Free Thinkers

All of our lives we are encouraged to think outside of the box while this twisted dichotomy exists when we are however, taught to conform.  The public and even private school districts teach us in one uniform way, making us educational automatons.  This complacency results in mediocrity, stunting our society as a whole.  How many “free thinkers” are there?  Instead our culture has become a social network, trying to fit in with one another rather than an industrial or innovative one.  Why are so few taught to question things?  Why are we so content with allowing things to be because “that’s the way they are?” What passion is left when we simply accept all we are told? 

My husband and I were talking about this in regard to freedom.  My husband is a soldier in the United States Army and he has already spent a year over in Afghanistan trying to help the populace gain their own independence and freedoms that have been denied them.  He talked of the difficulty in helping these people when they had no desire to change their situation when they were used to living the ways they had been taught.  I brought up the fact that our society is not so different, although the comparison lack because ours is less severe. How free are we though when we are taught to conform; when our social settings and media influence most modes of thought?  When we function as a homogenous blob, only breaking away into self when our own selfish needs are wanting to be met.  Now I obviously do not thing this applies to every person, but sadly a large majority of our populace.  I guess in the end all I am advocating is question everything! Seek what stereotypes you perpetuate and find out if this truly is who you are or if you have been nurtured or conditioned into such actions.  Learn who you are so that you can learn to think differently from others, but back up what you have to say with educated, thought out material