Do you conform or are you your own person?
By Pose123
@Pose123 (21635)
Canada
October 31, 2010 7:12pm CST
When we realize that our opinions come from a combination of our own personal experiences and exposure to ideas, we see that having a different way of thinking is often a blessing. Some people are followers, they like to conform but others, though we might feel isolated, remain true to what we believe in, and the expression of those thoughts mean that we are living a life based on who we truly are and not what others wish us to be. We are all unique but not everyone realizes it.
2 people like this
11 responses
@zoey7879 (3092)
• Quincy, Illinois
1 Nov 10
Erik Petersen really said it best in his song "Roll Me Through the Gates of Hell", when it comes to the type of nonconformist that I am.
"When you offer pink or blue I'll take the blackest.
When you offer only two I'll offer three.
When you point me in a direction I'll run backwards.
And at the border of utopia I'll toast to anarchy!"
I'm 31 years old, but if most people that don't know me especially well would never guess this by how I dress. My hair is often light orange or green. I prefer to wear long shorts with t-shirts and hoodies. I listen mostly to folk/anarcho punk music. While the local social scene consists of drinking in bars and driving around through the mud, I prefer silly shenanigans in private with my friends, scribbling on each other with markers, playing stereotypically "nerd" games like Magic the Gathering. Hanging around and poking fun at B-rate movies is a blast, and so is baby oil/chocolate wrestling.
I prefer working my very low paying writing job 30-50 hours a week instead of hitting up a fast food place 10 hours a week for the same amount of pay. It gives me the freedom to be me.
I live in America where I am given the freedom of choice.
Why would I want to be like someone else and walk in the shadow of ignorance?
@sender621 (14893)
• United States
1 Nov 10
I don't like to conform to other people's standards. I have often listened to the beat of a different drum. I take pride in being my own person. Every opinion counts. We don't all have to agree with each other all of the time.1 person likes this
@nangisha (3495)
• Indonesia
1 Nov 10
Hi Pose123!.
I think being unique its great. There is one of my friend try to push the way she life over me and seem wanna created my as hers.
Its quite annoying is you ask me because I don't wanna to be push to someone who I am not. I am not perfect but I grateful for what I am.
1 person likes this
@puccagirl (7294)
• Israel
1 Nov 10
I am always, and have always been my own person. That is really important for me, because it can be very easy to conform without even realizing it, so I have always made it a point to fight that. I think I have succeeded up until now at least!
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
1 Nov 10
I use to conform to what my family does, probably mostly due to my mother dying when I was 13 and having sisters much older who took it upon themselves to take over. Having sisters to go to who are much closer to my age than my real mother, made me want to follow their ways even more, especially when I looked up to my oldest sister. But, as I matured, I saw that what we believed was not right, it was false and why I was not really happy. Now I no longer follow my family's ways, even after they put me down for it, because I have a new family in my friends who do more for me than my own sister ever did...
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
1 Nov 10
I have always been true to myself and, for that reason, I don't conform to any predetermined ideals of who or what I should be. Many times my views are in conflict with others but they are what I believe and, unless I learn something that changes my mind, I stand by them.
@queenatiuk (81)
• Malaysia
1 Nov 10
We are all different! That's right just as every grain of sand on a beach or every leaf on a tree is different and individual from every other, so are we. I am not so much referring to our physical looks here. Obviously we all look different from each other. What I mean is that our inner makeup or nature is individual.
1 person likes this
@Leodmanx2 (1)
• Canada
1 Nov 10
I am definitely not a conformist. In fact, most of my beliefs differ greatly from the norm. It is only when it is necessary to act in a certain manner that I do. Often, it can be irritating. It can also easily cause one to become isolated. I take pride, however, knowing that I am able to act independently. Although, sometimes it can go a bit too far and I may go against the flow, grain or whatever metaphor you wish to use just for the sake of being different.
1 person likes this
