Colin Wilson Conformity

The Death of Man
Conformity at its Finest

To mold and mesh into one being, to adopt the principles, beliefs, and characteristics of acquaintances, to become so well blended in that the initial person is no longer identifiable: this is conformity. Colin Wilson, an English writer, philosopher, and novelist once firmly stated, “The average man is a conformist, accepting miseries and disasters with the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain.” ‘The average man,’ a seemingly (and correctly so) daunting phrase that evokes feelings of mediocrity and the idea of being sub-par. What is Colin Wilson saying here of the average man? Average, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is a level that is typical of a group, class, or series : a middle

THough style does not seem to have much of an impact on the things which matter in life, though this can be argued and elaborated upon considering what others feel to be important, it is still a form of conformity that is worth recognition. As the times have changed, styles have changed along with them. In the 1800’s, when life turned into something more than survival, was when fashion really took a turn for the ... worse? Fashion, specifically clothing, has evolved from being functional to stylish because of the extended opportunities in life to ‘have fun.’ However, in this process, many are being reeled in to the dress code of society. Working from the grounds of America, this dress code can often be scandalous. Moving the attention to females, with their short shorts and tank tops, this is a form of conformity! To fit in, to be like others, and to compete for the eyes of the public, females often fall into the same pattern of clothing, whether this be boots and scarves or pajamas in public. Though what doesn’t clearly make sense with this reasoning of conformity is the fact that if one were to stand out, in the case of style, they would surely not be wearing what everyone else is! For instance, everyone stares at the girl in the grocery store wearing a long

As soon as we let our guard down, or let our mind wander in the midst of a corrupt world, we are swept up by the ways of this world and the latest trends because that’s what is easiest to do. As everyone is aware, sometimes the easiest way is not the best way nor the correct way. These three areas, fashion, trends, and beliefs, are all easily persuaded things that cause a man to be average if he chooses to conform to the patterns of them. It is quite clear no one desires to be like a stoic cow standing in the rain! So, in the name of you and your survival in the things that matter, do not be a conformist, rather, be a