Debate Conformity

I wouldn't call it conformity, I'd call that peer pressure. Besides the fact that this isn't much of a debate...

 

Have you ever considered that not all people are interesting individuals, despite those that say that we all have "a unique personality" inside all of us? I'm sorry, I just never bought into that idealistic introspective of humanity.

 

Spoiler

This isn't spam, it just completely sums up my entire response to this "Debate" perfectly.

 

As humans, we bear a sort of social gap, and by being individual or original, you expand that gap. In order to fit in with the rest of mankind and be normal, we must all act in a similar fashion. Much of humanity itself is too frightened to be exiled from the social norm. Because abnormal (in this case original) things are normally objectified as stupid (in this case), people will conform in order to not be made fun of.

The way I see it, if you actually LIKE what you listen to, or have hobbies in, whether or not practically almost everyone else does it, is fine. However, I agree that just doing something because everybody else does (regardless of your own initial thoughts or intentions) is senseless.

 

You clearly understood what I was trying to say perfectly... That people might not dress the way they do "to conform" or because of "peer pressure" with the constant fear of being called "weird", that they do it because that's just who they are... You know, that message I was trying to convey.

Also, you kids might do well to take a social psych class if your so interested in the subject.

 

This thread is hypocritical, you know. I have heard this argument many times, and I agree with what you are saying, but by bringing this up aren't you also conforming to this certain way of thinking?

Are we all not sheep on some level? Do you wear clothes? Do you wash yourself? Do you live in houses? These are all behaviors and lifestyles your parents (society) have forced upon you, that doing these things is "good" and not doing these things is "bad." I wouldn't say conformity is bad, it is just a part of our uncontrollable human nature.

 

I feel the same way on the topic we all see others as similar while us as being unique. It pays to be both , being unique has its good sides and being like others has its good parts. Balance of both are needed I think to be truly happy.

 

No one is unique. No one is the same. It's that simple.

 

On the bright side, nothing shows what a unique and radiant little snowflake you are than posting another "conformity" rant.

 

Quotes for truth.

Appearing normal can also help you land a job, as opposed to having a Mohawk and wearing leather 24/7.

Hari, if your so anti-conformist, go whip you **** out in public and see what happens. That's what happens to anti-conformists on a lower level.

 

I dont think it's anything more than people being stupid enough to believe what they are told. For instance, everybody wears jeans. Most of them say that they wear jeans because they are more comfortable. However, a lot of people are actually more comfortable in stuff like pajama or sweat pants.

Just think for a second. How flexible are jeans compared to sweats? Have you ever been wearing pajama pants when you had to go pee? It's a lot more convinient. But people still wear jeans because they are told that they are more comfortable.

The same thing can be applied to most conformity issues. People all listen to popular music because they dont realise that it isnt the best. Some things are considered to be better looking just because that is what others say is better looking. Opinions can be shaped by other people's opinion, and that causes many people to have the same opinion.

 

Personally I don't think blue jeans are comfortable, it's just that they are more available because most people wear them, I have more choice in what my jeans feel/look like if I wear them. Ex:low-cut, boot-rise, tight, loose.

Most people conform because it's easy, not because they're afraid.

to the poster above me; People do not all listen to "popular" music, whatever you mean by that. People listen to whatever genre or genres they like, because they like them. Once again if they had more musical exposure they would probably narrow down and refine their musical taste, but some people just listen to the radio, you know why? It's easier. Starting to see a pattern?

 

That's kinda what i was saying. I used to listen to whatever was on the radio, and now i consider it all to be crap. I thought "hey, this sounds cool, i'll listen to it." Then i met some people who listened to bands like Haste the Day, A Day to Remember, A Skylit Drive, Under Oath, All That Reamains etc. and i began to actually listen more to music. I know musical preferance is all opinion, so when i say "better", i mean harder to play/more complicated.

Listen to the guitar of more popular bands (Nickleback, All American Rejects, Taylor Swift, My Chem, Maroon 5, etc) compared to bands like the ones i listed. Most guitarists would agree that the ones i listed are harder to play. I find listening to more complicated lyrics more enjoyable. Most of the time the same thing can be said about all the instruments.

I used to think that screaming was just annoying. After a while it grew on me, then i started liking it, then i learned how much harder it is than normal singin. Now i really appreciate it.

When i was told that the bands on the radio were great, i thought they were great. When i learned more about music i began forming an opinion much different from most people's.

These bands are seen as being great, but by the definition of better i listed earlier they are arguably worse. They are still incredibly popular.

My main poin is this; someone's opinion can be havily influenced by another persons. If you hear that somehting is good you might think it is good without even trying the other options.

 

1. No, no it's not.

2. People told you the bands on the radio were great? I'd say the bands you mentioned are very popular so your opinion is hypocritical.

3. That's called the power of suggestion, simply by pointing something out, it becomes more likely for you to like it.

 

What if you go out of your way to be an individual and you succeed but only in this culture and become just like a group of people from another culture. I propose that the shame of not even knowing you are a sheeple makes you the worst kind of sheeple of all.

And..and what if your desire to be an individual is in reality the fulfillment of society's collective expectations oh god how deep does this rabbit hole go.

 

1. Fair enough.

2. Which set of bands? The ones i like, or the ones i listed as popular bands on the radio?

3. Yeah, that's my point. People seem to conform because their opinions are influenced by others. They then influence another person's opinion and that group just keeps growing. That's my take on it,.

 

****, deep thought, what if by not conforming, and being a rebel and such, you are conforming because being an individual is not discouraged in our society.

Batty, your on to something. Is that what you meant by that last sentence?

 

Kinda like all the people who say "I wanna be different!" so they wear black and get different hair cuts, and form little social groups of people who are trying to be different.

I realise that was extremely steriotypical, but it's just an example.