Squeers mentioned on another thread that the hardest thing to do was to think outside of cultural norms.
We homeschool which has given me a slight taste of doing things differently from the bulk of society. I found that even though home education is not difficult, and is in fact extremely fulfilling, it took a lot of bravery to begin it because it was a step outside the social norm.
Arthur Koestler coined the term "Holon" from the Greek, holos = whole with the suffix "on", as in proton or neutron, which suggests part. He believed that our condition as a human was as a social holon. The single individual considered as a whole represents the apex of organismic hierarchy; considered as a part, he is the lowest unit in the social hierarchy.
Koestler wrote: "The integrative potential of a holon makes it tend to behave as part of a larger, more complex unit; its self-assertive potential makes it tend to behave as if it were itself a self-contained autonomous whole."
Koestler pointed out that a certain amount of self-assertive individualism, ambition and competitiveness is essential for innovation and progress, and yet can be destructive to the collective if it gets out of hand. His main point, however, was that it was it was the self-transcending tendencies that cause most of the grief in the human condition.
He wrote: "It is the holocausts resulting from self-transcending devotion to collectively shared belief systems: It is derived from primitive identification instead of mature social integration."
I'd be interested to know what others think on the subject.(Obviously a very deep subject which I'v only lightly brushed here) Do others find it difficult to think or act outside of society's norms?

GULP...swallow...cough....

hmmm I recommend "The Dust of Death" by Oz Guiness :)

"The truth is out there"

Seems Poirot that Koestler was trying for a bit of a theory of everything about man?

I prefer something more down to earth "All have sinned"..solution..Christ.

Dear Al,

I've probably made my opening post more complicated than it needed to be (a failing on my part).

I suppose what I was trying to say is that the great majority of us follow the herd because we are social holons, we create hierarchies and seek to identify with one group or another - and it is quite difficult psychologically to think and act as an individual outside the established social norms that are in place around us.

I find I can be an individual by choosing what brands of clothes to buy.

Just remember Poirot; You are unique, just like everyone else.

Actually, I shouldn't joke as this is exactly the kind of thread I have waited for on OLO. Though on a Friday afternoon, the fridge is calling. If I'm pleasantly surprised with the contributions of others over the weekend I may be inspired turn up on Monday.

Poirot

>> and it is quite difficult psychologically to think and act as an individual outside the established social norms that are in place around us. <<

1. As we discover when we travel to a variety of countries.

2. And as is demonstrated by AGIR - can't think outside being a missionary.

3. The most difficult period in our lives is when we are teenagers - being thought 'different' results in a level of social ostracisation that is almost impossible to fight against.

Dear Poirot,

Thanks for this thread.

I guess most people conform to most norms most
of the time, and social life therefore takes
on a fairly regular and predictable pattern.
However, as Arthur Koestler rightly points out,
this picture is incomplete. We need to only take
a look at the world around us to see that social
norms are often not adhered to (as well as adhered
to). People wear peculiar clothing, commit bigamy,
embrace alien religions, do drugs, and so on.
Therefore a full picture of society, must include
variations from social norms, as well as conformity
to them.

Minor deviations from norms that nobody bothers much
about, have few if any social consequences . However,
there are concerns with violations that are considered
offensive by a large number of people. My experience
of this was when I dated an African student at University,
and he brought along an African male friend and I
brought along my girlfriend and the four of us travelled
by public transport to a city restaurant. The disapproving
looks that we got, and the comments that were hurled
at us, were embarrassing to say the least. It was during
a time when inter-racial friendships between males
and females were not as acceptable
as they would be today. However, I learned a great deal
about African culture from this male friend, and we formed
a lasting friendship that persists to this day. I also
learned the meaning of racism.