Individuality And Conformity Research Paper

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Consequences of Individuality and Conformity
Do you go your own way or follow the pack? Individuality and conformity each have their own place in society, but not in the same ways. Both are needed in society, however there are consequences if either of them are taken to the extreme.
Conforming to the pressures of society can lead to serious consequences. Conformity is defined as “a change in behavior that results from real or perceived group pressure” (Cash 1). Conformity often involves going against one’s better judgement. Often times, people disregard their own intentions to ‘fit in’ or be liked. This idea is represented by Marge Piercy, who, in her poem “Barbie Doll”, writes, “She was advised to play coy, exhorted to come on hearty, exercise, …show more content…

Sociologist Robert Bellah says that “[t]he social problems confronting us today...are largely the result of failures of our institutions, and our response, largely the result of our failure to realize the degree to which our lives are shaped by institutional forces and the degree to which we, as a democratic society, can shape these forces for the better” (Andre and Velasquez 1). A democratic society requires people to come together for a greater cause. Conformity is needed to improve a society. Bellah explains that “[what prevents Americans from “taking charge” is...our long and abiding allegiance to “individualism”-- the belief that “the “good society” is one in which individuals are left free to pursue their private satisfaction independently of others, a pattern of thinking that emphasizes individual achievement and self-fulfillment” (Andre and Velasquez 1). It is necessary to come together as a whole to shape institutional forces for the better. Individualism can be a barrier to reforming a society. Bellah writes, “A ruthless individualism, expressed primarily through a market mentality, has invaded every sphere of our lives, undermining those institutions, such as the family or the university, that have traditionally functions as foci of collective purposes, history, and culture. This lack of common purpose and concern for the common good bodes ill for a people claiming to be a democracy” (Andre and

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