A Numbers Game

There is only one you and over three billion people; that is a ratio of 1 ad infinitum. Because of this, it can be intimidating to defy or disagree with the majority. You end up conforming to the bigger faction because surely, they would win, right? Now they may say there is strength in numbers, but that is not always the case.

Bad Things Can Come in Threes

As thinking and feeling beings, we are naturally drawn to society’s 3A’s: attention, admiration, and approval. Society encompasses an insanely large group of people and the more people who approve of your looks, words, and deeds, the more you are reassured that you are good and that you are doing the right thing, or looking the right way. Space for hate, criticism, and confrontation is reduced to a minimal. You feel safer, more loved, and even less alone in the world. These are some of the reasons we crave validation from our peers and society itself. While it is absolutely okay to want this, it is important to remember that society—it is not you.

Of Two Minds
Fundamentally, you have two roles: you as a member of society, and you as an individual.

You too, have a voice; a perspective that sometimes does not align with society’s point of view. That is okay. You may get criticism for it (constructive or destructive), a hurtful word or two may be hurled your way, disagreements and arguments may ensue, but that is as natural as our desire to be loved by society.

It can be intimidating, but let it be. Have courage. The essential thing is you spoke out and expressed yourself without social conformity latching on to your mind, holding you back.

One Voice
Each and every one of us has one voice; small, yet powerful in its own ways. It is there in the back of one’s mind.
Think about it, feel it.

On a larger scale, society cannot advance if no one talks about what they personally think and feel. If we just talk about what we agree upon to impress one another, avoid conflict, or play it safe, growth and development will be harder to come by.

Exchanging individual input and not always being in agreement is one way of growing as an individual, and as a member of the society.

Sometimes there is no strength in numbers. At certain times, strength is in you; in all that you think, feel, do, and believe regardless of social backlash. So speak out, even if it means you are going against 7 billion other individuals.