Minority Conformity

As far as minority groups playing a role in a democratic republic, what role do they play? I mean, what are their actual rights, and to what level will these rights be asserted, while also benefitting the whole society? Mr. Volk explains the answers to these questions in this book Moral Minorities and the Making of American Democracy. Volk focuses this study and book on the protest groups that were actually active during the thirty years leading up to the civil war. And while this was all happening, there were the majorities that were getting into it with the newly confident minorities, giving Volk a perfect storm to study their not so perfect integration together.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a Letter from a Birmingham Jail, “Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture: but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals.” While it seems like a singular person has respectful opinions and is generally accepting, large groups are more likely to side on the negative view point on a subject. Whether this is because a larger group is louder with its opinions, or just because it is easy to be persuaded if there are more people with the same views, ‘good’ people are always in the minority. If the amount of good people in the world is low, true justice is near impossible. Then again, what is true justice?

“Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence. Minority is powerless while it conforms to the majority then; but it is irresistible when it clogs by its whole

The majority benefits when people are not silent

Pluralist theory of American politics states that every group has their advantages and disadvantages in the American political arena. In this theory, the political system is marked by equilibrium and non-cumulative inequalities, as well as dispersed, variable power and influence. Racial linked fate challenges the pluralist theory by suggesting that race plays a fundamental role in shaping political outcomes because of the cumulative inequalities Blacks have faced. The pluralist theory assumes that all groups have equal access to political incorporation within the American democratic process. However, Blacks do not have equal access to the political incorporation, and that their voices may be systematically marginalized or excluded from decision-making through voter suppression techniques that are designed to specifically disenfranchise Blacks, leading Blacks to have strong levels of group solidarity.

According to research, students in similar social circles have similar levels grades, leadership, and engagement. In my own experience, I have noticed high schoolers conform particularly to their friend’s desires. Even from simple things such as getting the same meal at lunch, students are constantly bending to the expectations of others. Yet, Robbins describes how we are set up to conform from childhood, and these studies of conformity prove it. In Asch’s study of conformity, he shockingly found that many people will give the wrong answer to an obvious question if everyone else gives that answer before them.

Conformity and group mentality are major aspects of social influence that have governed some of the most notorious events and experiments in history. The Holocaust is a shocking example of group mentality, or groupthink, which states that all members of the group must support the group’s decisions strongly, and all evidence leading to the contrary must be ignored. Social norms are an example of conformity on a smaller scale, such as tipping your waiter or waitress, saying please and thank you, and getting a job and becoming a productive member of society. Our society hinges on an individual’s inherent need to belong and focuses on manipulating that need in order to create compliant members of society by using the ‘majority rules’ concept. This

Conformity is often an effect of peer pressure. Especially in teens, peer pressure is very prominent, and submission occurs from a teens’ need to belong within a group or community. “Adults and adolescents often adjust their behaviour and opinions to peer groups, even when they themselves know better.... In the current study, the researchers found that children conformed their public judgment of a situation to the judgment of a majority of peers in spite better knowledge” (Disclosing par. 2).

al., 2015). In U.S. context, pluralism is often regarded as one of the hallmarks of America democracy. This is because in the United States, pluralism ensures the existence and maintenance of diverse group identities. It also implies that various groups in U.S. society have mutual respect for one another’s identity, a respect that allows minorities to express their own identity without suffering prejudice or hostility. In the United States, pluralism is thus more an ideal than a reality (Norman, 2015; Schaefer, 2000; Shaw et.

The struggle for truth has arguably inspired and produced the greatest achievements in human history. Truth is only attainable through change, and to change is to be open to truth. History's overwhelming presence of biases and dogmatism has contributed to stifled progress and deprived men from pursuing the truth. To oppose a viewpoint contrary to one that is strongly believed in, is characteristic of humans; however, few are open to change, even when confronted by the status quo. If observed, further, it is found that views which substitute the consensus for an objective standard have certain consequences which few would accept.

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.

We have a driving need to be a part of the group and to belong. Even if the group is wrong, we will conform to

Conformity and the ideas that surround it have many benefits for people because it creates company for others. The opposing side may argue that conformity does not create companionship,but they would be very mistaken,conformity brings people together which allows them and the people surrounding to grow relationships with others. All throughout life kids will learn that “Conformity is part of adolescence, and some of it is normal,” said Ms. Sherman, who prefers the term “peer influence” to “peer pressure.” “It’s how teenagers learn the rules of how to communicate and how to develop relationships. ”(Rabin)

however, large majority ended up changing to face the back of the elevator age can predict conformity; younger (youngest) to conform more often (more than 40% of the time), whilst the oldest are least likely to conform (14-24% depending on if they are middle-aged adult or late-age adult - respectively) men are more likely to conform fully, while women showed higher numbers of partial conformity Asch Experiment; subjects told they were participating in a perceptual experiment participants were each placed in a room with 7 “confederates” who were actually actors acting as to be also participants cards were shown to all the participants in their respective groups (with actors) and the participants were seated in a certain way so they would answer last (after each actor in their group) for the first two trials, the actors (everyone) answered correctly - with the most obvious answer after these two trials, they began to experiment whether the participant would also follow them (purposely giving obviously ‘wrong’ answers) subjects tend to follow their groups’ opinion due to ‘group pressure’ a majority of participants that participated (as the subject), tend to ‘follow’ the majority of the group → following their answers, despite knowing that the answer is obviously

The mentality to conform to the majority may result to