We live in a world where social norms define us. "Society's expectations" dictate our behavior. We act a certain in away because "that's how were supposed to." We need to eliminate these unwritten rules on how to act. Who came up with them anyway? The world holds us up to some sort of standard. These social norms are instilled in us for years. We deem whatever we’re doing as "right." We keep reminding ourselves that this how we were taught to present ourselves.
Conformity has become a way of life. Take this social experiment where every individual faces the opposite way in an elevator and slowly the woman not informed of the experiment turns around too. The narrator says, “That’s not normal human behavior.” This simple experiment indicates how individuals will follow the crowd in most circumstances. Slowly, this woman changed her body as she felt out comfortable not joining others around her. Many of us feel out of place when we don’t conform to social norms.
Social norms are crap. We fear being judged or ridiculed for our actions. We live in a world where we are afraid of what other people think about us. That's not a way to live life. There's no such thing as being normal, so we need to stop trying to conform to social norms. This is not to say to go against universally permissible laws but be a non-conformist. Go against the majority. Let me tell you, it's more fun.
Somehow, we’ve come to this ridiculous notion about who texts who first. Try being the female who texts that guy first. What's the worst that can happen? Disregard how technology defines relationships. If you have something to say, say it. Do whatever makes you happy. Let people make their comments. This is not to say you should disobey laws or be disrespectful to others but by all means defy social constructs.
Go the gym because that makes you feel healthier not because you're trying to fit some ideal body image. It’s hard not to feel insecure when the media advertises a certain images of women.
Go out to a club with your friends on the weekend because that's what you want to do not because that's how everyone else seems to spend their Saturday nights.
Webster dictionary presents two interpretations for "conformity," the simple definition, “behavior that is the same as the behavior of most other people in a society, group,” and the full definition “action in accordance with some specified standard or authority.” Therefore, breaking from conformity entirely seems utterly impossible. Though nonconformist acts can be from dressing a certain way to becoming an activist against a customary practice. The least we can do is try to break away from social standards.
We live in a world of authors, directors, and politicians that break from the considered norm. These people dissociated themselves from others. Where would we be without them? We need to focus on breaking social stigmas. We need to live our lives aside from conformity.
