occasionally (mostly, it is just me). That is our group's norm. It sounds boring but it is what we do. To be honest, I find it really fun. Not  a lot of people's idea of fun but it is mine and I love it. That is our norm and we conformed to it.

Being deviant is good too. Whoever says you have to be a certain person to be successful or look/ dress a certain way be considered beautiful. Show some individuality! Honestly, if I had the money, I would've traded my entire closet of cartooned shirts and jeans for spiked collar shirts, jeans with studs and millions of jackets. I love those. I don't know why but I do. Of course, I love my cartoon t-shirts too. They show my silly and childish side which I embrace completely. Everyone tells me that I'm getting too fat and some even associate that to being ugly but you know what? I love food and if being the world's idea of beautiful means eating less of what I love, no thank you. I'd rather stay your ideal of a "ugly girl" than become a plastic robot of society. Yes, I am cutting down on chips and KFC but that doesn't mean I will give them up completely. I just don't eat as much of them since I am getting overweight. Not that I care that much about looking size 2 but being overweight is never good for my health so oh well.

Conformity can change people for the better or for the worst. Most importantly, we don't take everything at face value. Sometimes it is good to question norms and think for yourself. Just because the world says it is doesn't mean it is so. I utterly detest the phrase "That is just how life is. Deal with it.". If "life" is just the way it is, then there wouldn't be a point. Always wanted to slap whoever said that to me. Bad things isn't "life. NEVER conform to that phrase. It is basically telling people that it is how it is and you cannot question it or turn the situation around positively. Let me just tell you. If something horrible happens, question it, change it. Be an agent of change, not a victim of one. There is way more to "life" so I decided not to "just let it be". I am not you. I question things even if it is authority so I can get answers and reasoning.