Conformity Examples

Conformity is defined as the agreement between an individual’s behaviour and a group’s standards or expectations (Dictionary.com). Most humans easily conform everyday in everyday aspects of life. Humans conform so much they do not realize they are even doing it. Conformity is ingrained in human nature by always wanting to follow others even when the others are bad examples. This vicious cycle has been leading humanity in a downward spiral ever since the beginning. Conforming will lead humans to their demise, but by not conforming new ways of thought can be brought forward to improve lives. The three essays, “Shooting and Elephant”, “The Lottery”,and “Who Killed Benny Paret”, each have a common theme that conforming can lead to many terrible consequences. Conformity can be broken down into six different categories: Peer pressure, mob mentality, tradition, lack of consideration of morals, expectations of people, and

When a group of people expect something it can be when those expectations are not met. In “Who Killed Benny Paret” by Norman Cousins the crowd expects to see a bloody fight, and they get it but at a great cost. Benny Paret is put in a coma during the fight and later died at the hospital. Many different variables could have changed the outcome, but one variable which needs to be observed is what the crowd wanted. As Mr. Jacobs said “You put killers in the ring and the people filled your arena. You hire boxing artists -- men who are adroit at feinting, parrying, weaving, jabbing, and dancing, but who don’t pack dynamite in their fists -- and you wind up counting your empty seats” (Cousins). People do not want good boxers, they want blood. The fighters know they have to conform to the crowd’s wishes or they will not be paid. This leads to boxers who fight viciously. The vicious style of fighting could have played a part in Paret’s death. If the crowd could change their nature boxing could become a safer and more skillful