Why are we inclined to conformism?
We’re afraid of regretting our actions if we take the risk of innovating, instead of conforming. This is a somewhat understandable fear since when it comes to innovation 50 % may succeed, but also another 50 % may doomed to oblivion because of failure. This explains why conformity is a safe guarantee of survival and a chance of reproduction by preventing social ostracisation. However, mankind has progressed thanks to those who. dared to step away/forward and follow a distinct path. Is this still the case today? Is it still safest to follow the herd?
It doesn’t seem exactly to be the same as some decades ago. We are now more immersed into a flexible society rather than a fixed one. A lot in our social and economic life is changing. By living in an isolated way we may put ourselves in jeopardy. Indeed, as we are becoming more and more engaged in competition with other countries on the labour market, having the capability of acquiring new skills faster than others is a key indicator of success.
Not only are we required to learn faster, but we will also need to to embrace a new ideology. Sure, we can resist, but it’s a tidal wave that will disrupt all our conceptions of life when it comes to politics, the economy, and human and animal interaction. As most of us agree on the fact that the era of empires ended not long after World War II, we are astonished to contemplate people still bearing this ideology We look at them as if they were a vestige of a remote time.
The same is true today: we are in a period of transition, moving from a capitalist-liberal-humanist conception of life to an ecological-minimalist or even anti-speciesist conception. Obviously, this change will occur in years rather than decades, but it will happen. That being said, what are the best choices we can make today? We need to educate ourselves and prepare to adapt to a new world dominated by an awareness of our ecosystems and the fragility of nature, despite the possible clash of civilizations we may witness.
Nationalism, imperialism, consumerism (/ productivism) are from other ages, the ones who will secure a safe future are those who will able to feel this disruption and could become the leaders of a new age.
