Wednesday, March 03, 2010

conformity


Once conform, once do what other people do because they do it, and a lethargy steals over all the finer nerves and faculties of the soul.

~ Virginia Woolf ~
from her essay, "Montaigne"

Let me just say, no conformists reside here. We are a household of individuals and free spirits.

On this, I must agree with Virginia. Not that there is anything wrong with conforming if, indeed, the act matches one's own personal state. But, conforming for the sake of being like everyone else? Never. Works. Not when it comes to one's well-being.

I am not truly far off the beaten path. Yet, wearing a uniform has never worked for me. Oh, one summer, I wore the uniform of a Dairy Queen employee. That's about it.

How about you? Conform? Or not?

7 comments:

margie said...

dairy queen. even the name makes me smile. love dairy queen ice cream. edible oils. very non conformist.

Carrie Wilson Link said...

What I have the greatest problem with are the non-conformers that all conform to non-conforming, you know what I mean? They all match in their efforts to not conform.

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graceonline said...

Well. That's a question. When I was a child, I was different from absolutely everyone else, including my own brother and sisters. So naturally, my dream was to be just like everyone else. Dear god, don't let me stand out in a crowd. I became an expert at being invisible.

By the time I was a teenager, I decided to embrace difference. Loved being different. I wanted to dress differently, smarter--trendy before the trend hit our town. I celebrated my differences. Still, I did not fit in, and that rubbed.

Old woman now, I neither celebrate nor deny my quirkiness. I still use my cloak of invisibility frequently, as well as conformity, which has its uses, and which I utilize carefully, and I laugh as often as possible, frequently at myself, mirthfully, without deprecation.

Susan O'Neil said...

I worked at Dairy Queen one summer too!!!! Ooo, now i want a peanut buster parfait.

Joan said...

Does the saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" fit here? There are circumstances where it is okay to conform, I suppose, but it is always better to just be yourself. I love you for doing that, Wanda.

Deb Shucka said...

I've tried both conforming and non-conforming and am only just now figuring out how to just be whatever I happen to be.