Societal Pressure

I often read on the forum where someone attributes certain behaviors and beliefs to "society forcing" it upon them. I'm not going to split hairs discussing whether or not these "societal rules" exist or not. My question is even if they do, why does that mean one has to follow them?

Good question, and without having to recite Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau, I maintain that one doesn't have to follow rules. However, in that same vein, decisions and actions have consequences, so plan accordingly.

Not trying to be flippant by any means, but I generally follow common sense and dismiss rules that I find superfluous, even though sometimes the choice to do so means "punishment" by "authorities". However, I do, as much as possible, avoid such morons, naturally.

I generally think that people follow them from a few reasons: conditioning (first and foremost); wanting to "fit in"; lack of critical thinking skills; "it's the way we've always done it!!1"

Whether they exist in true objectivity remains to be seen, but as far as subjectivity goes they and their consequences very much exist as ideas and we can observe them when they're espoused as well as when they're ..."applied". These are norms, laws, whatever. That said, we're free of them, we don't have to acknowledge them at all.. though we may be forced into the "applications" of these ideas.

So essentially, I'm echoing the guy above..

We all like to think we are individuals in Society.Sociologists believe we are a product of our environment.We cannot be an individual in society they believe.Sure we are products of the countries we grew up in somewhat.
But why follow?Yes why.Ayn Rand believes the person can be an individual.Most Philosophers either agree or disagree on this also.Maybe the point is, we should question thing's more and follow our own paths.Obviously, one has to conform somewhat to survive in society.There will always be conflict with the thinker and society,different beliefs and systems.Erich Fromm said"Only the Artist is free in society".

Many of the things I desire require me to jumps through "hoops" to obtain. In many cases, they include things which I find extremely unfair, immoral, or irrational. With regards to achieving desired goals, these hoops are not always avoidable. Sometimes I will grin and bear it if I want something enough, and other times I will find the hoops to be repugnant enough to de-prioritize something I want. it is evaluated on a case-by-case basis; akin to a cost/benefit analysis of value.

Societal rules (the unwritten, informal ones are actually more problematic for me than written laws) aren't absolutely necessary to follow, but then again, life itself is optional, as far as I'm concerned.

Because people are social beings. It is natural for us to want to be apart of something. It is rare that you ever find a human being who is completely isolated and not belonging to anything. However, with the internet and the rise of sub and counter cultures humans are beginning to express themselves more freely because majority of the time there is a group out there that will accept them. Whether that is right or wrong is a case by case basis.

It is a difficult thing to rebel against the unwritten rules of society. You will quickly find yourself isolated and alone, something a large majority of people fear. It is ultimately the fear of being alone and rejected, exiled because you are "strange". However, if one stands up solid and resolute, all alone the truth is the truth and people will be forced to take heed if that lone person acts in such a way to create reaction. If someone stands up for a just cause to fight a societal law that is inhibiting people from happiness that person will quickly find themselves not lacking companionship. It only takes 1 to create a revolution. Why? because other people see that person standing up and then...they join his or her GROUP of resistance.

If a person would rebel against all of society's pressures and unwritten rules, I feel they would either be very disillusioned or extremely far from being disillusioned and the people they are rebelling against are the ones who are disillusioned. There are people all throughout history who break the mold. The puzzle piece that doesn't quite fit in anywhere in the puzzle but has a right to be there just as much at the edge pieces you find first to make it easier to put the puzzle together. These are the people who push the human race forward who force us to think to analyze if these societal dictates are just or unjust. Society is never always right and unfortunately, a lot of the times it is wrong and it stalls human progress because people cling to these rules that are unjust for a multitude of reasons.

My Mom made me do it.
I respect her too much to rebel.
I'll be free when she died.

Originally Posted by Humilis Curator

It is a difficult thing to rebel against the unwritten rules of society. You will quickly find yourself isolated and alone, something a large majority of people fear.

Yeah, this is what I did in the past. Being isolated was like part of my life, turned me into a depressed ISTJ for years.

I don't feel that society necessarily "forces" anything upon people. As you had said, we basically have the freedom of choice to choose for ourselves what we will ultimately follow. However...I do feel that society has a way of making things more "acceptable". Society as a whole is influenced by peer pressure and situations that have become the "norm". The world our children are growing up in now is far different than the world children were growing up in 150 years ago. It's all a gradual evolution in which we can not see the outcome until we compare a future (or present) to a history which was so radically different. To some perhaps that seems some aspects of their lives are forced if they don't wish to follow the same path as their peers.

Originally Posted by waterviolet

I don't feel that society necessarily "forces" anything upon people.

I agree. That is why it frustrates me when someone tries to use it as an excuse. It's like my 13 year old daughter telling me what's "in" and what's "out". Which actually, she won't even do.

You do not have to follow societal pressures, but life is substantially easier if you do. One lie that society has managed to trick itself into believing is that the man must always be taller than the woman.