Nobody Is Forcing You To Live Up To "Society's" Expectations!

[astrOnaut01]

This article is going to be on the recurring theme I see in a lot of arguements regarding gender politics. The omnipotent, vague entity known as "society" always imposing it's expectations on.. well.. society. I'm sick of hearing this shit, and you probably are too.

Disclaimer: Slightly rushed, and I skimmed through the article for grammar and spell-checking so I apologise in advance for any mistakes.

First of all, who is this "society"?

It sounds eerily similar to the other various boogeymen of many conspiracy theorists, for example: "The Illuminati", "The Free Masons", "The Government" (This one isn't an unfalsifiable theory like the others but still a common scapegoat), "The Patriarchy"... you get the idea, right? A catchy name that you can use a scapegoat for all of life's woes. There doesn't even need to be actual physical evidence of this entity, you just need vague descriptions of how they affect society and the listener will then see "evidence" of this entity everywhere.

You have no obligation to adhere to "society's" expectations

Expect of course for the expectation of not murdering and stealing. But apart from the obvious, go wild! Wear a tin-foil hat! Be unhygienic! Be as hairy or bald as you please! You absolutely are allowed to do this stuff; Nobody is forcing you not to. Sure, people will give you strange looks but that is only a big deal if you make it that way.

A good role model for this philosophy is your friendly neighbourhood weirdo. You know who I'm talking about: The obese woman who rummages through bins, the old man who wears short shorts and nothing else, that one dude who wears leather clothes.. Look up to them for encouragement! Your hairy arms cannot be as bad as that old guy's left bollock poking out of his shorts.

"So if society isn't forcing me to obey it's expectations, then who is?"

*cue cliché drum-roll*.. YOU! That's right, you are the one actively forcing yourself to adhere to what you believe is "society's" expectations. You are the one who gives a fuck what "society" thinks. If you colour outside of the lines, then it is you who punishes yourself. If you see people laughing at you for crying then it is you who views that as a consequence of not staying in line with everyone else.

Take some responsibility over your life. Don't let people dictate what kind of person you are, to a reasonable extent of course. When you complain about society forcing it's expectations on you while at the same timme obeying, you sound like that in-the-closet brojock who doesn't put much effort into resisting the charms of the flaccid dicks surrounding him the shower.

[nalaa]

"Nobody Is Forcing You To Live Up" that's totally ignorant to our biology. We're a social species. Conformity is in our genes, because not fitting in might get you excommunicated and in cavemen days, that's a death sentence.
Being in a community holds a strong evolutionary advantage. Saying we should just not care, is like saying we should just not want sex. It's an instinct you can't just turn it off

[astrOnaut01]

Fair point. But still, that would mean that the reader is forcing them self to obey to societal expectations, not a scapegoat.

But I see what you mean, it is hard to ignore because it is ingrained in us.

[Nik1hil]

Perfect reply dude..

[nalaa]

@Nik1hil I'm a girl

[Nik1hil]

No I am a girl today... Am I wrong @Red_Arrow

[Red_Arrow]

@Nik1hil - Don't bother me. Aunt Flow is visiting. :-(

[Spiorad_Aisce]

I like the premise of these take and will take some of it to heart but I may not go all the way of strolling around in short shorts - Good point, well made, I like the concept of you are "society".

[BeeNee]

Now by reading this, how shall we say, "rant", about not conforming, if I follow it, aren't I actually conforming to you telling me not to conform! You are a very part of the society who's rules you either claim not to follow or you want others not to follow, yet you're instructing us to follow your ideas. Even the weirdo down the block isn't as unique as you think if as you put it, "A good role model for this philosophy is your friendly neighbourhood weirdo. You know who I'm talking about." How could I know this type of person given that we probably live in different places, if there weren't already several of these type of people in existence. You see, this whole idea of uniqueness and non-conformity, and on and on aren't really all that unique. And then bottom like, if everyone goes to Starbucks and wears beige but you freakin' love Starbucks and wear beige, are you actually conforming or in actuality expressing you actual love for something... so yeah.

[astrOnaut01]

Don't be mistaken, I conform to societal expectations. Or at least I try my best to.

This article is for those who complain about society dictating their lives as if it was an omni-potent entity, yet still conform.

Would you be conforming if you listened to what I say? Not really, I am not dictating how you should live. Or at least, not in the same way "society" (I use quotation marks to signify when I'm referring to the omni-potent magical being which dictates how everyone lives) does. I'm just saying that the only people who are stopping the readers from not conforming is themselves, and that their quirks are probably minimal in comparison to the neighbourhood weirdo (every place has one).

