Go Against The Flow

The pressure to conform is great on young people of today. You have to be in the "crowd to be accepted. You have to be part of the majority because " the majority wins ". You should always be in agreement with your peers so that you don't get to be called a " killjoy ".

However, at times, to be an upright individual, you will have to make a stand and defend what you believe is right, even if you are alone. You must always take an uncompromising attitude against bad influence.

How we be able to state the relationship of the words conformity and compromise and how we analyze the reasons people give for conforming.

Conformity

Is the need and desire to be just like everybody else..to do what others do, to act as they act, to think as they think, to wear what they wear and sometimes, even to be what they are.

It isn't always bad to conform. In fact, it is good for example to conform to the rules of the office; to wear your uniform, to respect those authority, to follow the regulations. However, there are also certain instances when it is bad to conform. This is when what you are conforming to is evil or is not beneficial or healthy for you.

To compromise is to adjust or partially surrender one's purposes or principles for the benefit of others. To compromise is also not necessarily bad. Sometimes it is needed to stave off an argument or seal an agreement. However, there are certain principles that cannot be comprised. Some people call these non negotiable principles. The laws and commands of God, for example, are non negotiable. You may not and should not bend them, no matter what. The school rule of always wearing the prescribed uniform is a negotiable principle. When the activity calls for it, the principal may allow you to wear civilian clothes.

Some people compromise non negotiable principles just so that they can conform. When they do this, they are compromising in the wrong way.

When you conform even though you know that it is not right to do so, you are compromising in a wrong way.

Many people are afraid not to conform because they might be rejected. They are much willing to compromise their principles rather than take an outright stand against that which is wrong. They might be mocked if they do so. They might be called a killjoy. They might be called walang pakikisama. Wost of all, they might be excluded from the group.

But why be afraid? Most teens respect a guy or gal who has the courage to be his or her own person even when being mocked or teased. Aesop, noted storyteller,warns, "He who always gives way to others will end in having no principles of his own." And if the crowd you go with has low moral standards, then you are better off without them. Choose friends who, like you, are not willing to compromise their beliefs.

When it comes to doing what is right and being rejected. Try to refuse and explain why, if you think it is unhealthy and not beneficial to you. Sometimes, it is easier to say things than do them.

In other words, the message to go with the flow that arises from our conditioned small sense is purely concerned with living a contained, controlled and safe life. And not only does it result in us living a less than fulfilling life- it is often an indication that we are living someone else’s life.

In these situations, we use the idea and resulting action or lack of action of going with the flow as a reason (often we’re not even aware of it) to not take responsibility for our own lives and get clear about what we want or need.

We go with the flow– but if we pay close attention we may notice that it’s someone else’s river that we’re flowing in.

We may still accomplish a lot and not appear to be flowing through life- but we are allowing other people’s agenda’s to dictate our flow.

Going with this type of flow undoubtedly has a person floating in the river wondering, “Who am I separate from my roles? What do I want and need to thrive? Why do I feel a sense of anger or resentment percolating just below the surface?” It often feels like a sense of emptiness and like we’ve lost our voice and sense of our self.

This is a dangerous kind of flow.

We become bystanders in our own life because we’ve bought into the idea that we’re meant to go with the flow. We have spent a lot of time either fitting into the flow of others or watching others’ lives unfold..

For some people going with the flow is the worst possible thing they can do to thrive in their lives.

What are your thoughts and experiences with going with the flow?

Thanks for reading 📖

Stay safe and God bless everyone.

Love lots ❤️

@Kris2310