Why Nonconformity Cures a Sick Self and a Sick Society 

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One of the tough things about nonconformity is that, even after you’ve been proven to be right, nobody will care, as they had the privilege to be wrong with everybody else.

Story of my life. It’s taken a long time for me to be mostly ok with the fact that most people are hostile when you think differently.

"The opposite of courgage in our society is not cowardice - it is conformity"

We live in a society where the truth means nothing and lying is as normal as breathing. It's a shame.

If the last 3 years hasn't taught you the downfall of conformity then you're a lost soul

I've always been a non-conformist and sadly it has driven a lot of people away. However, I've never struggled so much in society as I'm struggling now. In this generation of Tiktok, porn and social media addiction, hook up culture, deteriorating attention spans and communication skills, I find it hard to relate to anybody any more and feel very alone in the world.

“We live in a world that is built on promises constructed by liars.”- Sushan Sharma

The sad thing is that throughout life you will be told you are wrong or somehow defective. This can be a soul-destroying thing to try to deal with, especially when young. The greatest gift in the world is when you finally realise that you are in fact free.

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane" - Marcus Aurelius

I think one of the simplest ways to disobey is by eating healthy and staying in shape. We're bombarded by advertisements for food thats only one step above poison. Learn to cook and get exercise. Healthy body =healthy mind.

I have recently become a non conformist out of shear exhaustion. I'm happier, sleeping better, getting toxic people out of my life and becoming more comfortably self sufficient. The relationships I have kept are becoming deeper and better. Exercising more and eating better. Every day I ask myself "Why didn't i do this YEARS ago?!"

"To cultivate our own path through life requires hard work, discipline, and a ruthless persistence for action."

We need more philosophy, critical thinking, and spending time in nature to get back in touch with our purpose as a species

Strong men don't conform to sick societies 💯

“Freedom is What You Do With What’s Been Done to You “- Jean-Paul Sartre

Where would the world and humanity be without non-conformists? Bless their courageous, bold and transformative hearts!

it gets lonely sometimes but better to be alone than to waste your time with conformists

A wise man once said *"Your boos mean nothing I've seen what makes you cheer!"*

As a non conformist I've had my struggles and have few friends. The good thing is, is that I'm happy and don't answer to many but myself. And it's humorous to watch others fold into the mold

Being in my 50's now and a nonconformist, I was always used to being the odd man out to some degree. Now though as I get older I start to see people taking notice and alot of people starting to consider my life style a good option... especially over the last few years

Not too long ago, we use to call these men "Pioneers", "trail blazers", "being your own man", "free thinkers" They were inspiring, yet today society treat these characters as enemies.

In most cases, you will be ridiculed and ostracised if you refuse to conform.

As I go my way through full recovery from my depression, the videos of Academy of ideas really helped me a lot since I started watching all your videos. Thank you so much, you have no idea how much your contents helping me way out of darkness.

Not to conform requires to be completely honest with oneself, this must be done in solitude and it is the very best effort a human being can make. To be alone requires wisdom, loneliness is an emotional state that can be overcome by building our inner self. Solitude and a good book, what a blessing!

"Just be yourself, everyone else is already taken".

Not all originality is positive, not all conformity is negative. To have a functioning society, we need some degree of conformity, but to have a better future we need original thinkers. Balance is, as always, in the middle.

I stood amidst the ridicule and the mean while gaining a self strength even in solitude. I've seen it all so many times in my life and never faltered to their ways. It was through their conformity that they depicted me a an outcast and I cherished it as I was an am a nonconformist, especially to their simple minds.

As a child when my friends would get drunk on cheap cider, sniff glue and smoke I refused to conform with their norm. As an adult I haven’t changed. You’re either a leader or a hapless follower. I love solitude but I’m no recluse. Brilliant video

"Keep constantly in mind who these people are whose admiration you seek and what guiding principles they have. You will have no further wish for their approval once you look into the sources of their motives and opinions." - Marcus Aurelius

Those who conform follow the rules made by those who don't.

