Conformity Poisons Your Soul
Three Point Essay #19 | Dangers Of Compliance, Individual Uniqueness, Solitude
Here’s a three-pointer to open your mind.
The mission of “Three Pointers” & about the author here
The Evils Of Conformity
The worst thing I can be is the same as everybody else. I hate that.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger
If you’re reading this, we are similar. Both humans, right?
Yes, but all humans are infinitely different at the same time. In tastes, perception, beliefs, etc.
This fact is not always showcased however.
Naturally, we want to get along with other people, which is good. But it becomes bad when:
You adopt beliefs you don’t believe
You agree with things you don’t actually agree with
You spend precious time doing things you don’t want to do
These tendencies come from a common desire humans have to not upset the balance of a group.
But ask yourself, what’s worse in the long run?
Disagreeing when you believe it’s necessary & doing what you actually want to with your time
Agreeing with everything your peers say & complying with everything other people want you to do
Number 2 is so fucking disgusting. The path to hell! Gross. Bad. Ugly.
If you want to:
Be mediocre
Drown your true self out
Be stupid
Go right ahead with number 2.
But here’s another question to ask yourself:
Why would you want to fit in with everyone anyway? Don’t you want to be exceptional? Well, by definition, not everyone is exceptional.
And the best way to become exceptional is to be true to yourself. As a wise man once said, no one can compete with you on being you.
You Should Be Yourself
Be your unapologetically weird self. In fact, being weird may even find you the ultimate happiness.
—Chris Sacca
You’re cheating yourself and everyone you know if you don’t embrace your idiosyncrasies.
We all have a unique experience and view of the world. In such a short existence, why not express it honestly? Why not say what you really think? Why not spend every moment possible doing what you enjoy?
If you don’t, you miss out on so many relationships and opportunities. Ones that you would otherwise attract by being genuine.
Accept the strange aspects of yourself, instead of burying them. You’ll find it freeing.
It doesn’t mean you have to go around telling everybody everything about you. You can be authentic without oversharing.
But to embrace your weirdness, you must first get comfortable with yourself. You can only do so if you can be content, while all alone.
Being Alone
It’s becoming easier and easier to be social, but exceptional people are built in solitude.
—Naval Ravikant
How are you going to know yourself if you never spend time with yourself?
You won’t.
How are you going to have good ideas if you never explore your consciousness in solitude?
You won’t.
How are you going to feel gratitude about life if you’re always running around, busy and stressed?
You won’t.
Solitude doesn’t have to be a 5 day retreat into the mountains.
It could just be a 15 minute meditation. Or a 30 minute walk. Or 1 hour reading a book.
The Social Animal
Without friends, no one would want to live, even if he had all other goods.
—Aristotle
With all that said, life would be meaningless without friends. All of the greatest moments of my life have been with my friends.
Laughing so hard in the morning that it’s a struggle to breathe while recapping a night out with my friends. Going to war together in sports with my friends. Saying foul things with my friends. Reminiscing with my friends.
Everyone needs the nourishment of socialization. And everyone depends on others in different ways. Anyone who denies this is either a liar or miserable, probably both.
The key is to balance your social life with small doses of solitude. That way, you can be the best version of yourself when you’re with your friends.
👍