Ours is a conformist society. Social media has made it even more so. The vast majority of us are afraid to appear different from our peers. Social media allows us to create and enforce peer standards that bind us to (locally) acceptable thoughts and behaviors. We do what we must to fit in. Woe to s/he who doesn’t.
The non-conformist exists primarily because there are still people so stubbornly independent that they cannot conform, and couldn’t even if they wanted to, which they don’t. This would be okay if society hadn’t organized itself to stamp out non-conformity wherever it appears. Society is very good at this because society is composed of individual people, each acting in accord with the belief systems of their peers. It’s as though society was a splintered mirror with millions of shards! The non-conformist finds that through their atypical thoughts or behavior, they have taken on an army of others who exist (seemingly) to make sure nothing is said or done that isn’t part of the group catechism of proper thinking. Read More
