We are born into an established group - immediate caretakers, family, ethnic group, nation... No infant would survive without being a part of a group. Not many adults could make it in the world without eating food others grew, living in houses others built, using tools others thought into existence. Being a part of a group gives us a sense of safety. Yet all of us disagree with at least some of social norms. Would we fund a war with people on another continent whom we never met if we had a choice? Would we deny health care to a baby or an elderly if it was up to us? Would we agree to build nuclear plants, coal mines, concentration camps? We realize swinging to far right or left might result in much more than strange looks from the others, we might end up in jail. Social conformity is a balancing act and without some of us taking a stand and going against established norms we'd still have slavery, a woman still would be man's property in most societies, we'd have kings and inquisition, we'd still think we are living on a flat Earth. Being a part of a group is a constance exercise in confronting our boundaries, our "code of conduct", it's a constant lesson on the subject of knowing one's values and beliefs, of finding one's place in the world, of knowing who am I.
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Well said. Thanks for the feedback. Cooperation is key to optimizing survival, but blindly conforming to the group doesn't help ourselves of others when the group has it wrong :/