I was diagnosed with a life changing health condition 13yrs ago when I was just 25yrs old that messes with my ability to maintain a normal routine. I have good days and bad days, but every day I try my best physically. My extended family have not all been the kindest to me because it is not a visible disorder like an amputated leg. They remember who I used to be before I got sick, and they attributed my inability to perform as reliably for them as me being lazy, uncaring, or not good enough. Thank God my husband and son are supportive of me in my immediate family, they are what keeps me going through the pain. It took me until a few months ago to get honest and frank with the extended family about my embarrassing health issues in graphic detail, and that they need to choose to love me as I now am, or to kiss off. I am done feeling guilt and shame for a health condition I never anticipated or asked for (which is ironically a genetic health condition too!). The Ralph Waldo Emerson quote at the beginning was really touching regarding this situation for me. I realized people expect us to conform even when it literally might be physically impossible...that's not healthy or just to expect with personality or physical differences alike.

The mention of lies is intensely important. To consent to a lie, to support a lie changes and degrades one and society

All I can say, as a lifelong nonconformist, I have faced real obstacles.

Deleting my social media 5 years ago automatically made me an outcast to my peers.

I'll be 70 in a few weeks and find it diffiult to be in the world. Freinds and even family consumed by all BS are slowly pushing me out, I get strange looks and find myself missunderstood. When most people are all on the same drugs the ones who are not are labeled abnormal.

I’ve never been one to conform. My classmates thought I was a rebel without a cause. My cause was not comply blindly or swallow BS without asking questions.

As Sven Erlandson put it “when you start living your life as you want it’s not the fear of unknown that stops you it’s the fear of KNOWN. You know exactly what your friends will say. You know exactly what your old man or mother will say. You know exactly what your wife and children will say. And that’s what scares you.”

"Never depend on the admiration of others. There is no strength in it. Personal merit cannot be derived from an external source. It is not to be found in your personal associations, nor can it be found in the regard of other people. It is a fact of life that other people, even people who love you, will not necessarily agree with your ideas, understand you, or share your enthusiasms. Grow up! Who cares what other people think about you!" ―Epictetus

I nearly killed myself trying to fit in. Now i live alone in a van on a field and live life my way out of the repressive system and my mind and body has never felt better. I feel free and happy and finally on a path to better myself and live life to the fullest

I once carried an old, outdated ALICE pack while in the army. A fellow soldier asked if I were mentally ill, because I chose to be different. To use something better than what I was given. Years later, I met a man in the boilermakers who talked with me, and said that I reminded him of that quote; "whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist". No longer am I a soldier, no longer am I a boilermaker. Those memories simply rest adjacent to each other in my mind.

Non-conformity is one of the most important traits of the free-thinking individual. It is the driving feature of revolutions, enlightenment and evolution. When people are too afraid to be different they will be easily led to their own slavery by charismatic manipulators, rather than designing their own beliefs, purpose and future. Non-conformity might be the only trait that would save humanity at this point.

I been a non conformist since birth. It’s been many times I wish I could conform, it seems much easier it’s hard walking alone at times

The biggest problem for an autistic child such as myself was being pigeonholed and ostracized into a categorical term which was used to conform us to a self destructive stereotype; of how our superiors thought we ought to act. We were often taught in special education that due to our disorder, we were incapable of growing to be self reliant. Oftentimes we were treated as if we were braindead, and were denied the same liberties and rights as neurotypical students, and were subject to extra moral obligations without personal boundaries. As a result, people like myself have obtained and underdeveloped mentality.

"I wish I lived the life I wanted ; not the life others expected of me" - One of the five regrets collated by patients in end-of-life care homes.

« There are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely - or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands » Oscar Wilde

Advice I got from a wise man: If you want to succeed in life, take a good look at what other people do. And don't do that.

I started life as a rebel , society broke me to conform ,after many years , i once again rebeled to become free , but there is a price to pay .

We live in an age where the unfamiliar is met with hostility.

Short answer is that it's difficult to find happiness when trying to live up to outside expectations of who you should be. Be who you are.

Even though I'm alone now it was my time in the thick layers of conformity when I was truly alone. Now through years of stripping away these blinding layers of sickness I feel almost completely sane in a world gone mad. I dare say almost happy.

You can only live in nonconformity if you are lucky enough to be in a position where you can survive without conforming. Not everyone is blessed enough to be in such a situation.

As a 64-year-old lifelong nonconformist, my experience has been that when others (however different from you they may be) sense love, compassion, humility, intelligence, kindness, and a lack of judgment streaming through, true connection is possible, despite any differences. This human connection (as Emerson recognized) is essential. We must train ourselves to be noncomformists who can interact with, and spark positive changes within, society.