[BeeNee]

So then what is the point really? This argument is completely flawed because conformity, and the way you use it, does not equate with just following a big group of people around and some sort of sucking out of your soul. For example, I drive a car. So does about 80% of the rest of society where I live. I drive a car because it's the fastest and most effective way to get to work. I also work. So does a lot of society. I work because I need money to live in my house and pay for food and various other needs. Following the masses has kept me fed, clothed, and with a job. What would be the motivation to go against that given the alternative. A terrorist is a non-conformist. They seek to destroy society in the worst way, and yet very few people on earth would say this is a good thing, so there are massive benefits to conforming, ones health and safety and well being being a huge part. The people who complain often don't want to be responsible or have this idea that they are going...

[BeeNee]

... to be so different if they don't conform, but what are they going to do... join a band, its been done before... dye their hair purple and shave the sides up, done before, become a vegetarian, done, done, and done before. Non-conformist and conformists are basically one in the same. Having a different idea on how you want to live doesn't make you a radical. It just gives you a difference of opinion on something which at least in the society I live in, you are basically free to explore of your own free will... you know, the free will given to you by the conformists :o)

[astrOnaut01]

You are misunderstanding the point of my article. Point me to where I said "Don't work" or "Don't get a car". If you actually read it you would see "But apart from the obvious, go wild!" - Obviously you are supposed to work and take responsibility for yourself. Obviously you are not supposed to be a terrorist. It seems like you are just mouthing off at a straw-man.

I mean that you don't have to conform with other people in the way you dress, wear your hair etc. And I have already stated that I AM A CONFORMIST as well, or that I try to be. You're still assuming I am one of those "2edgy4u" emo/anarchist/scene kids or whatever. I'm not even telling people that they MUST be a non-comformist, I am saying that no person is forcing them to be or not to be.

[astrOnaut01]

And yes, thank you for pointing out that the "uniqueness" many non-conformists claim to have is in reality quite common. Furthering my point in the article that their quirks are more often that not minimal when compared to the neighbourhood weirdo.

[BeeNee]

I'm saying your point really isn't much of a point. Your whole last paragraph is about the only one forcing them to conform, is themselves, but in order to say maintain that job, they may need to have a normal colored hair do to say be a teacher in a classroom or a lawyer. So to say, hey then simply don't conform isn't really the truth of it. Its that responsibility, its kids, its a spouse, its bills, its the need to survive that they need that is holding them to not "going crazy" and so called thinking outside the box. The complaints sometimes aren't just whining about nothing, it's that they have accepted that need for personal responsibility that has made them conform... and again, conformity isn't a bad thing if you use it to say, I don't know, survive in this world. So in the long run there is no such thing as living a conformist or non-conformist life. Let people complain, let them believe they are conforming or not, it doesn't really matter.

[astrOnaut01]

The snideness is unnecessary but I agree with your point that obeying societal expectations is sometimes necessary for survival. Especially for most high-paying careers.

[BeeNee]

This is the internet. It is almost impossible through text or typing to tell the true intentions of someone's writing. I'm in no way being snide, just simply debating a take or disagreeing with the premise of this take. Now if you are annoyed by that and would like me to stop, I have no problems with that. I thought we were having a good discussion, but no worries. I wish you all the luck, and have a good one, okay.

[astrOnaut01]

I am not at all annoyed by your disagreement, in fact I welcome it. That's what the internet is for, right?

I'm only slightly annoyed at what I perceived as unnecessary sarcasm. If I misinterpreted you then I apologise. Happens all of the time.

[BeeNee]

Apology accepted.

[aliceinwonderland69]

Society isn't a magical entity it's a collection of individuals and the obese women who rummages through bins probably gets periodically beaten, arrested and sectioned.

[astrOnaut01]

I know society isn't a magical entity but people talk about it as if it is and use it as a scapegoat, which is the point I was trying to make.

You're right in your second paragraph but what I mean is you can be obese, old, wear weird clothes etc and still be comfortable with yourself

[Walls_and_Doors]

Good luck using this as defense in your Public Indecency trails.

[astrOnaut01]

I got a good lawyer

[Soulife]

www.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DCMVUhqdjHIM

You have 46 minutes with no obligations? Educate yourself with this awesome video! :)

[Gameboy4]

There is someone controling the world but you would know who they are? It's not the illuminati because that would be stuipd. Tbh we humans have made it this far mabey the really know what there doing but we humans probably wouldn't understand.

[Marstalk]

Hey now some societies accept murder and stealing as fundamental elements to it.

[Anonymous]

Google Max Stirner, make yourself a plate of chocolate milk then continue

[cafeSOL]

cool scene bro...