In the mid 1800’s, a philosophy developed, in which the veracity of life cannot be found through observation, rather the truth “transcends” over time. The true definition of this lifestyle has not been found, but after years of its existence, men such as Emerson, Thoreau, MLK, or Gandhi all acquired qualities of Transcendentalism through their different experiences, finding that this “philosophy” relates to all differently, since a man’s time determines his purposes. These men happened to find some key points of Transcendentalism, however. To this day, their writing relates to daily situations; even the predicaments of their time can still be traced to the present as well. A transcendentalist does not familiarize himself with another, but takes his qualities of his time and situation to “transcend” in his generation.
All people born into this world have one similarity: to look at the world through their own eyes. Being only fifteen years of age, I have come to realize that the majority of our world has lost that ability. The worldly views of today has strayed all other perspectives to the point of undermining other cultures or rejecting those who are different. We have forgotten how people are not the same, how having different opinions is natural, how the only progress that can be possible in life is through contrast, a change in technology. Repudiation of individualism, isolation from those who stand out in a crowd, discord to differing opinions, all contribute to our unacceptance of various cultures, ideas, people. Not only has this tension decreased confidence among most people, rather they have lost their voice, a voice that allowed them to speak out their beliefs. For these fifteen years, I have experienced and realized the correlation between by life and MLK’s: how being a minority leads to much more dissent, overall non-conformity.
Hitherto, there has been many patterns in our generations that have confused me. The American Dream, a popular standard for the youth of America, influences the lives of many people. This so called “Dream” is essentially a goal for many to have exceptional marks in school and once they have reached the adult life, they expect to succeed and have the credibility and skills to raise a family. This ritual for Americans remains foreign to my mind due to one thing: our stability and lack of risk. We enter life not to walk the same path as everyone else, but to diverge, differentiate, digress from other opinions to make up your own. Look at those who took the risks, those like Martin Luther King Jr., who spoke discord in a sea of discrimination, or Jesus Christ, who once born into the world, questioned at a young age, was an extremist for love and truth. More modern non-conformist successes like Bill Gates, who took the risk of leaving college to pursue his OWN dream, solidify that life provides multiple paths for a reason, for us to take them. This American Dream hinders all progress by laying out one path for others to follow. Would you prefer to be a wave, pathetically hitting the shore, or would you prefer to be a torrent of water, crashing down on the beach?
Continuing in the vein of the relationship between being a minority and non-conformity, I was raised differently in my household compared to many others. The principle of discipline grew like a household weed, whipping me into shape, cutting down my bad habits. School prioritizes itself over all else, sports, anything extra-curricular. The only piece of my life I had full control over? Religion. I strongly developed many of my principles in Christ and God, transferring those principles to the discipline that was hammered at a young age. Yes, a minority does grow up in the environment around him, but the experiences he endures, the family that raises him, the paucity of companions at a young age, all contribute to the difference that he makes in society.
So, what really does non-conformity lead to? If everyone were to not conform, would the non-conformance become a conformance in itself? I define those who do not conform to be “salutary conformists”. Why are they conformists? They healthily conform to their OWN LIFE, they do not become illuminati, they do not become non-conformists to follow others who don’t conform, rather they solely disagree for their knowledge of their OWN LIFE. A man who truly knows who he really is can become a salutary conformist; a man who has integrity in his life can become a salutary conformist. This universal complication does not require a organization, for it is purely a choice. Whether you are a minority or majority, you have the option to take a leap of faith, for you may become one step closer to what you're trying to reach.