No friends for years so not conforming isnt something I do by choice its because i'm not around people. Even when I did have friends it was hard to fit in, works better this way. I see groups of friends dressed the same and I'm kinda happy I dont have to do any of that, would be nice to eventually find people who can be my friends without trying to change me and instead just understanding I have my own taste and like to do things the way I do them. Conformity in someways is disease, alot of people doing things they dont want to and they dont even know why. People who conform are typically the most close minded people

"If we all break ourselves for society, then we end up with a society of broken people." -- Me, circa just now --

Conformity is a disease, I remember when I used to work in a horrible sweatshop, the kind of place that doesn't give a damn about their workers, and I told a co worker that I was sick of it and I wanted to find a new job, he called me a parasite and told me that I would be better staying there since another job wasn't guaranteed. Fast forward 7 years and I am earning 5x the amount I was being payed with much better working conditions. Some people are born to lick the boot and I find that disgusting

Just made a school essay discerning this. Thank you for all the thoughts and ideas.

Thank you. This is exactly right. Long live nonconformists. Praise nonconformity when you see it. Think for yourself.

Being a contrarian is the best way to test someone's genuineness. If you disagree with them and are met with them rushing to agree with you, you have found a situational conformist. If they disagree and believe you are a crazy or stupid for believing in the opposite to them, then they are a general conformist. But if they question why you think the opposite of what they do and still disagree with you whilst being intrigued, you have found yourself somebody who appreciates outside thinkers.

Your videos have been very helpful in the past few years. They are helpful to me. For years, I've tried meeting other psychology needs only to fall short of their praises. Pushing myself into despair. Once I lifted the veil of society, I truly started to find happiness. Conforming is simply an illness of the soul. Thank you for your very well put together content. It seems that those who speak truth need to be the thorns in conformity if we are to protect the growth of our surroundings towards a positive outcome.

When others try to force something on you the natural response is to rebel. These are the true authentic people.

I feel this video wholeheartedly. As a nonconformist life can be difficult, with so much empty space to fill, I can see why people conform so easily. Sitting by yourself and getting to know the authentic self makes people uncomfortable.

"I was not born to be forced. I will breathe after my own fashion. Let us see who is the strongest." - Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

There was a UK TV Advert that ran years ago and the story was simply a typical workday morning in London where everyone was walking to work on a sidewalk that circles around a pond. Everyone is dressed in grey, black shoes, heads-down. I personally know that time and place and it really has a kind of 'militaristic feel'. If you so much as drop something and stop to pick it up you can feel eye-lasers burning your head as if you've really messed up the march. Everyone is an office worker and has to look serious for some reason. It's a grey day and in the advert a man suddenly stops and looks at something off to the pond. He's already given dirty looks for such a strange thing as stopping but then begins taking off his shoes. The many workers never break stride but crinkled faces and glares as he actually takes off his socks! some are even afraid, they don't stop their march to work but now are turning and rolling eyes, grimacing at this madman and the man then begins rolling his suit pant legs up to his knees and steps onto the grass and begins walking into the pond. the crowds never stop their morning trudge to work but now some are aghast, surely someone will call the police, what kind of a mental case has gotten loose? As the camera pans back we realize he's seen a little boy playing with a toy boat at the pond. The boy's toy boat has gotten too far out and the boy is crying as he's unable to get his toy back. the man has waded barefoot into the pond to knee-level, rescued the toy boat and brings it back to that boy. the boy is beyond grateful and thanks the superman. the man laughs a little and scoots back to his shoes and socks, puts them back on, rolls down his suit pants, checks his watch confirming he'll still be on time for work.and yet, the grey suits and workaday 'drones' on the sidewalk hurried routine are really giving him the faces, what a fool, how stupid, what kind of nutter, what an idiot, he's crazy. the narrator asks "but who is the crazy person after all? or is he the most sane and normal person and everyone else is really doing something crazy.

I kind of wish that Emerson's book that speaks so thusly was mentioned. I will do a search. He wrote an essay call "Self Reliance", and therein is contained the contents of what is discussed here. Non conformity may as well be referred to as merely being one's self, and not mimicking others; simply, and acutely being genuine. Thank God for poets and saints.

This year I finally broke fully from conforming to what I partially had for years. I lost many friends, most. It's worth being truly myself.

"Men walk as prophesies of the next age". Wow, that is powerful

This video is like a calming voice to help us remember we are actually all individuals, with unique characteristics that must be played out. The collective always has the collective's goals in mind, usually run by leaders with agendas and motives not ours. The trick is to learn how to be an individual in a society.

