Thursday, April 21, 2011

Conformity V Compliance

Picture from labspace.open.ac.uk

Man (1969) states that “the essence of conformity is yielding to group pressure”.
A question hangs in the air for me, do I comply or do I conform? Do I publicly conform but secretly have a different point of view, so therefore comply?


Mostly as I have evolved I have unconsciously absorbed information and have been satisfied with what came to me first hand but never really explored to discover truth. Never investigated or researched a topic to acquire actual facts.

Have you ever thought that what someone has told you has to be the truth because they are the ones experiencing life in the army or has traveled the world so they would know, and you have just left it at that. Not followed that up with an experience yourself or found the facts for yourself. They may in fact be right but what I am saying is that we must gather the truth for ourselves and make choices based on our own experiences or facts. Do we believe there is a God because someone says there was or do we seek the Lord out for ourselves and learn about the bible rather than have someone just tell us what it says. So do we follow the group that says this is the way so follow this religion. Do we conform to that religion because our friend says that's the one? Do we follow but secretly believe that the other religion is the one for me? That would be compliance right?

I have woken up to the fact that I have been a follower and I have complied to keep the peace. This isn't a negative thing in fact I think it is our natural way of being. Most of us have had influences such as TV, billboards, magazines,newspapers, friends, sports groups, religion, etc. We have had rules and laws to comply with. We have had our peers pressure us into things and elders tell us the way to behave "where is your manners, did you leave them at home?" " You must be seen and not heard". Shaping the mould before we think for ourselves. Morals and values and beliefs are concrete.

I have issues with clothing and wish that I had discovered the art form of sewing. The shops usually follow the trends to the latest seasonal catalogues, so therefore there are lots of clones out there all following the same dress code. ME, I want to be different, dress in a way that shows my character. Do you know how hard this is when you don't want to go with the flow and follow the groups all wearing the same. I know there are others that have that problem too. I want to be like a canvas or the cover of a book. I want my identity to be me not what the shops say I should be by offering what they think should be worn for this season.......how do the designers know i want to be different? Shops aren't to blame, are they? Anyway, I conform.

I don't mind that I have been shaped or moulded, I like who I am. I like though that I have woken up to the fact that I comply and conform and but I now want to learn and explore all that I see and hear, discover what the truth is for myself. I am allowing my mind to open up to the possibilities of seeing things in a new light. Its almost refreshing.

Looking forward to challenging some of my own beliefs!



4 comments:

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