Tony Franklin
ENC 1101
D.J. Henry
2/3/97

Blind Conformity

	In today's world it is often difficult to adjust to one type of lifestyle or another. 
The constant bombardment of outside opinions hamper our ability, as humans, to choose
and be comfortable with a certain way of living.  Our way of living may consist of a look,
a way of thinking, a religion, or any facet of our personalities that may not conform with
whatever is the norm or the accepted at a given time.  When this is the case, we sometimes
feel forced to change, thus we are susceptible to blind conformity.  The word conformity
comes from the Latin words con, which means with or together, and forma, which means
to shape or mold.  Therefore, blind conformity is actually a molding of ourselves together
with what is said to be normal in society instead of using our differences to enhance
ourselves as humans.  Known for having strong opinions, Malcolm X seems to be an
unlikely victim of blind conformity.  However, as shown in his essay, My First Conk,
Malcolm X, in fact, was victimized by this malignant disease.  Straightening black hair,
though, is just one impulse that is bought on by blind conformity.  Changing one's self to
look or behave like another because it is more desired by the public is due to a
disregarding of one's self-claimed morals and values, an over emphasis of the media and
outside opinions, and an insecurity which most of us unfortunately have.
In  My First Conk, Malcolm X assured that black people were being brainwashed
to believe that they actually were inferior to white people, thus they conked their hair. 
They were, essentially, giving up what they were fighting for as far as civil rights- the right
to be who they were and also be accepted by society.  Therefore, the conking of their hair
was a hypocrisy and a contradiction of all their morals and values.  Blind conformity
caused them to disregard their strongest beliefs which should be the most powerful driving
forces in all of our lives.  If we can not depend on our own morals and values, our
engines, to dictate our lives, we are simply empty vehicles being pushed down life's roads.
Especially in today's society, there is a dire over emphasis of the media. 
Television and other types of media display certain lifestyles and ideas and then the public
automatically conforms.  Having the media, which is something so optional, control us is a
reprehensible sacrilege.  It is imperative that we learn to either admire or dislike an idea
without feeling the need to immerse ourselves so fully into it. The media was a prime
culprit in so much black people conking their hair in Malcolm X's day.  Seeing mostly
white people as celebrities, and the few blacks who were celebrities trying to look as if
they were white, made black people feel obligated to change.  It made them terribly
insecure.
Insecurity chokes any self-esteem that a person has that might otherwise make
them feel less obligated to conform.  For example, a teenager who feels he or she is ugly is
much more likely to take drastic measures to change themself, such as straightening or
dyeing their hair, than one who feels he or she is pretty.  Accordingly, it is extremely
important for us to be taught from an early age to be proud of who we are.  Who is to say
that soft hair is prettier than coarse hair?  Who is to say that skinny is prettier than fat? 
Who is to say that white is better than black or black is better than white?  Defeating
insecurity is knowing that there is no better one in these situations, but that they are simply
differences.
Blind conformity is such a strong force among humans that they will even undergo
extreme pain to fulfill it.  Black people, including Malcolm X, actually burned holes in
their heads in order to conform.  Countless people today are even conforming not to
conform by painfully probing metal rods through unlikely parts of their bodies.  What is
this force that is driving us to hurt ourselves?  It would be extremely beneficial if we sit
back and ask ourselves if it is really worth it.