Firstly, in our society, people who conform, obey rules, accept customs, adopt other people’s behaviour and, in extreme cases, even become like them. Individuals, on the other hand, place importance on being themselves. Usually they do not hold firm opinions, which they are not afraid to express, nor are they afraid of being different from others. They value their individuality about their commonality with others. People who emphasise individuality above all else can often become socially dislocated.
Most of us, as socialised humans, conform in various obvious ways to the expectations of society. For example, Language, our parents teach us the language of our community, and we grow up more or less linguistic conformists. They also teach us good manners, so that we know how to speak politely, behave properly at the table, and in public places. In a social and moral sense, our parents teach us ‘right from wrong’.
Most people at times conform and at other times express their individuality. Most of us for some of the time at least, are conformists. There are, however, some people who place an unusually high value on individuality. Teenagers, for example, sometimes decide it’s time to strike out on their own, to cast aside conventions and express their individuality. They seek to become vigorously independent of the rules and customs that have governed their lives since childhood.
The Wave, written by Morton Rhue, has an issue with conformity and individuality.
In The Wave, Morton Rhue examines how ordinary people can become involved in a movement that actually takes away individuals’ rights and makes them conform to what the movement’s leader considers to be ‘the general good’.
He shows that even in a secondary school, people can be made to conform and abandon their personal preferences for the good of the community. Rhue recreates in the small, enclosed community of a typical secondary school, some of the conditions Hitler used in order to come to power in Nazi Germany. The community develops a salute, a symbol and a sense of common purpose. The students felt the power of belonging to an organised group that shares ideals and they do not question the value of the ideals. They simply enjoy the activities that give them a strong sense of belonging.
In addition, David says to Laurie about advantage of conformity ‘Because the are makes sense, Laurie. It works. Everybody is on the same team. Everybody’s equal for once.’ In the story of The Wave, the have three slogans relate to conformity. It is ‘STRENGH THROUGH DISCIPLINE, STRENGH THROUGH COMMUNITY, STRENGTH THROUGH ACTION’.
To conclude, ‘conformity and the individuality is one that is important to every member of our society. People conform and become individual for the own advantages. This issue examines the way we people live our live in our society. The issue of ‘conformity and the individual’ challenges you to reach some personal conclusions about how you would behave in certain circumstances.