Nonconformity and conformity..agree or disagree? Options

[mmmchocolate]

No matter how hard one tires to be a Nonconformist, absolute individuality is unattainable. The ones who go against the flow will never find themselves alone, there will always be another who has gone before them, who has tried the same things. Pure nonconformity virtually does not exist, but if you look at religion, each is nonconforming within itself.
Dressing differently than others would be classified as nonconformity. One may be utterly different from their surroundings and be extremely individual, but somewhere else in the world someone else feels or looks the exact same. Furthermore, if one is classified as a nonconformist you are a conformist. How is this so? In a group of nonconformists, each individual is conforming to nonconforming. Pure nonconformity cannot exist in this universe, and if one possibly achieves this feat, they would be rejected by society, considering they do not exile themselves first.
“Whoso would be a man must also be a nonconformist.” This is neither a statement nor a question; it is more of an opinion. Although, in my opinion everyone is a conformist, there are nonconformists within certain areas. For instance, schools have those certain members who are rejected or cast themselves out; they are the nonconformists. Another example of this is that every clique within a school or organization is nonconforming within itself. The group of jocks and the group of Goths may consider one another nonconformists against each other. Small groups of nonconformists exist everywhere.
Wherever one goes in life, one will run into a person who believes they are nonconformists. This person(s) will believe they are unique in every way and that no one feels the same way that they do. They do not want sympathy, they do not want attention, and they just want to be left alone. These people will honestly tell you this is how they feel and that they are being nonconformists. To me, this is FALSE! They are NOT the only ones who feel depressed or hated or however they are feeling. There are hundreds maybe millions of people who feel the exact same way. Ultimate nonconformity is impossible.
If one looks for nonconformity, one could look at religion. Christianity has Christians who are nonconformists to, lets say, Hinduism. And Hinduism has Hindus who are nonconformists to Christianity. Any religion would classify another religion as nonconformity. One could say that Charles Darwin was the first and possibly the only true nonconformist, to our immediate knowledge that is. It is all relative to what one believes and has faith in.
Though “pure” nonconformity is extremely rare, nonconformity needs to exist for a society to function properly. If every single person conforms to the exact same thing, life would be dull, boring, and bleak. It would be like sitting in a room with twenty other individuals, each sitting in the same direction, wearing masks and the exact same clothing. You cannot move, talk, or do anything. A world without nonconformists would be hell. Every person has a personality, and in order for that personality to thrive one must not conform to at least some things. A little nonconformity brings life into the everyday life. It is what separates us from the norm, and makes us the individuals that God intended from the very beginning.
If one is classified as a nonconformist you are a conformist. One may be utterly different from their surroundings and be extremely individual, but somewhere else in the world someone else feels or looks the exact same. Although, in my opinion everyone is a conformist, there are nonconformists within certain areas. For instance, schools have those certain members who are rejected or cast themselves out; they are the nonconformists. Wherever one goes in life, one will run into a person who believes they are nonconformists. If one looks for nonconformity, one could look at religion. Nonconformity is not a bad thing, it is a very good thing, but being a conformists in some areas is also a very good thing.

This is my opinion----^

I recently wrote this for a school paper , but I want some outside input...

What do you think? Are there nonconformists in society or is everyone a conformist? And is it good or bad?

Get the brain gears turning!

[Supersprynt]

My head hurts and you're making me think of Objectivism. Objectivist philosophy believes that you are always acting in your own way to achieve your own goals and that relationships are a construct of trade. Wether it be goods, or money or a feeling, you are always getting something from a relationship. Even a single sided relationship can be said to be producing something and giving it to you. I love my car, does my car love me? No, however I do get something back from the love I give to my car, I get the feeling of pleasure every time I drive it. No matter what you do in Objectivism, you are doing it for yourself.

Yes and no. Every man is an end to himself, which basically means you have control over yourself and no others and your own personal happiness & self interest hold supreme importance. So what you're saying that a person is always out to gain something for himself could be true, in a way, these could very well be unconscious decisions. It is also only 1/4 of the objectivist view. But you could also apply this to every action ever anywhere, so it's not going to really help the argument with conformity.

Let me add: I don't agree that there is a such thing as a total non-conformist. Everyone conforms in one way or another. Whether it's following laws, doing what your parents say, being the religion of everyone else, wearing the latest fashion...You'd have to be an alien from a different planet to be a non-conformist.

This post has been edited by Supersprynt: Dec 4, 2008 - 10:43 AM