Is Conformity Bad?
Conformity, the act of adjusting one’s beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors to align with those of a group, has been a topic of extensive study and debate.
While it may seem like a natural aspect of human social behavior, delving deeper into the subject reveals a darker side.
This article explores the various facets of why conformity is bad, examining its implications on individuals and society.
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What Is Conformity?
Conformity means individuals adjust their thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors to align with a particular group or society’s norms, values, and expectations. It involves yielding to social pressure or influence, often resulting in individuals adopting beliefs or engaging in actions contrary to their personal preferences or values to fit in or gain acceptance within the group.
Conformity plays a significant role in shaping social interactions, cultural practices, and collective identities. Still, it can also have negative consequences, such as stifling individuality, perpetuating unethical behavior, and fostering groupthink.
Why Is Conformity Bad?
Here are some reasons why conformity is often viewed critically:
- Conformity can lead to a suppression of individuality and uniqueness. When individuals conform to societal norms or expectations, they may feel pressured to abandon their authentic selves in favor of fitting in. This can hinder personal growth and self-expression.
- Conformity tends to discourage creativity and innovation. When people adhere strictly to established norms, there is less room for original thinking and new ideas. Innovation often requires a willingness to deviate from the status quo, and conformity can impede this process.
- When individuals are expected to conform to a particular set of norms, it can be challenging for people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas to be fully accepted and appreciated.
- Conformity can lead to unquestioning acceptance of authority, even when that authority promotes harmful or unethical behavior. Blind conformity may result in individuals following rules or instructions without critically evaluating their moral or ethical implications.
- Societal progress often relies on individuals challenging existing norms and pushing for change. Conformity, when taken to the extreme, can contribute to social stagnation by discouraging dissent and resistance to outdated or unjust practices.
- Conformity is often associated with peer pressure and groupthink, where individuals may adopt the opinions or behaviors of the majority to avoid conflict or rejection. This can lead to poor decision-making as critical thinking is compromised in pursuing group harmony.
- In a conformist environment, individuals may feel less accountable for their actions. When everyone is adhering to the same norms, there may be a diffusion of responsibility, making it easier for unethical or harmful behavior to go unchecked.
What Is The Dark Side Of Bending To Others?
The dark side of conformity manifests in various ways, notably through the suppression of individuality and the propagation of unethical behavior.
When individuals conform to societal norms or group expectations, they often sacrifice their unique identities and perspectives to fit in.
This suppression of individuality can lead to a loss of personal autonomy and stifling creativity and innovation, ultimately hindering societal progress.
Moreover, conformity can foster an environment where unethical behavior is normalized and encouraged within groups. Individuals may engage in actions that go against their moral compass to adhere to group standards, leading to harmful outcomes such as discrimination, bullying, or participation in illicit activities.
Conformity, in essence, involves sacrificing individuality to fit into a group. This surrender of personal values and beliefs raises several concerns about the impact on mental health, creativity, and the overall well-being of individuals.
For the record, I’m not advocating being a nonconformist just for the sake of it. However, if your soul calls you not to participate in something that violates your standards and values, stop doing it.
As I stated before, when we conform, we negate our true selves and become sheep following the herd. This sheeple mentality doesn’t allow for true individual expression.
We came here to be unique expressions of ourselves and not carbon copies.
Progress in our personal development journeys can’t be made if we don’t change the things we do that no longer serve us.
Conforming to societal expectations can take a toll on mental health. The pressure to adhere to certain norms and behaviors can lead to anxiety, depression, and a sense of alienation.
Individuals who constantly mold themselves to meet external standards may find maintaining a genuine sense of identity challenging, ultimately affecting their mental well-being.
One of the primary drawbacks of conformity lies in its potential to stifle creativity and innovation.
When individuals succumb to groupthink and follow established norms without question, fostering an environment that encourages new ideas and perspectives becomes difficult.
Creative thinking often thrives on diversity and non-conformity, and a society that discourages these traits may miss out on groundbreaking innovations.
What Are The Dangers Of Conforming?
The dangers associated with conformity extend beyond the individual, affecting the fabric of society as a whole. Understanding these risks is crucial for recognizing the broader impact of conformist behaviors.
Conformity is dangerous if what you conform to is illegal or harmful to innocent bystanders. It can also affect your self-esteem if you change your appearance or how you speak to fit in with a group.
