Advanced Essay #2: The Standard of Nonconformity

Introduction:

In this essay, I focused on developing a deep idea in my thesis that got readers thinking and questioning themselves. I also tried to support this thesis with by supporting it with direct evidence and ideas. I am proud of the complexity and development of my thesis and how I upheld it. In future writing assignments, I would like to add more descriptive and thorough information to my personal experiences.

Essay:

Trend. Fad. Blind leading the blind. Mainstream. A lot of names that mean one thing: conformity.  Many people, including myself, aim to go against and question these ideals. These people in our society are usually titled nonconformists. The nonconformists that I see are just obsessed with being apart from the norm and tend to question and criticize anything popular and counteract it. I’ve also noticed they admire other people’s individuality or style and try to model it for themselves, because it is different from the current norm. These people want to be unique from popular trends, but decide to mirror what they admire in another person that is seen as distinct instead of following their own minds and hearts without second guessing. They also change just for the sake of change or to purposely try to become a nonconformist.

As the American columnist and author, Bill Vaughn, once said, "If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it’s another nonconformist who doesn’t conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity.” Vaughn mentions this “standard” of nonconformity which is adored in our society today. There are certain types of trends and styles that are accepted in the nonconformist world while others are viewed as too different or weird. Some of trends these include being “emo”, “hipster”, and “indie” which were once seen as outcast styles but are now famed for being unique and trendy. Styles like these have become trends themselves whether or not they are deemed as popular, because they have many followers. Many people follow these trends for the sake of being a “nonconformist” and in doing so are conforming to the prevailing standard of nonconformity.

I’ve witnessed this standard at a summer concert festival called Warped Tour that features many punk, rock, metal, and indie bands and artists. As I walked through the maze of the crowd I noticed so many people wearing similar band t-shirts, eyeliner, black skinny jeans, beanies, and Dr. Martens along with the other “emo and punk kid essentials. The crowd is a sea of dark colors in which I look like a foreigner with denim shorts, a black tank top, and Vans. I think to myself, “These people must be sweating like crazy! Why would someone wear all black, jeans, boots, and hats in this humid 95 degree weather? To prove to everyone how “edgy” you are? This isn’t a contest, it’s concert. Just be yourself!” I finally made it through the crowd to the stage where a band is about to play. The lead singer is preaching about how it's okay to be an outsider and to embrace who your individuality and rise above the bullies who try to bring you down. The crowd screams and claps with every word that pours out of the singer’s mouth. I noticed empowering words like these that preached individuality in performances from other bands whether it was in the form of a speech or it was encoded in their lyrics. Every time the uniform crowd responded with screams and words of adoration for the bands as if they were gods. I don’t doubt that these people are bullied for their music taste and fashion and I feel sorry for them, but I also don’t believe that they should be considered unique because they are blindly following this trend and the band members who don’t follow their own prophecies of being an individual. Many of the music from the bands that I heard that day sounded very similar instrumentally and lyrically. It is hypocritical to teach what you do not follow, but it is even more of a travesty to carry on the prevailing standard of nonconformity and to imprint it on to people who are searching for their unique identity.    

All in all, nonconformity for the sake of nonconforming is still conformity. If you choose to question everything, shouldn’t you also question your questioning? Shouldn’t you challenge the desire itself to question? People need to find the deeper reason for why they portray themselves the way that they do and why they go against societal norms. If it is only because they want to rebel against what is popular, they are conforming to our society’s nonconformist trends. In order to truly be a nonconformist is to live and present yourself without thinking of people’s perception of you. That is the real you and makes you unique, because it is rare for people to live and act without allowing society to have a say in who they are.

Works Cited:

"Bill Vaughan." BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2015. 25 November 2015. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/billvaugha122530.html