Conformity of the Cormformists.

Why in the hell do people conform to societal demands? Is it because they are unable to think freely, to do something different, to be themselves? Conforming to society is the downfall of a free thinking society. If we didn't have the intellectuals of the past that dared to not conform, we wouldn't have our basic foundations of what makes a society.

In an individual's life, there are several influences that can create societal conformity. These influences being vast, however the major ones are from: family upbringing, religion, education, and societal adaptation (influences based on ones society including politics and other things). Of these four major influences for societal conformity, family upbringing and religion are considered as the two most major influences; while education and societal adaptation are minor influences since they can be changed. Why are family upbringing and religion major, its mainly due to how they are connected?

Since the age of man, the religion of the family has been pushed onto the children through their upbringing. Family upbringing and religion are two different aspects, but are heavily tied. When Christianity first was developed, this flow of religion could be seen throughout a family. Then when Christianity started to falter and break into different denominations, these trends continued to follow. The thought was that if the religious beliefs where pushed onto the children, that they would add to the belief system, thus expanding the conformity of individuals to that one belief. The expansion of Christianity has left a majority of the world 'blind and deaf', however, there are those that stand apart.

H.P. Lovecraft, renowned and influential author of horror fiction said it best about religion.

If religion were true, its followers would not try to bludgeon their young into an artificial conformity; but would merely insist on their unbending quest for truth, irrespective of artificial backgrounds or practical consequences.

The educations and societal adaptation influences of societal conformity are ever changing as an individual goes through life. Depending on where the individual lives can greatly influence how he conforms, likewise with the education.

Take for example, a youth that attends elementary and high school education systems in the southern states and then attend college at Yale. The societal conformity and the education influences are extremely different. At first, the individual can be considered an outcast to some. In time, the individual will find ways to conform to what he is given. Whether it is a change in appearance, thought, attitude, or personality the individual will change.

It is one thing to conform to a society, but at what cost. Is conforming really worth losing the self identity of your individualism? Is it worth it to become a mindless sheep and follow the path of many? Hell no. Freedom to be an individual is worth more than anything. The ability to freely speak and think is something that no person should be without. Voice yourself, voice your thoughts, stand against those that offer nothing more then a singular path.

Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost. -- Chauncey Depew