Individuality Vs Conformity The Healthy Middle Analysis

In S.E. Hinton’s story, The Outsiders, group identity is so important that sometimes people overshadow their own identity. In our generation it is kind of the same way to some people, for instance people sometimes act and dress differently around the popular kids to fit in. While at home they do their normal routine and stay true to themselves. This is so important to the story for many reasons. It is also really important to kids this age in 2017.

Conformity shapes our everyday decisions, whether it is acknowledged or not. Students supress their true selves out of fear of being ostracized, conforming to the social standard of normal. In The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth By Alexandra Robbins and the movie Dead Poets Society, Both Whitney and Neil face conformity, but they each deal with it differently. This raises the essential question, what are the effects of conformity in high schools? Conformity causes students to develop self esteem issues, due to their belief that their real personality and appearance is lacking and such, changes themselves to fit the standard of normal.

Teenagers often get stereotyped either because of their gender or their skin colour, they rarely speak up or take action which results in getting singled out and treated unfairly. This book inspires teens to find their voice during those situations. Also,in life difficult relationships are often the reason teenagers choose to be reserved and not share much, it is important that they find their voice and find a way to fix it. In addition, teenagers are quick to find aspirations and dreams, they later develop their talent by following their own voices and figuring out their strengths. In the society we live in, many teens feel that they do not have a voice, that they are not being heard.

In today’s society the general attitude towards an individual is conform or be an outcast. It is seen in schools where people who do not fit into specific cliques become outcasts, the weird people. It is seen in the work place as well. People have conformed to standards set by society simply because society has said to do so. Society asks people to change themselves to fit in.

A new generation brings in a new, different culture. And somehow, it goes from different to rebellious. The adult American society will often look at the youth subculture’s homology: their choice of clothes, music, dance, and their overall lifestyle, and they will just begin to form these “personality conflicts” (O’Connor 412). If adults, more specifically parents, begin to have better understanding of why their subculture is often so different, then they will be able to relate to and raise “better” teenagers. This does not mean that every elder and adult has to embrace youth culture, but there should be an attempt to have a better understanding of it.

Of Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals, the author of “Individuality vs. Conformity: The Healthy Middle?” uses pathos most effectively to get the reader to relate to her argument. In the informative essay, “Individuality vs. Conformity: The Healthy Middle?” the writer focuses on how everyone wants to be different and similar to everyone else at the same time; however, there is a way to do so and everyone should try. The writer supports her own opinion by highlighting the fact that people are different and she gives the readers 4 examples of individuality, but again teens want to have the same mindset and goals as others. The authors’ purpose is to convince her readers to find the healthy middle of being a conformist and being an individual

Everyone has a natural desire to fit in. Everyone has a natural desire to be accepted by others. These desires are strong enough to cause individuals to give up there uniqueness. We are all told at a young age that everyone is different and that is wonderful. However, societal norms contradict this idea.

1- The three basic statements that the author made about teenagers is that they are individual, misconceived, and narrow minded people. His evidence to these claims is that teenagers are anxious to preserve their individuality and that they are willing to forgo many of the group benefits that the society offers in order to do so. The author believes that the teenage desire to be a person is what puts them in conflict with society. To support his claim about teenagers being misconceived, the author implied that teenager’s everyday are surrounded with advertisements that create exceptions which are rarely fulfilled. Last but not least, teenagers having a naïve faith is frightening to him because he believes that is what Hitler exploited during

Young people in the 21st Century need to reevaluate their ethics; David McCullough is helping them understand that by explaining that they need to be honest with themselves and their reality. His scathing criticism of them and their culture, philosophies, and ideologies, is justified and insightful; teens in the United States allows special to become a meaningless term, prefers to win instead of achieving, and cares too much about superficial accomplishments instead of internal growth. McCullough makes a point throughout his speech to say that being special is not just given to you; teenagers are not special by default. In the speech, while he is explaining why young people should look forward to more than just being special or different, in

Introduction The film, Mean Girls, a 2004 American teen comedy, focuses on female high school social “cliques” and their effects. In doing so, the movie brings up various topics of sociological relevance, with connections to two of the main topics discussed in the first semester of this course. This film’s characters and world tie into modern socialization and gender issues, giving sociologists a satirical in-depth view of the social hierarchy present in today’s youth—particularly concentrated in young female teenagers. The movie addresses gender stereotypes, socialization and assimilation into a complex high school environment, self-fulfilling prophecy, and various other concepts important to the development of a social self for teens in the

Conformity is present in every group situation with adolescents. Adolescents are always looking to be a part of a group, usually conforming to the standards of the group. Adolescents often conform because they want to have the approval of the peers that are well liked or “popular”. A great example of adolescents and conformity is in the chick flick ‘Mean Girls’ through the different cliques in high school and how it affects the peers themselves. Caty, the main character, is faced with several difficult situations where she decides to conform with her high school peers getting her in trouble that becomes hard for her to escape.

Nowadays during times of social media and influencers, self-image is a very crucial part of everyone's daily life. Making sure you look good and look like a good person is some of the top things in young, teenage minds. This can cause people to act differently than how they truly feel because of pressure from society to fit in. In the novel, All American Boys by Brenden Kiely and Jason Reynolds. One of the protagonists, Quinn, struggles with society when an incident with a police officer and one of Quinn's friends, Rashad, changes his world.

In today's society, the balance between individualism and conformity to society's expectations is a prominent and deceptive conflict. Oftentimes, the individual must put his uniqueness aside and settle for a view of an occupation, hobby, or idea that society agrees with. Instead of expressing original and creative ideas, they are held hostage by comparing themselves with the lives and accomplishments of others and the standards their our society. One of the biggest tools of society, social media, allows people to share ideas and interests with everyone. However, naturally, one will only post what he knows others will accept and enjoy just as he does.

Everyone sees what you look like, few feel what you are. Over the years, the number of people seeking to fit into the society has increase. These types of behaviors are most seen in teenagers; however, young adults and even adults are not outside this classification. They are people who believe themselves indispensable and irreplaceable, thinking that everyone revolves around them. They invent a world of fantasies, find it hard to live in reality and create a fictional world where there is only what their mind wants to exist.

Despite the fact that identity development occurs throughout one 's lifetime, adolescence is the stage where individuals begin to think and experience a sense of self or identity for the first time and how that could affect their lives (Steinberg, 2008). Identity development in the teen years includes ethnic and cultural identity, gender identity, sexual identity, interpersonal, health, body image, and learning to handle adult responsibilities. While teens are exploring on what makes them distinctive or special, they also have an increased need to fit in into the society. Therefore, identity development can be challenging particularly for teens who feel different from