Everyone is an individual and a conformist - all at the same time. It all depends upon on how one views things. On this issue there seems to be simply two sides of the coin - neither completely right, neither completely wrong. They are both just there. The individual conformist may sound like an oxymoron, but, in fact, it is perhaps more true than either an individual or conformist standing alone.

The Conformist Coin

It is impossible not to be a conformist. Everything you have ever done, someone else has done before. There is only a finite number of possible actions, and most of them have been done before. If you are a programmer, there are millions of other programmers, therefore you are a conformist. Even if you are the best, say, architect in the world, there are still millions of other architects in the world, thereby classifying you as conformist. If you like peas, there are myraids of other people who like peas....you are still a conformist. Anything you have done, most likely other people have done...therefore no matter what you do you are a conformist. Even if you do accomplish something no one has done, you are still a conformist because most of other things you do are part of a group somehow. It is simple human instinct. There is simply no escape from conformity.

The Invidualist Coin

Everyone is a unique and individual snowflake. Don't let those pessimists get you down. Perhaps in the most logical sense, everything you have done probably been done before, however, there is still the undeniable fact that no one can have the same combination of things as you. Even if there are millions of other busboys, how many people are busboy's and bowl every Saturday? And how many of those are busboys, bowl every Saturday, and have a girlfriends named Maud? For everything you do, the field of those who do exactly the same as you narrows - until you are left with you! And aside from that, no one can think what you think, feel what you feel, or experience the world the way you experience it. for the above reasons, it is obvious that everyone is a purely unique individual.

The Individual Conformist

Take pleasure in the fact that you are like and unlike everyone - you are an individual conformist. For it is absolutely true that for the most part, you do things that have been done before, thereby assimilating into society. We need to get a long, therefore a certain amount of conformity is necessary. People need to be like each other to a certain extent. But society is made of individuals. Conformity can only be accomplished if there are persons who conform. Individuals express themselves how they choose - the fact is that no one is completely like everyone else - making everyone individuals. So we see from this that individualism and conformity need not be rivals - they can work together, and work together they do. For, you can't really have one with out the other.

Remember, you are unique - just like everyone else!

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