Introduction P1

Since the beginning of time, species have conformed and habituated with one another in a plight to survive and reproduce. It is through consciousness, human beings have trouble finding a balance for conformity and individualism. Yet, no one can deny the evidence that conformity is essential for any species- conscious or unconscious. Conformity is fundamental in order to form a civil and stable society and a civil and stable species. Indeed, through the literature of Sigmund Freud in Civilization and its Discontents, Charles Darwin in Origin of Species, a local survey, and a personal interview, the data about conformity will show that conforming is not only natural but normal. Conformity goes beyond "copying", it is cooperating and systematic. We are social beings and must coliberate with one another for a society to properly process. Humanity grows when we work together, survive together, and adapt together. For the sake of stability and necessity, habituation and conformity are vital and without such a structure both mankind and its modern civilization would sucumb to an unescapable downfall.

Interview time!

So i did my interview with Mimi and it really helped shape my point and also gave me a lot of great insights and points to include as well! I'm hoping to soon upload my interview to my weebly but that's proving not to work, at the moment. I tried to really open up my interview because even though i have a narrow topic- i thought it would be good to see where she could take it and how she really viewed her transformation. As we got more into her story i then began specific questions about the normalicy of conformity and not only did she agree but she gave me specific examples of why she conformed and the consequences not conforming would bring. Now, I was only taking my essay in the direction of biology but Mimi opened it up more towards a philosophical and moral side. She pointed out that conforming, interestingly enough, made her her own person; that if you don't conform and try other cultures and put yourself into the environment - you're not going to grow as a person and develop. Moreover, she spoke about a constant battle between traditions in the household but then a liberal influence outside the household. As she grew up, she found a peace and a balance but it was not without struggle and Mimi concluded that she could of stayed the way she was and not conform and not deal with the struggle - but then she wouldn't be who she was today. The struggle made her a better person and conformity shaped her- for the better.

Theory

Conformity translates to "the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to what individuals perceive as normal to their society or social group." Why would animals want matching attitudes, beliefs and behaviors? Well, according to Freud civilization is an essential component to survival- and civilization curves a structure and model for attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. This is so, because a higher moral structure helps guide those belonging to that society and culture. It is not only normal to associate with matching behaviors for a civil structure but also natural. In each of our animalistic brains, we have what is called "mirror neurons", these mirror neurons are hardwired into our brain since the beginning of evolution and are for the direct purpose to mirror actions and thoughts and to empathize, but i wont digress with the latter. 
It is in our DNA, our foundation, and in our best interest to conform. For example, conformity is an amazing teacher- if i see someone fishing and they're catching all the fish, as i sit fish-less, it is in my best interest to mirror this man's actions and conform to his fishing techniques.  
As our population grows more and more and conformity becomes increasingly suffocating- culture beings to see conformity negatively and wants to break out. But, we cannot deny the social and natural benefits of this normal condition. And although in certain circumstances conforming may interfere with positive aspects of life- the importance of conformity is unrelenting. 

The nature of a normal condition

It was Darwin in the Origin of Species and Freud in Civilization and its Discontents that gave rise to the animality of the human condition.
It was Camus in The Stranger that brilliantly investigated the strangeness it is to be anything at all and the absurd struggles to exist in existence. In my essay i will be discussing the theory of the normality of conformity. Many people oppose conformity and label it with a negative connotation. I will be trying to show it in a different light- the normality of it and the positivity of it too. Whether it is immigrating or creating a society or understanding behavior- conformity is a powerful tool and being able to mirror others is an essential part of humanity. However The Stranger is important in showing how conformity can become suffocating sometimes- yet overall he understands its importance. The simplicity of the world elopes the main narrator in normality and he is fine with that and what he is- whatever that may be.

Pressure: 3; Samsa and Mimi

Kafka opens up the idea that "conformity is alienating and dehumanizing," however one would think the exsact opposite. It could be that conformity is alienating because you get further and further away from your "true" self. And, it could be dehumanizing because you go from being a part to just a whole and nothing more/nothing less. Gregor Samsa helps his family, works double time and has lost all sense of himself to provide and take care of others. In his life of being basically a busy bug -Samsa is gone.
In relation to conformity now and then. Theres a slight problem with comparing that which cannot be compared. Theyre two different scales- and its hard to weigh them equally. 1915 for Samsa was a completely different time than 2012. In 1915 the population rate was completely different and icomprehensibly smaller than now. So, with much less people the competitveness of today cannot compare as well as the attention to other around you. Today, we have the internet and the internet changed everything. Also we have Facebook, Myspace, dating sites, etc...with the internet inter-personal relationships have been compeltely changed and morphed. Connection has becomes less personal, shallow, and imcomplete- although, ironic enough, its become more convienent to communicate. With all that said- the pressure to be the crowd was so much more intense- with less people you would of stood out much more and had less people to relate to. You can see when Samsa doesn't show up for work- his boss shows up! Today, we can call in sick and our boss probably wouldn't give a heck to show all the way up at our houses. So the better able we are to blend in today- the more challanged we are to stand out. And people see that as a good thing- depending on the circumstances. As for my interview, I've decided to do it with my stepmom Mimi. She was born in Iran and lived there until she was a teenager. At the age of 14 she came to highschool in America and could barely speak any English. She had gone from a traditional persian family in Iran to a laidback Californian highschool knowing only Farsi. She'd tell me when she first came to the school she walked into the bathroom and thought it was smelled "funny" and she should tell an adult and then someone pulled her aside and said "Relax dude! It's just weed." Mimi had no idea what was going on and with the complete transition to jeans and sandels, a new curriculum in a new langange and Californians she had- to say the least- a hard time- but she knew she had to conform to American culture or else she would have an even harder time.