The biggest danger of all is losing your authentic self. If something is wrong, then don’t participate in it. It’s that simple. If you can think for yourself and disconnect from the “hive mind” of the group, you will know right from wrong actions.
Conformity often discourages critical thinking, as individuals may prioritize aligning with the majority over questioning the status quo.
This lack of independent thought can hinder progress and impede the development of a society that values variety.
Conformity can lead to an erosion of personal freedom. When individuals conform to societal norms out of fear of judgment or exclusion, they may sacrifice their autonomy and compromise on personal values.
This erosion of freedom can have profound implications for societal progress and the pursuit of individual happiness.
Positive Aspects of Conformity
In certain situations, conformity can contribute to social harmony and cooperation.
Following established rules and norms can create a sense of order and stability, preventing chaos and facilitating smooth interpersonal interactions.
Negative Aspects of Conformity
However, the negative aspects of conformity become evident when it suppresses diversity of opinion, stifles dissent, and hinders progress.
Striking a balance involves recognizing the value of individual perspectives and allowing for dissenting opinions without fear of reprisal.
The negative repercussions of conformity extend to society, impacting communities’ overall health and progress.
Examining why conformity is bad for society sheds light on the need for a nuanced approach to social expectations.
Cultural progress often thrives on diversity of ideas and perspectives challenging established norms. When unchecked, conformity can lead to cultural stagnation, limiting the evolution of societal values and beliefs.
Conformity can become a roadblock to social change. When individuals adhere rigidly to existing norms, addressing real issues of inequality, discrimination, and injustice becomes challenging.
Social progress often requires breaking free from established patterns and challenging the status quo.
Examples
Below are some real-life examples of conformity in everyday life.
- Going to a party/social gathering because you’re expected to go even though you’re not up for it.
- Getting married and starting a family when you prefer to stay single and enjoy your life that way instead.
- Getting a tattoo because it’s what everyone is doing.
- Driving an oversized S.U.V. because that is what everyone else is driving.
- Going to college and getting a degree when you want to enjoy the freedom of becoming an online entrepreneur.
- Following the latest fashion ideas.
- Following Holiday traditions.
- Following the latest fad diet trend, i.e., keto, carnivore, intermittent fasting, etc.
The definition of conformity, according to Google, is Compliance with standards, rules, or laws and behavior by socially accepted conventions or norms.
Fact: Too much conformity deadens the human spirit. I am not advocating social rebellion or anything similar, but I offer the idea of displaying your true, natural, authentic self in all situations.
Also, conformity can be cheerful in certain situations where nonconformity could cause legal problems. Always bring your common sense and good judgment with you at all times.
How many of you realize that you live out most of your lives conforming to the expectations of others?
Where did we learn this, and how did it start? Why would others need us to live by their expectations of us? What is the payoff?
These were the thoughts that had gone through my head many times before. For most of us, conforming to the expectations of others is an automatic response, and I believe conformity is “hard-wired” into us as a survival mechanism.
I’m not asking you to become a rebel and never cooperate in life, but I am asking that you realize that you still have a conscious choice to be who you are.
It’s easy to get lazy, go “unconscious,” and go with the flow. But is that the best course of action? Cooperation is an essential factor in any relationship for it to succeed.
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Cooperation Is Not Conformity
Cooperation or teamwork is working or acting together, creating harmony and balance. When we have an agreement in relationships, magic can happen.
When we don’t cooperate, we will experience hindrances and obstacles, which will cause the flow of our lives to be dramatically limited.
I am pro-cooperation for the record when both sides agree to the set terms and conditions. Only you can decide when to cooperate and when not to.
A certain level of conformity is required for people to live together without descending into chaos. For example, we must all drive on the right side of the road.
As social animals, humans must conform to one another in predictable ways. Without conformity, human society and even language itself are impossible.
Jenness Study
Jenness (1932): Beans Experiment: Jenness gave a jar of beans to individuals and got them to estimate the number of beans inside.
He then grouped the same participants and brought them to discuss the contents.
Later, when they were separated and asked their opinions, Jenness found that the estimates had converged around a central figure. Conclusion: When unsure of an answer, we look to others for help, assuming that a majority figure will be more reliable.
Pros and cons of conformity
Pros of Conformity:
- Conformity promotes social cohesion by fostering a sense of unity and belonging within groups, which is essential for cooperation and collective action.
