Generations of Conformity: Socially & Musically
Conformity is defined as behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards. In more general terms, to conform is to change your personality in order to be socially accepted. It is extremely intriguing when comparing the connotation of conformity through multiple generations. Interestingly enough, when interviewing my grandmother, Betty Saltman, she defined conforming as doing certain actions that you normally wouldn’t want to in order to fit it. This is very similar to the general consensus of what conformity means to my generation. Personally, I would define conformity in a very similar manor. I conform somewhat, in order to be able to connect with my peers. Conformity is a very slippery slope, because to a certain degree it is okay to conform, but if one begins to conform too much, they loose all sense of individualism. My hypothesis before starting my research suggested that in my grandmother’s generation, most would not have thought of it as conforming, but rather following the social structure. However, in my interview with my grandmother, I uncovered many social ironies, not only about her generation, but about mine as well. Conformity is only acceptable to a certain extent, and it should not encroach on one’s individuality; however, throughout generations, conformity has evolved and changed over time into a ___________.
