We are taught lots of different things in our lifetime. We are taught at school and at home throughout our childhoods. A lot of the teaching comes from society in general.
Society teaches us what behaviour is appropriate and what isn't. It teaches us how to act in different situations. It teaches us how to conduct ourselves in relationships, friendships and at work. Society also tries to tell us what to think and what to believe.
Society teaches us that we have to conform to the norm. We should go to school, maybe college or university, then get a job. We should get married, have a couple of kids, then retire. We should go on holiday once a year and take out a mortgage and a car loan. We should be polite to people we hate in order to keep the peace. We should be loyal to our family, friends and country. Obeying the law is good and moral. Religion will enrich our lives.
Society teaches all these things and like robots we lap it up and apply it to our lives and our behaviour. We don't stop to question the rules, after all, everyone else is doing it so it must be right, right?
Then there are those who choose not to follow society's rules. Some people don't get a job, they come up with their own ideas and build a business instead. Some people choose not to eat the same foods as everyone else, they choose a vegetarian or vegan diet instead. Some people decide to do other different things. Does this make them wrong? Does it make them bad people? Society would have us believe that these different people are strange or odd and that we should avoid these kinds of non-conformist behaviour.
Society teaches us that it is wrong to think for ourselves. We shouldn't question the norm. We should just accept it and fit in.
I believe that everybody should be free to make their own minds up. I don't think there is much benefit to following societies rules if it limits the amount of enjoyment in your life. I think it is important to do what you think is best and to get the most out of your life. If this means going against the grain and being odd, so what? Life is here to be enjoyed, to be lived. It is not here to waste away following silly rules and traditions. If you don't like someone, why waste time enduring them just to fit in with society? If you think you can do something better your way, why not go for it?
Think for yourself, make your own choices, decide what's right for you. Stop fitting in and start living life. Don't forget to smile :)
This entry was posted 2 years ago
It has been tagged: school, home, teaching, society, behaviour, relationships, conform, kids, polite, peace, family, moral, religion, rules, ideas, diet, non conformist, limits, enjoyment, traditions, choices.