- Conformity helps establish and maintain social norms, providing a framework for appropriate behavior and facilitating social order and predictability.
- In certain situations, conformity can lead to efficient decision-making processes by reducing conflict and facilitating group consensus, mainly when quick decisions are necessary.
- Conformity allows individuals to learn from and adapt to the behaviors and practices of others, facilitating social learning and the transmission of cultural knowledge.
Cons of Conformity:
- Conformity often entails sacrificing individuality and suppressing unique perspectives, leading to a loss of personal autonomy and stifling creativity and innovation.
- Conformity can lead to groupthink, where dissenting viewpoints are suppressed, critical thinking is inhibited, and flawed decisions are made without adequate consideration of alternatives, resulting in adverse outcomes.
- Conformity can perpetuate unethical behavior within groups, as individuals may conform to harmful practices or norms even when they conflict with their moral values, leading to discrimination, bullying, or participation in illicit activities.
- Conformity can create resistance to change and innovation within societies, as individuals may cling to traditional norms and resist new ideas or practices that deviate from established conventions, hindering social progress.
Emotional Stress From Conforming To Others Expectations
One of today’s most significant emotional stresses is meeting our expectations and others, especially our parents, relatives, and friends. Breaking Conformity allows us to progress as individuals and as a society.
Much of it begins with a lack of love and affection from essential people, and the feelings of not being good enough or lovable will continue throughout life.
This can cause people to try to achieve things that society deems vital, like being famous, having a college degree, a professional career, getting married, having kids, buying a house, etc.
Being not who you are but what others expect you to be creates a life of inauthenticity. The result will be an unhappy existence until you finally decide to change. You will be at a crossroads.
Do you stay on the same path or become the person you are meant to be?
If you could go back in time and see yourself as a young child, maybe two, three, or four years old, you would see a more authentic person than the one you are now displaying; the law in existence states that you have to conform to other people’s expectations.
We do it because we must submit to feel safe, protected, accepted, and loved.
You will never know absolute freedom until you live an authentic life free from the oppressive expectations of others. If you drove a Lamborghini off-road, it wouldn’t last twenty minutes because it is not designed for that.
Energetically, most people are not intended for what most of them do because they are trying to be something they are not.
If someone has a charming, outgoing, friendly demeanor, they wouldn’t be well suited for a solitary desk job with little contact with others. An energetically sensitive person won’t last long as a litigation attorney.
Many people put themselves in these positions based on expectations to please someone else or themselves. Where would society be if everyone conformed to the norm? We wouldn’t have any real growth and community, and her people would stagnate.
Famous Non-Conformists
Here is a list of famous nonconformists.
- Martin Luther
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Rosa Parks
- Bill Hicks
- George Carlin
- Jesse Ventura
- Benjamin Franklin
- John Adams
- Copernicus
- Nikola Tesla
- Jesus
- David Icke
- Michael Tsarion
- Ted Nugent
Conformity is a killer of intellectual and spiritual growth and is the leading cause of unhappiness in the world, from my point of view. If we are not flowing with our energetic truth, we will ultimately flow with who we are not.
Denying our true self creates blockages in our energy field, and soon, physical disease will follow. One of the first physical symptoms I see in many people is neck pain.
The energy in the neck area has stopped or is being seriously minimized at best. This is where we get the expression that someone or something is a “pain in the neck.”
Finally, we must balance being cooperative and authentic to create harmonious and lasting relationships. If we compromise either one of these, then failure will be imminent.
“ If you are going to fill your mind with other people’s’ thoughts, then what’s the sense in having your own?”
“ Happiness does not come from doing what you want, but wanting what you do.”
For many of you, being overly concerned with what others think of you has been ingrained in your head since childhood. Parents told us this to try to control our behavior. I invite you to stop caring what others think of you and be the unique individual you are.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while conformity may have its time and place, it is crucial to recognize its potential dangers and drawbacks.
The mental health implications, stifling of creativity, and erosion of personal freedom underscore the need for a balanced approach to social expectations.
By understanding the negative aspects of conformity and fostering a society that values individuality and diverse perspectives, we can navigate the delicate balance between cohesion and progress.
Embracing the richness of human variation of thought ensures a more resilient and dynamic society, free from the shackles of unchecked conformity.
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Wes Saunders | TEDxUnionvilleHS: The Dangers of Social Conformity Video
