Thread: Question...

  1. #1
    Rambling Man
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    Question...

    If you had two choices on how you mature into society, and you are only allowed to choose on one side of the spectrum or the other which one would you choose out of the following:

    Strive to be like everyone else (the majority of society) allowing yourself to easily fit into the place of society while not breaking any social barriers, or strive to be unlike everyone else risking society rejection, although, allowing yourself a chance to achieve more individuality, as well as, possibly fitting into society very well but in just a different manner than everyone else does?

    Under those terms this may seem to be too broad of question, but I think most could basically come up with an answer. Option one lets you easily be a sociable person, however, you are rather similar to typical society. Whereas, option two risks you becoming a social freak, although, you have a chance to have a much more beneficial place in society.

    **I'm not even sure if using the term is proper for thsi question, but as of now, I can only come up with this word to help describe the question in as much detail as possible

    Again, you can only be on one end of the spectrum or the other, because replying with the answer of both (unless you have a very good explanation along with that answer) would be nothing more than lame. Also, try not to play so much into specific words in this post, because I tried to find the best fitting words I could think of as possible.

    ------------------------
    My answer to the question would be that I would much rather have to strive to be unlike everyone rather than strive to be like everyone else. If I were to have to be like every other person that would bore me, because I like to be able to have something that is apart of me that seperates me from everyone else. Not that I wish to be completely different, I like to have defining differences from most everyone else. Even if I had to be completely different that would be far better than being too absurdly similar.
    --------------------------


    Hopefully this thread doesn't turn out to be too cliche...
    Last edited by TechWins; 07-26-2003 at 06:01 AM.

  2. #2
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    I'd strive to be unlike everybody else. I listen to radiohead.

  3. #3
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    Unlike.

  4. #4
    pronounced 'fib' FillYourBrain's Avatar
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    like you said, too broad a question. And it places conformity in too negative a light. Regardless of what you all may say, and regardless of your individuality, you will all conform to what society requires you to be to get a job, to be successful, and to live life as a member of society. So, "Like everyone else" is the more accurate answer for myself as well as the rest of you. But like I said, that doesn't tell the whole picture. Individuality is not sacrificed by accepting the norm.
    "You are stupid! You are stupid! Oh, and don't forget, you are STUPID!" - Dexter

  5. #5
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    you will all conform to what society requires you to be to get a job, to be successful, and to live life as a member of society. So, "Like everyone else" is the more accurate answer for myself as well as the rest of you.
    Yea, but thats kind of a given, presumeably its the areas outside the required conforming that the question applies to.

    But yea it is too broad, invariably people conform in some areas and not in others.

  6. #6
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    I'd rather be an individual. If everyone was the same we wouldn't be where we are today.
    "When I die I want to pass peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather did, not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car."

  7. #7
    I don't try to be like or unlike, it just happens. I'm just me.

  8. #8
    pronounced 'fib' FillYourBrain's Avatar
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    that's a good answer. Some try to be different so hard that they miss out on being themselves.
    "You are stupid! You are stupid! Oh, and don't forget, you are STUPID!" - Dexter

  9. #9
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    Well, I think it's falling natural to me to be unlike. I think it's might got to do with my questioning personality. Although, sometimes I wish I was a little bit more like everyone else, but I guess when I am, it just bores me out.

  10. #10
    Rambling Man
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    ff and FYB, I, too, would much rather become who I am naturally rather than forcing it. But if I only had a choice of conforming to others or seperating myself from others I would choose the latter.

    Clyde and FYB, you're right, this question is far too broad and can't be answered properly.

  11. #11
    Just because ygfperson's Avatar
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    At the risk of going against the waves of popular opinion here, I'll choose 'conform'.

  12. #12
    carry on JaWiB's Avatar
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    I choose to let the world conform to me
    "Think not but that I know these things; or think
    I know them not: not therefore am I short
    Of knowing what I ought."
    -John Milton, Paradise Regained (1671)

    "Work hard and it might happen."
    -XSquared

  13. #13
    C++ Developer XSquared's Avatar
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    I'm me.

    If I was faced with that choice though, I'd choose conform.
    Naturally I didn't feel inspired enough to read all the links for you, since I already slaved away for long hours under a blistering sun pressing the search button after typing four whole words! - Quzah

    You. Fetch me my copy of the Wall Street Journal. You two, fight to the death - Stewie

  14. #14
    pronounced 'fib' FillYourBrain's Avatar
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    Its funny. When I was in high school I was on the be different bandwagon myself. I grew my hair out, dyed it green, acted weird in public, etc. But then one day I looked around and noticed that a lot of other people were obsessed with "being different" and that I was really just conforming to their group. The irony is hysterical actually. All of that so-called anti-conformity just to fit in.
    "You are stupid! You are stupid! Oh, and don't forget, you are STUPID!" - Dexter

  15. #15
    That's just like those so-called gothic people. They say that they don't care about what other people think of them, and they try to act different than the main group, and dress different, but if you look, they all dress the same, they all act different from main society in close to the same way, and they do things like listen to metal, just to get accepted. It is very funny, and extremely contradicting at once. I mean, they say they hate mainstream, but they made another stream, kinda like gothstream or something.

    If I had a choice between the two and I had to make one no matter what, I'd go with the different. I know I do and believe and different things than the "mainstream" does, but I do that because I really don't care about other people's opinion's of me.

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