Intro Paragraph: Conformity

Conformity and rebellion have actively shaped and guided people since the beginning.  Both ideals have their positive and negative aspects, and cannot be strictly classified as good or bad. The classification of good or bad is dependent on the perspective of the individual.  A rebel can state that they are a freedom fighter, while the conformist are simply sheep following the masses.  On the other hand, a conformist can state that they are perserving the peace, while the rebels are creating chaos and anarchy.  Aside from the classification of good/evil, both are needed for society to evolve and prosper.  Without conformist, there would never be order, and without the rebels/individuals, there would never be change.  Experiences in life has a big affect on people's decision to be a rebel or conformist, because it impacts the mind/thought process.  My grandma had lived through the Korean War, and when there was word of another war starting in Korea, she decided to flee the country so that her children would not have to endure the hardships of war she had faced.  My grandma had used the theories of conforming and rebelling/being and individual to her advantage. In America, she had to adapt to the culture and society in order to gain a stable lifestyle. However, she was able to stick to her Korean culture, since there were some Korean communities.  

Brainstorm Conformity:

Conformity and rebellion have both been apart of humans since the beginning.  The view on both is dependent on perspective.  A rebel can state that they are fighting for freedom while the conformist are simply sheep following the masses.  On the other hand, a conformist can state that they are perserving the peace while the rebels are creating chaos and anarchy.  However, both are needed for society to evolve and prosper.  Without conformist, there would never be order, and without the rebels/individuals, there would never be change.  Neither rebels nor conformists should be seen negatively.  Although, there are some negative consequences in being a rebel, such as becoming an outcast, and a conformists, losing one's true self.  

Conformity: Grandma Cont.

My grandma was afraid of the talk of war that was arousing between North and South Korea.  She had experienced the Korean war, and wanted her 7 children to have a better and safer life.  She had the opportunity to immigrate to America, because her sister already resided there.  My grandma had a difficult time integrating with the american society due to her incapability of speaking english.  She felt some prejudices due to her lack of communication (Didn't speak english) but she successfully ran a market and created a stable environment for her children.  She strongly stressed receiving a good education because she wanted her children to have economic opportunities.

Conformity Questions:

1) To what extent do you believe people should conform to?
2) Would you conform to society, for the greater good of the public?  Even if it means losing some of your autonomy?
3) What were the pressures to conform during your childhood/teenage years?
4) Would you be independent, even if it ment being a social outcast?
5) Which choice would you make? To completely conform to society, or be completely independent?
6) What pressures you to conform or be independent?


Additional questions will be added

Conformity

The general mass should conform to society.  By conforming, order is created and maintained.  However, people should conform to the extent where conforming goes against their morals or is detrimental to his/herself.  Without order, there is only chaos and anarchy, where anyone would be able to do as they please.  However, there must also be those independent minds that help drive society forward.  Without those independent thinkers, everyone would be sheep, simply doing what everyone tells them to do.  Usually, conforming people is either for the benefit of society, as a whole, or a benefit for the individual.  Such as conforming to the notion how education increases the rate of being successful in the future.  If children were not forced to go to school, there would definitely be a steep decrease in the attendance of schools.  However, knowledge is a must for intellectual development, and through this, we can help society progress.  Therefore, conforming is needed to maintain order, but independent thinkers are also needed to progress society, and keep it on the right path.

Pressure

My grandma lived during the time Korea split into two and the war ensued.  She moved to the south and constantly worried about her sons being drafted into the army.  As a result, she moved to America, where she faced many prejudices and tried to make a living to feed her 8 children...

HoD: 2nd Body

Contrasting the id, the superego restrains the mind from running wild.  The presumption that whites are restrained and sophisticated is a false ideal, and it is shown that the natives can also display restraint according to their situation, as seen by the cannibals, and the enslaved africans in the outer and central stations.  Cannibals are often thought as monstrous, violent animals that would eat one another the second they had the chance.  However, on Marlowe’s boat to the inner station, they are seen to have complete restraint over their hunger, even when the run out of food.  Marlowe even comments on their restraint “QUOTE”.  This example depicts how even cannibals can show a superego when in the right circumstance.  The situation of employment the cannibals are in, undoubtedly demands them to restrain themselves and act more civilized.  The consequence for not doing so could be either not receiving payment, or a harsh punishment.  The natives are also seen as savage beasts that are barbaric and have strange rituals, as seen in the inner station and Marlowe's journey to the inner station, where they are attacked by natives.  However, in the outer and central station, they are enslaved and obediently follow their masters.  The fear of being punished is what most likely keeps the natives tied down.  So, the environment can not only cause civilized people to run wild, when there is a lack of restraint, but also force those that were wild and free to become subservient and "civilized."