Conformity vs. Individuality

[mark]

Ok, this sprung into my mind while reading Lonewolfs post on Fulla, the islam friendly girls doll. The last comment especially appealed to me, a girl of ten complaining that "Every single girl in Saudi looks like Fulla, with the dark hair and the black scarf. What's so special about that?"



What are your feelings on individuality, is it something to be encouraged in children? What about conformity, and fitting in, is that to be encouraged? Would you prefer a wild, rebelious child, or one totally obedient of your will? A child who questions your ideals and values, or blindly accepts all you believe?

Do you want your children to change the world, or fight to keep it as it is?

I'm interested in your thoughts on this, and also how you feel your parents would feel about this. I do mean this in general, not specifically about religion despite the example above.

[rock_26iin]

What are your feelings on individuality, is it something to be encouraged in children?

Definitely, the child should have his own identity

What about conformity, and fitting in, is that to be encouraged?

If he has his individuality, he is to decide whether he wants to fit in or stay the way he is, nothing should be imposed on a child with the possible exception of manners

Would you prefer a wild, rebelious child, or one totally obedient of your will?

Rebelious but not for the sake of being different and a revolutionary

A child who questions your ideals and values, or blindly accepts all you believe?

Develops his own values.

Do you want your children to change the world, or fight to keep it as it is?

Do what they feel is right



Just my 0.02$

[CtrlAltDel]

my parents never stopped or discouraged me from questioning anything - about day-to-day decisions or religion. and this is how i am going to bring up my son.



i dont want him to be a conformist - i wont torture him with early morning EAMCET coaching and all that crap...let him choose any career he wants...not just from among engineering, medicine or IT....



he wud be a free thinker with his own ideas - a step ahead of what i am now

[labelle]

What are your feelings on individuality, is it something to be encouraged in children? What about conformity, and fitting in, is that to be encouraged? Would you prefer a wild, rebelious child, or one totally obedient of your will? A child who questions your ideals and values, or blindly accepts all you believe?
Do you want your children to change the world, or fight to keep it as it is?

i am a strong beliver of charles Darwin's theory "Survival of the fittest" theory i want my child to be individual who can speak his/her mind. i want him /her to face the tough challenges of the life.

[Sharjeel]

Very nice topic!



A question for the non-conformists: Why break a system which is running fine?



There are subtle ways inwhich we can exhibit our individuality. Alhtough not a conformist, I strongly resist rebellion just for the heck of looking cool.

[Mayavi Morpheus]

A question for the non-conformists: Why break a system which is running fine?

There is a GMC truck ad which says "It is'nt more than what you need, it is more than what you are used to."



The current system may be working fine, but there is always room for improvement. As I said in another thread, nothing is this world is perfect, everything has to evolve.



The first computers, cars, airplanes everything man made was perfect for their time. But as demands changed, they became outdated and eventually replaced by a better model/systems. Why man made things, nature itself is not perfect and feels the need to evolve. From protozoa to Dinosaurs to mankind - evolution is a continous process. Nature outdid itself in every iteration. Even man kind evolved - from neanderthals to home sapiens to modern man. Modern man is also evolving - the brain size increased significantly in the last 10,000 years, blink of an eye in the evolution process.



Nature achieves equlibrium where it doesnt need to evolve, but then the equilibrium wont last long. If conditions change equilibrium is disturbed and nature strives to regain equilibrium. So you see, its a continously changing process which is not constant.



You would think that you have created a perfect system, but that perfect system is built around a variable called socio-economic conditions which change constantly. If your system doesnt keep up with the changes, that is evolve and improve, it is going to fail.

[akhilis2cool]

Very nice topic!

A question for the non-conformists: Why break a system which is running fine?

There are subtle ways inwhich we can exhibit our individuality. Alhtough not a conformist, I strongly resist rebellion just for the heck of looking cool.

u mean to say the current system is working just fine?

If it were then so many things wrongs wld. never have happened....



Change is the only Constant

[Imran Khan]

I belive that freedom is right but being in limit. Its the parental duties to teach them good and bad ...

[lizardking]

Its more like asking , do u want mortal happiness or immortal fame.