That's what I've ever thought and done along most of my life ( now I'm 73... ). Excellent video, fundamental watch. I wish most inteligent people watched it. Thank you very much for posting it.

I relate to my cat and my garden in a way that is just as rewarding as being with humans. But I get weary of humans very quickly. Then it’s back to plants and fur babies. Stay safe. ❤

"...those who treat us with contempt sometimes reveal truths of our character that those who care for us are too timid to point out." SOMEtimes. But MOST times, they reveal only truths of their own character, or the lack thereof.

I'm currently in the 'aimless and meaningless despair' part of this path, I'm glad to find this video! I've realised I feel very at odds with where I live and after much loss, need to find a new path in life. I often feel extremely depressed and alone but I know I need to fight the despair and keep going.

Thank you! What a refreshing video ! Beautiful reminder. To be in this world but not of it…there is a lot of freedom from….blablabla when we do not conform. Solitude is the gate to self mastery……to enjoy solitude does not mean, to be anti social. Au contraire, in solitude one gets to take the time to contemplate, investigate, discern, and question one s motives, to understand wether the importance, we give to what we value most is rooted in clarity or not…… and if not are we even aware that we may be subjecting ourselves to subordinating to others values instead…that is not what life is meant to be….. I found that whatever time i spend slowing down allows me to realize that i have a duty to take 100% responsibility for my behavior, thoughts, speech and actions…. That in life there is what’s happening which i do not control, and my response to it, which when free from fulfilling others expectations, grounds me into authenticity and integrity…..freeing myself from manipulation….others and my own. At the end of the day, i can close my eyes with a clear conscious knowing that what i know to be true for me is adequate, regardless of the massive systemic circus at play… conformism for me also means Take no shit and do no harm. Thanks again for posting this video i truly enjoy-and appreciate. 🙏

My momma raised me to be myself and that's exactly how I carry myself. I couldn't care less what people think of me or how they want me to behave. I'm myself and I'm going to continue to be myself.

As a recluse, thank you for this video.

I really needed to hear this.... It lets me know that i dont need to change or stop anything im doing, but to keep going...

Do not be conformed to the world, but be renewed by the transforming of your mind

When one overcomes their fear of the truth and the fear of rejection, one finally becomes able to discover who they really are. Then all they need to do is be who they are, regardless of what others think of us. Until then, all you are is a shell of a man. A shadow, a ghost, a charade…..a lie.

I retired early from my job at a public library. The managers introduced a document where they wanted staff to all think the same. I kid you not. And of course, there was all of the woke and Covid crap as well.

again, this video will really be a life saver when it’s translated to east asian languages. those people really, _really_ need this

this is a huge contribution for my beliefs, thank you

Conversely to Ralph Emmerson's quotes, one can also meet another man who's honesty reaches to this point and when you meet him he may reveal himself as a genuine article amongst a sea of counterfeits... It was extremely satisfying to me to walk into my local watch repair store and find that the local clocksmith is a fellow man of truth and dignity... I instantly envisioned our two ancestors forming a resistance in another simpler yet equally dangerous time.

Brilliant and necessary! I say this as I was listening to this in the presence of my 6 yr old son and the part about doing what you fear resonated with him and he asked to pause it as he recounted his experience of feeling fear while he was learning to swim but told himself that he will do it still.

Funny thing, I tried to conform when I was a child, couldn’t though. I learned early to be OK with my “militant” character. It turned out pretty good because the truth is my compass and has served me well. I own my own house, have one loan (camper) and own some real money (gold/silver). I can fix, use weapons, build, cook, sew, love and grow food. My survival and happiness were structured around truth thus helped to keep me grounded. Understanding the truth of things also gives me strength to easily deal with ridicule and contempt because the truth is their opinions don’t matter. I’ve created gifts from wood and stone all my life. Now those gifts once belittled are received with great-fullness. I also figured out that fear is a lie, a future that hasn’t happened and may never happen thus fear is actually lie of a future that at the present doesn’t exist. Find the truth in who you are, the world and of people, it will assure that any imperfections you have are insignificant in comparison.

