Every individual has an intrinsic, veiled, unconscious desire to be genuine, to express their own identity, and to liberate themselves from the limitations of conformity. So, why are so many people the same? Since it’s within our deepest sociobiological nature to conform for survival, human beings often fail to unlock their true selves. Unconscious fear prevents individuals from realising their true potential. As they age, this fear—reinforced by lifelong teachings that deviation from conformity is too risky—hinders their quest for self-identity. Only small minorities of humans have the courage to deviate from social and cultural norms, and this is also heavily dependent on the state of society and the political and cultural conditions of the country they live in. It is less likely for individuals to break from cultural norms in countries with strict conformity and religiosity.
For example, in Western parts of the world, you are more likely to see this deviation (although not entirely) than in Middle Eastern regions, where any deviation from norms mandated by theocratic laws results in severe punishment. While the West may host more groups and cliques outside the average norm, they still conform to their particular in-groups. It is even harder to find true eccentrics—misfits who do not fit into any sub-group in society.
Some may view this as a contradiction, given my earlier claim that conformity is inherent to human nature. However, the drive for individuality persists beneath this conformity, unacknowledged and suppressed. My hypothesis is that the conformity prevalent in human society isn’t always what the individual would truly desire if they were more self-aware. This unconscious desire for individuality is suppressed by the powerful forces of conformity, learned from an early age. While there is some individuality in everyone, the collective overpowers it. This may explain why people often harbour unconventional or even taboo interests in secrecy. Their individuality is crying to be released, but it is stifled by the conditions of social conformity. This is what I call Innate Deviation.
There’s a tendency for people to be concerned with current trends and the activities of others, yet most don’t really know their own deeper interests because they haven’t taken the time to self-reflect. They identify more with the collective than as separate individuals. Without the collective, they are lost.
The collective consciousness—the shared beliefs and behaviours of a society—becomes a comforting blanket, a familiar territory in which they find solace. They see themselves as part of a larger whole, their identities intertwined with the collective. The fear of standing alone, of being different, drives them to blend in, to become indistinguishable from the crowd. Their likes and dislikes, their passions and aversions, are no longer their own but borrowed from the collective. This collective camaraderie provides a sense of certainty. Without it, individuals feel lost, afraid of falling behind the crowd. This is most troubling for those who rely on bandwagons and socially popular ideas when choosing what they desire, like, and value. Walking away from the collective seems dangerous, and indeed, there is some truth to this, both biologically and sociologically. The danger is heightened in authoritarian societies where deviancy is met with persecution. Yet even in mostly free societies, the collective remains a powerful force, shaping the desires of the population and the subcultures within it. From overarching culture to the smallest ingroups, conformity reigns. Being oneself is seen as too risky, so conforming to the norms of the time is the safest option.
