[This was written many years ago and newly discovered among files on my computer. The thinking arose at the time from a reaction to a statement of one of my children, self-declared as a non-conformist.]
I see a non-conformist as being a person who overtly chooses to shape his actions to avoid conforming with society, authority, etc. This is an intentional process and could be a process of avoiding conformity merely for the sake of non-conformity.
I take the view of the individualist. I see an individualist as being a person that is not tied to conformity, but one who does not necessarily avoid it. If I choose to conform, it is a conscious choice and one taken because I see benefit in that action. I could just as well choose to not act in accordance with the norms of society. I feel that a non-conformist could easily become an abberant to society, possibly a hermit, a renegade, one who does not fit into society at all. I have strong feelings about loyalty, responsibility and service that would be very difficult, if not impossible to fulfill without some sort of conformity with society. To be able to support a family, to give service to others and to be loyal to family and friends, I must function within society. I feel that I can accept some conformity in order to be effective in using social interactions and structure to achieve my goals.
I feel that honoring my individualistic intentions is not easy. To radically reject society would be easy, as it would be to completely surrender myself to conformity. I must consciously choose when to conform and when not to. I must also be ready to accept any negative consequences of my choices, whether I consider them mistakes or not. Perhaps what I choose to do may eventually be less economical or productive in accomplishing a particular goal, but if I chose to act contrary to societal norms, I can accept myself even though I may receive ridicule from society.
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