When people encounter ideas that may threaten something they see as crucial to their identity they go on attack. Not that dissimilar to what happens when people are threatened physically. Overcoming that instinct consistently is something that very few actually ever do.

non-conformity is increasing becoming difficult with the advent of social media

Agreed very much when you mentioned those that reject us or hate us give us an insight into ourselves that those who love us don’t dare to do. I’m all for self betterment so I love when this occurs. I used to live with someone who’ll constantly criticize me, but I see all of that as a good thing in retrospect as it’s allowed me to evolve. It’s challenged my character and I think that’s what people need.

This was from the essay 'self reliance ' by Ralph waldo Emerson. It is one of the most perfect pieces of thought I have ever read. Everyone should read it.

The timing of this video is spot on for what’s coming.... thank you

As always, amazing video.

My husband was called a free thinker by a therapist and she concluded him as a trouble maker though he did nothing to be summed up that way. He just didn’t agree with her and was completely ok with agreeing to disagree! She condemned him!🤷‍♀️

It is better to walk alone than with a crowd going the wrong direction

As you go along your journey to non-conformity and self-affirmation, remember not to stray into the other, perhaps darker path that such journeys have resulted in for many others: that of the contrarian. Remember that in the vague and often abstract realm of society, there is still some value in the checks and existing norms of others, and your relations with others will necessarily form a part of your journey to constructing a genuine self. To oppose them simply because they are mainstream may very well lead to your downfall, so think deliberately about what you choose to refuse and accept in society and why you are ultimately refusing or accepting it. Be the non-conformist individual, not the contrarian dogmatist.

Too many take the easy road, hoping for the best. It’s a curse that we are dragged down with them

I'm a non comformist, lol , so it's not surprising that my daughter is similiar to me , but shes taken it to a whole new level , I support her thinking

Something i deal with on a daily basis With the few friends I have and even family members they claim to "care about you" but just don't give up trying to force you to conform to things that are not healthy for your soul or your mind and refuse to support you

As an only child in high school, it is sad to see everyone on their phones and struck down by lust and drama when they could be hanging out in clubs, getting to know everyone’s passions. When storms come, it’s like the foolish man who built their house on sand.

Tragically, we live in a society where trying to live a life that can be summed up as "I mean you no harm; I simply wish to be left alone to live my life as I see fit" often results in having the mamluks set on you.

Especially the last year I finally discovered my true worth, values, desires, needs and to give those properties a more rewarding direction after spending a long time with myself to actually listen to my inner child. As they say in the video: to come to myself with positive introspective thoughts and nurturing conversations. I always used to have the tendency to think negatively about myself and every aspect of life pretty much but realized that those negative thoughts were caused by the fact that my wish for being able to fit into this mad world would never be gratified. I was convinced that my ways of thinking and going through life would never fit the mainstream narrative and therefore I would disappoint my loved ones, coworkers, classmates, social groups etcetera. Now I learned that I don't need to fit THEIR narrative but going on my way of accepting the fact that they don't fit my narrative instead although it is rough. Logical thinking, common sense, intelligence but especially wisdom is not something that can be taught to those who don't want to be tutored. It can be quite lonesome but at least I've got myself who I learned to love more than others. I even had an altercation where someone accused me of going narcissistic ways. It made me laugh so hard because they don't even know what I am truly made of, my intentions and my purpose. It is funny how wise people their reality don't apply to those who prefer to remain ignorant. We can't even blame them for choosing to be so. After all ignorance is bliss yet an immature, pre-programmed and for me an.. I'd almost say an oppressive way of going about it. It makes me feel like being held captive to an illusion of an ideology that just doesn't make sense. Also thanks to Dr. Jordan Peterson I have discovered a lot of eye-opening and valuable lessons that have freed me of a lot of burdens already and still working on it. It is a road trip towards a new form of living holding so many great opportunities. Hopefully the message spreads and more people get in touch with their true authentic and priceless selves so that there is higher of a chance to actually meet a partner that is in the know of what they must know for it to flourish. Bless to you, who read through this and you'll flourish if you allow yourself to!

Well, I believe I've got the first part down. In other words, I do not give in to the crowd. The problem, especially in the last 3 years, is that I find myself alone and have all to do to even want to bother to do anything anymore. The reason is that the last 3 years has also highlighted people's total characters for me and has shown me perhaps too much of who they really are underneath and I've been in twelve step groups for the last 40 years. I do not see helping people anymore as I used to because I find people too contradictory even without any reason for them to be as certain things are just or should be simply accepted as a given or plain common sense. A lot of this has to do with the area of the country I live in and am now considering moving to a place where I may find more like minded people, although I know there are not too many of us out there.