Pressure: 2

Creatures habituate with one another for social, environmental, emotional, and natural reasons- and beyond this there are consequences to not conforming. Such as alienation, lack of skills (education), lack of opportunities, lack of chance and success. Like i said, people need people both to be well as a part of the whole and as a whole together. Looking back the biggest chances in success were To conform. However, looking at todays structure- the biggest chances at success are indeed breaking the norm- being different and innovative. The competition is more intense than ever and everyone is fighting to be new and different in hopes of finding success, happiness, etc. Not a lot of people today are going to get "big" by blending in- people want to stand out, be influential- whether it's with big ideas or a big personality. Examples? Lady Gaga, Steve Jobs, Steven Hawking. The economy, expectations, society, religion, civilization and culture are different now than are older generations- but the pressure will never dissipate, only change form. I

Pressure: young vs. old

Thoughts at the moment: Back then, the pressure was more intense. The time's were more repressive. There was more of a narrow character to obtain than today. Today, our culture encourages being different, taking control of your life and doing what make you happy. Back then, there was a more stereotypical narrow type to fill: classic business money making, care-taking, family man. Darwinism: In human nature: it is in our DNA and natural to follow your species. That's how young learn from the old. That's how animals learn to adapt. Conformity is not all bad, to conform can be to agree that an action or thought is right- is that conformity? or is that information? adaptation? catorgizing? natural selection selecting? Also, I believe pressure comes from a myriad of things, there is not just one cause. It is the media as well as the culture as well as insecurities as well as human nature. For the freedom to choose, i'd say, yes and no. Or at least, yes to an extent. You cannot completely stray from the pressure to follow. People need people. People need people for advice, experience, guidance, survival. Call it conformity or following - but i call it adaptation.
As of now, i'm struggling to narrow my topic down. However, i think i'm going to anaylze the pressure of older generations vs. ours and finally why the pressure even exists.

P3

The conflict "between what we profess to be and what we are" rises soley from the development of civilization. Civilization demands sacrifices that restrict our natural aggressiveness, instictual tendencies, sexual desires and selfish gene. Our culture commands obligations from modern civilized man and holds that to maintain such a measure of structure- man must procure peace. However, this leads mankind away from itself - it's "tendency to aggression", it's "inertia of libido", it's temptations to gratify" and towards the denial of ourselves in a reality of civility and morality. Homo homini lupus is gone, man no longer preys upon man and this ultimatley creates an "absurd gap." Furthermore, in civilizations plight to control, man becomes a repressed creature. And, to deny man its freedom would cause much unhappiness to any truly aware man. So, mankind keeps in denial of his condition and attempts to stay in a state of satisfaction in his own darkness. Yet, no one can deny the powerful measure to which man has a natural capacity "to use sexually","to seize posessions", "to humiliate", "to torture" and "to kill". It is this selfish gene- coined by Richard Dawkins that so plainly achieves the nature between men. However, civilization tries to quell that relationship and ease nature's aggressiveness. But to deny and deprive the existence of "our aggressive tendencies in mankind" is in itself the gap between our professment of what we are and what we are.

P2

Civilization's purpose is to create an order among humans. It is to repress the people into a structural foundation that will create some sense of tranquility and uniform. We see that society instills a certain ego in ourselves. We see that it is society that keeps us in check. We are good people not because we are good beings but rather we fear punishment and consequences from acting against the mainstream pressure of repression. We fear condensation, alienation, and gossip from our groups so we stay in line. Society commands discipline of its people and in this, repression and restraint are commanded. Society has put upon its members a professed disguise; yet, beyond the ego we are what we are. However, it is through deciet and denial that we avoid the truth of scoiety's purpose. Throughout Marlow's evolution, he comes to see this wide gap "between what we profess to be and what we are" and is marveled by the absurdity of his position in the world. Indeed, civilization has tried to rationalize the irrational and control the uncontrollable. Yet, the denial is the darkness. The denial of oneself's true expressions of desire, irrational forces, and sexual urges is Conrad's conception of the void. Civilization has been belived to be the light, bringing man and choas to morality and structure- but Conrad tries to show that it is actaully the dark and brings nothing but a false perception of manself and ignorance. In a sense, man has lost themselves to a false reality of the superego and is professing to be what they surely are not.