Conformity

A social norm is an expected standard of belief and behaviour established and enforced by a group on the individuals who belong to it. Conformity is the tendency to align your attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours with those around you e.g. the community or society at large. It is a powerful force that can take the form of evident social pressure or subtler unconscious influence. As much as we like to think of ourselves individuals , the fact is that we're driven to fit in, and that usually means ‘going with the flow’. I think that the people in general conform to social norms in an effort to feel apart of a group and accepted. The mindset of our modern world is that if someone does not conform to the social norm, than he or she is seen as different in a negative way. The ultimate fear of rejection and exclusion is what drives the majority of people in a group or community to conform to social norms. E.g. men drink beer as it is seen as a man’s drink, and woman drink ciders. Conformity is not necessarily a bad thing all the time. In life and in our communities and society at large, there has to be set boundaries in what is acceptable behaviour and what isn’t. E.g. one can’t just slaughter a cow in the middle of the highway for ceremonial purposes, it need to be done out of the public eye. However, conformity leads to the entrapment of people’s true attitudes, beliefs and desired behaviours, which inturn, they offer their true selves up in order to abide by the laws of the norm. E.g. if a woman decides she wants to dance down the road singing the “The sound of music”, although she is not upsetting or harming anyone, it would be seen as an act of a mentally unstable woman. So for the majority, conformity has negative effects.

This is a real issue that occurs worldwide from day to day, minute to minute, person to person. I believe that opposites attract, but differences dont. If someone is to be in a group, there must be some kind of middle ground reached that benefits him or herself as well as all the other group members. This middleground could be in terms of behaviour boundaries, attitudes and beliefs etc. in order to ensure the functionability of the group and the happiness and satisfaction of all who belong to it. Be your own person, do your thing, as long as it does not interfere with other people and their happiness, especially those who are important to you. These are jus a few wise pointers and words i learnt and added to my wisdom archieve while i make my way DOWN LIFE LANE...