The concept that we conform to other people and what they approve of isn’t a new one. Humans as a whole have a common habit of adopting beliefs and ideas to follow behaviors of mainstream society and use this as a shortcut for decision making and problem solving. Rather than pursue personal desires, people choose to conform to society because it’s often much easier to follow the road others have paved instead of making a new one. However, in order to break barriers, you cannot conform. Theodore Melfi’s 2016 film ‘Hidden Figures’ and Bruce Dawe’s poem ‘Teaching the Syllabus’ support and also challenge this contention of conformity and breaking barriers.
Conformity is a social influence and pressure that creates a shift in an individual’s behavior and beliefs so that they can fit in with a particular social group. When faced with the term ‘conformity’ we tend to call ourselves nonconformists, however every individual often has a quick habit of conforming in social scenarios, whether it be in just a minor conversation or within an important social decision at school, work or anywhere else. If majority is leaning towards one option, people start to believe that that option is the correct solution even though that may not even be the correct answer. Social pressures from the environment around you force you to choose things or act in a specific way that conforms to your surroundings, even in situations that you feel as if it is wrong. Positively, if you were to independently go your own way and not conform to societal expectations, then you would be breaking barriers and creating change.
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Now although in order to break barriers you cannot conform, there are some instances in which conformity may be more of a respectable thing instead of an unfavorable thing. Conformity can provide a sense of group identity and belonging to individuals. Conformity can aid in rule enforcement, as every society has specific rules for people to follow to prevent chaos and disorder.
‘Hidden Figures’ is based on true life experiences of three mathematical engineers; the film references the period during the early civil rights movement where people of color had to conform to society’s rules and expectations. ‘Hidden Figures’ portrays the many aspects of conformity; viewers saw that people of color in the film had to abide by rules and use separate bathrooms, water fountains, coffee machines, libraries and schools. Dorothy was kicked out of a library because she wasn’t white; Katherine had to run to the next town to use the bathroom because there wasn’t a ‘colored’ one at her work. Knowing the wrath of the government and the higher power, in many moments of the film these ladies had to conform to society’s rules, restricting their daily actions and lives. This was not always the case though, as the trio had to break barriers by not conforming to society’s expectations and stand up for themselves at NASA so they may finally give their careers a positive push in the right direction. It wasn’t unusual to have a group of mathematicians at NASA, but what makes this trio distinctive is that they were both African-American and female. In a room full of white men, Katherine was the first female person of color to work as a ‘computer’ at NASA. Another example when ‘Hidden Figures’ symbolized breaking barriers was when Mary approached the court and demanded a chance to study a course at an all-white school, being the first colored woman to study there. Moments such as these in the film intended to inform and challenge the audience and their perceptions of conformity and breaking barriers, providing a call to action to take a risk themselves.
Society has come a long way since the 1960s and the civil rights movement, no longer enforcing many of these unequal colored versus white rules. Although the widespread problem of racial segregation has since been resolved, conformity is still an issue in today’s modern society. In school, everyone worries about fitting in, craving to belong and desperately trying to conform to the high school social rules and be one of the so called ‘cool’ kids. In the poem ‘Teaching the Syllabus’ Bruce Dawe criticizes the school syllabus and references the educational system to the way it seems to be in real life. In the poem Dawe writes, “Teaching those with wings to walk up mountains, teaching those with feet of lead to fly…”. This except from the poem showcases the unnecessary pressures put on individuals to make them into something they’re not, suppressing their individuality and identity.
In real life, the educational system forces students to behave and think a certain way and conform to all these rules, killing the creativity and love students have for learning. Having to juggle everything the education system throws at them, it’s not uncommon for students to have to pull an all-nighter for studies instead of having time to explore interests and passions. A metaphor for the school system, the poem positions audiences to comprehend how the higher power such as the school system is controlling people to be ‘picture perfect’ and become what society wants us to be. Supporting the contention, the poem shows how the unjust rules that society sets is not always suitable for each individual as everyone is unique and therefore you should break barriers and go your own way. As the poem implies, each individual has their own way of learning and thinking; so why not break barriers? Why conform to society’s rules set for every person when all humans are so unique and different?
Conformity is changing an individual’s behavior to fit in to society and the people around them. Pressures from the people around push you conform to the majority and change your attitudes and personal social beliefs. In both ‘Hidden Figures’ and ‘Teaching the Syllabus’, viewers see how conformity influenced the actions and beliefs to individuals. Although tempting to take the easy road and go with the crowd instead of going your own way, in order to break barriers, you cannot conform to the negative expectations of society.
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