Conformism"Conformism is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth." – John F. Kennedy. When we allow ourselves to conform to what our friends, family, or society demands of us, we lose the ability to grow as ourselves. Conformity, however, isn't just a thirteen-year-old middle school girl wearing UGG boots and an Abercrombie hoodie to fit in. It's more than just listening to top 40 radio stations and watching American Idol so you have something to add. to the conversation your colleagues are having is now stale, the company provided the coffee. Conformity is a killer. It attacks Week and strangles them until their true self dies and a new person is created. This new person ignores all the values ​​he once held in high regard and will do anything not to be perceived as different. The funny thing about this killer is that people are more than willing to give in to his pressure to appear "normal." Sometimes it's easier to be obedient and do and feel what people say you should do to avoid problems. Sometimes it is easier to blend in with the crowd than to be crucified because you are different. Why would anyone really want to be different? Society tells us that different is bad. Different is strange. We are taught from the beginning that different is not what you want to be, it's not a sure bet. So people are willing to give in to societal pressures to be “safe.” People's willingness to conform is shown in literary pieces titled "What is a Homosexual?" by Andrew Sullivan and "Salvation" by Langston Hughes. Both show how far people are willing to go to slip under the radar of public opinion and critics. In "Salvation" Langston Hughes describes an event from his childhood when he pretended to be saved by Jesus Christ to further save his congregation. aggravation and discomfort. At the age of 12, Hughes was called a sinner. He was placed on the mourning bench in his church with several other children who were about to be brought "into the fold". Hughes was told he would "feel Jesus" in his soul, and he believed it because they were older and supposedly knew better.