Conformity Thoughts: Intro Paragraph

As the granddaughter of Russian immigrants, I was aware of the immense gap, not only between generations, but also cultures. Both my grandmothers, Margot Halperin and Terrie Gerber, married at the age of 18, not far from the age I am now, due to pressures to conform in the society that they lived in. I, however, feel absolutely no obligation to marry and have children any time soon; rather, the pressure that I face stem from the change of roles women have had in society over the last 50 years. Pressures to marry early in life and devote time to others soon turned to pressure for an education to better oneself. Society’s image back in the 1950s and 60s is very different to the societal image I face now to go to a good college, graduate, and compete in a job market. The hardships and triumphs of women have remained steady through generations; however, the forums in which they present themselves have been vastly altered.

Conformity Thoughts: Part 7

My Grandmother's Responses:


What is the biggest thing you have done that your parents didn't agree with based on their ideals?

I was raised in our home with very specific and clear ideals. After marrying

very young, I continued to live by the same ideals. I respected and admired my parents at all times. 

Do you regret doing it? Did you learn from the experience?
Although we never disagreed on basic ideals , I carried their  beliefs through my life trying to achieve the same values for my family and my community.


Where did your parents and grandparents come from? How do you think that affected your upbringing?
My father was born in the former Soviet Union and came to this country at a very young age. My mother was born in the United States. My grandparents were born in Europe and the FSU.


Did your parents expect certain things from you that you do not expect from your children?

 I think that my parents wanted to live the American life and the American dream.

They were aware of the persecution and difficulties elsewhere and wanted a safe and hopeful future for their own family. I expected the same values from my children. I must note that my father did not think a  college degree was as important for a woman as it was for a man. I fully expected all of my children and grandchildren to complete their college education.

What do you think has changed most about society since you were a teenager?
Communication has greatly changed society since I was a teenager.   


Do you think it's more beneficial to listen to your parents or listen to your instincts?
I think it is beneficial to listen to BOTH your parents and your own instincts.

Conformity Thoughts: Part 6

I e-mailed my grandparents last week, so this week I wanted to focus on a younger generation. So I asked my little brother (Ryan age 10) some questions about conformity. 

Do you feel pressure to do certain things that your friends do, even if you don't want to do them?

"No, because I'm my own person and I'm unique like that."

What is the biggest thing you've done against what your parents wanted you to do? Do you regret doing it?

"Take a shower everyday, yeah I smelled really bad." 

Do you think it's better to listen to your parents or your instincts?

"Listen to your parents because they have more knowledge because they're older." 

Do you want to do well in school?

"Yeah, because I want a good report card to show my parents." 

This interview taught me that 1) my brother needs to take more showers and 2) that he does well in school not for himself, but for his parents. I find it interesting that something so personal as the extent of your own knowledge can be dictated by someone else.

Conformity Thoughts: Part 5

For my essay I'm going to focus on pressure to conform and how it may be beneficial. Although I may not agree with this on some topics, I think it would be more interesting to explore the positive aspects something that most people view as so negative. I'm waiting for Buckley e-mail to be back up and running so I can e-mail my questions to my grandparents. I can't call them because of time difference and timing conflicts. When I do get in touch with them I will choose my 3 topics to focus on in my essay based on their answers.

Conformity Thoughts: Part 4

Questions for my grandmother and grandfather:

What is the biggest thing you have done that your parents didn't agree with based on their ideals?

Do you regret doing it? Did you learn from the experience?

Where did your parents and grandparents come from? How do you think that affected your upbringing?

Did your parents expect certain things from you that you do not expect from your children?

What do you think has changed most about society since you were a teenager?

Do you think it's more beneficial to listen to your parents or listen to your instincts?

Conformity Thoughts: Part 3

Humans are very animalistic. Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection states that traits become either more or less common depending on the effectiveness of their function. As fundamental animals, the same should apply to paths in our lives. Maybe the reason that the majority is doing something, is because it works and is effective.

Conformity Thoughts: Part 2

Today I thought a lot about how others affect who we are. I think we all like to think (or at least I do) that we don't care what others think of us and we are our own people and don't need approval from peers. But then that brings me to my next point: do we like hearing other opinions besides our own? When we get a good grade on a test, we like to tell our parents to get praise. When we are unsure about a situation, we like to get feedback about what we should do next from our friends. To what extent should we give up our own decisions to those around us?

Poll: If given a choice, would you rather make all of your own decisions according to only your own basic knowledge, or would you rather consult with others but compromise your own opinion?

Conformity Thoughts: Part 1

I've always thought that "going against the grain" was a personal choice that would result in at least some backlash, or else everyone would do it- doing whatever you want while also being socially accepted. However, now that I think about it, a lot of my family has done what is not expected of them. My father majored in theater in college againt his parents wishes, both my grandmothers got married at 18 to older men against their parents wishes, and my mother went away to college against my granmother's wishes. These topics will all make for an interesting discussion about generation gaps and the necessity, or lack of, to conform to the former generations ideas.

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The reoccurring symbol of light and darkness throughout Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness reaches both a literal and figurative level when illustrating interaction externally between humans and, very similarly, internally within ourselves. Darkness is defined as the inability to see what is around you. The reader is able to identify this motif as it more simply applies to the gloomy and ominous settings of Brussels, England, and Africa. More abstractly, however, is the darkness where a person hides their internal self to the outside world. In doing this, a person does not allow others to see them fully, and therefore, puts on a façade that differs from their internal self. Traveling from the outskirts of an African jungle all the way inward to the human mind, the symbol of external light differing from internal darkness creates a contrast of what a person shows to others or, more often, keeps in the dark.