Are humans conformist by nature?

[Winston]

Are humans conformist by nature? It seems so. But if so, then since we are nonconformists, wouldn't that mean that there is something "unnatural" about us? If so, why? And how did we get this way?

Are we just more evolved or more conscious than others? Or did we go off the wrong track from normal humans at some point? If so, how and why?

[Bane]

Are humans conformist by nature? It seems so. But if so, then since we are nonconformists, wouldn't that mean that there is something "unnatural" about us? If so, why? And how did we get this way?

Are we just more evolved or more conscious than others? Or did we go off the wrong track from normal humans at some point? If so, how and why?

I think in general we are. It has to do with the fact that we are "social animals," or "herd animals" depending on who you ask. Regardless of what most humans say, most of them place great value in what others think of them. Most of us want to be accepted and liked by "the masses" so we will follow whatever trends are fashionable at a particular time, just so that we don't risk ostracism by the larger group. Most humans are too afraid/not creative enough to blaze their own trails and not follow the pack. Of course, there are plenty of exceptions found in nature. However, they are rare, and are not the rule among humans. Perhaps nonconformity serves some type of advantage from an evolutionary standpoint. Nonconformists bring us the new ideas and new innovations that help advance our species. However, we must balance this out. Non-conformity also gives us people like Adam Lanza and George Sodini. Maybe non-conformity in small doses works well in nature. Perhaps that's why nonconformists exist, but not in large numbers. Perhaps having too many nonconformists will create a society which is too chaotic? Maybe conformity does bring order, up to a certain point.

Just some thoughts.

[lavezzi]

Humans are highly collectivist by nature, only said collectivism can become highly distorted if an advanced level of economic development occurs without correspondingly high levels of spiritual (or psychological) development to create balance. When this is the case, a perverse form of collectivism emerges which one may call egocentrism, as clearly exemplified in the western world. This is when the tribal (collectivist) mammal instincts become almost entirely focused an illusory "individual" self which is really just as much of a reflection of the collective value structure as before, only extended in a way which creates the impression of individuality by placing sole emphasis on personal superiority. Living in such a way is bound to either causes narcissism wherein an individual deludes himself into believing his self-concept, ideas, beliefs etc. are objective and true even despite piling evidence to the contrary, or a high levels of self-doubt wherein one experiences much emotional turmoil. The former may be called security and the latter insecurity, but truly both these things are the same; they are the two polarities of the same process, which is self-consciousness or the possession of self-referential thinking processes. To be a true individual is to possess low levels of self-consciousness, otherwise you will always be conforming to external value systems one way or another, be they "mainstream" or not.

[Cornfed]

It is said that humans in their natural state operate together like the fingers of a hand. There is no individuality as such. Instead groups of humans have a kind of collective mind. When tyrants conquer such people the first thing they generally do is break down this collective mind by imposing coercive rationing systems that encourage individuals to pursue their own interests at the expense of others. This results in a period of deep distress, followed by the people becoming the atomized individuals and backstabbing assholes that we are familiar with. However, they miss the sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves, so the controllers can ironically enhance their control by offering various facsimiles of the collective mind they have destroyed for the people to conform to. So in a sense humans indeed are conformist.

[Winston]

Great video about how nonconformity is the CURE for a sick self and sick society. You will love this one @Lucas88.

However, NPCs conform without thinking about it. They cannot choose the opposite because they are soulless and part of the matrix and don't have a divine soul. To them, there's no choice. Conformity is the only way. So they don't even see the choice. This is the case with virtually everyone in Asia who is a pure conformist and lives to make money.

[fschmidt]

[The Wily Fox]

Why are humans conformist? Mainly weakness and cowardice. Abnegation of the self is one of the greatest sins we can commit. Anton LaVey outlines herd conformity as one of the most unacceptable actions for any self respecting Satanist...