The Effect of Conformity on People's Lives

Most of us would think that in such a different and modern society, we would have our own beliefs and rules towards things. But the truth is that we all get influenced by one another and conform to each other’s beliefs. Conformity changes our behaviours and beliefs to fit in with the rest of society even if we have completely different feelings inside. This can cause people to lose the real sight of themselves and creates a lack of diversity in the society.

Conformity can have consequences and can have a bad ending effect overall. In the play “Thunder on Sycamore Street” by Reginald Rose, it is shown about the consequences of conformity. In the play a character has found out something about one of his neighbors, he then starts to get everyone to believe his rumour. Most people thought it was true “We know. Charlie Denton doesn’t lie,” (Act 2) they are conforming to the idea that one of their neighbors are bad. This shows that no matter how strong the belief is, if one person believes it they can make others believe it also. Everyone wants to fit in and “follow” the people around them so that they look “normal”, instead of using their own thoughts and feelings.

In the poem “The Nonconformist” by Donald Davie, the poem is an offensive poem against our society now and the indifferences in the society. In the lines “When to conform is easy; to dissent; And when it is most difficult, conform?”, the poet is saying that going along with your community’s beliefs is usually easily done, even if conforming seems like the easiest option, doing the opposite is what makes you a true person. The author is also asking how people can make everyone else to go against standard society’s beliefs and their view of norm, “How else explain this bloody-minded bent to kick against the prickings of the norm”.

In conclusion, conformity is very common these days but is also a flaw in the human world. We all want to fit in and be accepted without facing the consequences of conforming to the rules. No one wants to disagree with it because they won’t be accepted in the society and will look “different”. Conformity can alter people’s lives and mess with our minds, not allowing us to think before we act and causing confusion to the people around us.