Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Conformity

People like to conform too much. When you think about it, conformity is really just accepting an idea that is given to you, often by a social group of some sort. Stuff like how to dress, act, think, what to buy, what music to listen to, and other stuff like that.

The problem is, once you start conforming in a few areas of life, others naturally follow. When everyone starts dressing the same, they are more likely to think the same. When people begin to conform to a certain way of thinking, it naturally precludes new ways of thinking. By definition, this effectively prevents truly new ideas from surfacing.

The massive amount of conformity in our society is holding us back, and must be reduced.

Read that last sentence again, trust me.

There is good news, though. When people begin conciously examining a few areas of their life to determine whether they are conforming, or are truly being themselves, it naturally spreads to all areas of their life. Many people trick themselves into thinking conformity is who they are, though. One must take a step back, and ask themselves "Do I really act in a way that is consistent with what I truly and most fundamentally believe?"

Sleep deprivation makes me sound more intelligent to myself.

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