Comments on: Conformity Makes Community Comfortable

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By: hubs

hubs — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:44:40 +0000

In my eyes conformity contains and protects a community. Non-conformity actually grows a community by disrupting it (market disruption grows markets). Conformity and influence are not mutually exclusive.

Please see the song “Subdivisions” by Rush for a poetical explanation to all this.

By: hubs

hubs — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:44:40 +0000

Please see the song “Subdivisions” by Rush for a poetical explanation to all this.

By: authorityseo

authorityseo — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:10:26 +0000

Conformity seems to be what we are all doing on every platform from Facebook to Twitter. You use the set parameters for how you post and what you can say.

I know tons of people who have tried to cheat the systems and eventually they all get kicked out.

By: Links for June 21 2009 | Eric D. Brown - Technology, Strategy, People & Projects

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:38:44 +0000

[...] Conformity Makes Community Comfortable by Micah Baldwin on Learn to Duck [...]

By: Laurent_Rozenfeld

Laurent_Rozenfeld — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:29:46 +0000

But then, what's the point of being a nonconformist???

Conformity makes indeed the community feel comfortable, but that always has been the issue.

Communities introduce a set of rules based on the values of the (founding) members. In order to be accepted and to find any added-value in joining a community you have to have some match with this set of values and if existing with the goals of the community.
Therefore, only transparency (authenticity?) from your part as member can help it grow.

I don't think it's about conformity nor even about fitting in such a micro-society.
It's about what you can give to the community and what you can receive from this experience.

Like Pete suggests hereunder innovation and creativity requires going against the flow, but if you join a community where everybody go against the flow, what's the point?
You may enjoy the ride...just for a while...

By: Mark Collier

Mark Collier — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:33:35 +0000

birds of a feather

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:41:40 +0000

“I always take real over trying to be real”.

Trying to fit into a community is not authentic and credible unless you truely just fit into it (without trying). You cannot try to be authentic – you either are authentic or not. So I think authenticity enables community and conformity fosters faster growth. Since we have all seen “Matrix” we all know that it is way cooler to take the red pill. Great post, Micah!

By: Pete Warden

Pete Warden — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:55:55 +0000

I think you'd love Ron Burt's work on networks and conformity:
http://petewarden.typepad.com/searchbrowser/200…

Communities exist when people trust each other, and that trust comes from visibly following the group norms. If you go outside those norms in some ways, you have a harder job convincing people that they can trust you to follow the others.

Reputation/gossip is the main mechanism for this. It guarantees that if you let one member of the group down, the others will hear about it and you'll lose their trust too. This makes the risk of offending anyone much higher than in loosely connected groups.

Think small-town America vs New York. The consequences of being rude in a small community are much higher because you meet the same people and their friends every day, whereas New Yorkers can flip you off with no fear of ever seeing you again.

Innovation requires going against group norms, since what you're doing is by definition not standard operating procedure, which is why I think it's so closely connected to authenticity.

Anyway this comment is long enough, I really should work on a post of my own on this, great topic…

By: micah

micah — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:15:22 +0000

If everyone in the community has agreed to follow a set of rules and
norms, then yes.

———-
Sent wirelessly

By: Laurent_Rozenfeld

Laurent_Rozenfeld — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:09:12 +0000

If you're a nonconformist in a community of nonconformists, does it make you conform and will it help your community grow??

By: micah

micah — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:52:36 +0000

Hmmm – I think conformity lays out the requirements for joining the
community, and the expectation of value. For example, to be part of a music
community, you must love music, and have a musical knowledge. If you dont,
you must first gain one. You must conform to the rules, norms and
expectations.

By: Sonny Gill

Sonny Gill — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:32:24 +0000

Very interesting take here, MIcah.

I don't question that conformity helps grow a community, as members understand what is expected. But couldn't you say on the flip that though they understand the expectations of the community, that conformity doesn't necessarily equate to those members bringing value to the community? Or does conformity and value go hand in hand?

Great post - making me think.

By: micah

micah — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:50:24 +0000

A clique is simple a sub- or mini-community within a community. Think about
the community as a whole. For it to grow, everyone has to agree to certain
rules. Even the cliques. Everyone conforms. This is not a bad thing.

By: Jim "Genuine" Turner

Jim "Genuine" Turner — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:38:50 +0000

I meant “can't” hang out with chess club kids. Stupid typos…