Hitler liked the "foolish consistency." Mussolini advocated conformity. Conformity amongst the masses has been required in the past only by dictators such as Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. This conformity is exactly what Ralph Waldo Emerson opposes in his writing, "A foolish consistency (conformity) is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do." Emerson recognizes that only those desiring control, like statesmen, would ever wish for "ready-to-eat" humans out of the "minute-rice box." This type of lifestyle is boring, blasé; it has been proven in history that conformity is not ideal, and also in novels.

In historical terms, conformists were seen as those most holy. the Catholic church dictated the world during the Middle Ages, and rewarded those that lived the Catholic lifestyle with promises of grandeur in heaven. However, the non-conformists, men such as Copernicus and Galileo, are the men still remembered today. The non-conformists made the lasting imprint on our lives by adding knowledge against Catholic beliefs. Nicolaus Copernicus advanced the theory of a heliocentric solar system of which the sun was the center, not the earth, and decided the earth revolved around the sun, rather than vice versa as it said in the Bible. Galileo Galilei advanced those ideas with the invention of his telescope. These men were both condemned by the Catholic church and deemed heretics, however today these are two of the most influential scientists of yesteryear.

In our own country, at it's very beginning, had we conformed to popularly held ideas, the United States of America would be the United Colonies of England. Had America fought in the traditional fashion, the way England fought, rather than using the terrain for our advantage, England would have pummeled America. England was the toughest fighting force in the world but because America refused to conform, America was able to beat England. Then, in another wise move, our forefathers, the Framer's of America's Constitution, once again went against popular ideals, and formed a Federalist Republic, rather than a limited monarchy. This has allowed for America to thrive and become the greatest nation in the world.

This has also allowed for America to give its people more freedom than most of the world, including freedom of the press. This freedom has been expressed in books. Novels of all sorts have been written, but many of the classics have as a central theme a character who denies conformity. In J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, the lead character, Holden Caulfield, is experiencing a difficult transition from youth to adulthood. However, the greatest obstacle he is facing, is his era in which to live. Holden is very much a non-conformist born in the 1950's, America's time of conformity. As suburbia and white picket fences popped up all over America, Holden did not want 2.5 kids and a dog, and therefore was a social outcast. Joseph Heller's Catch-22, Yossarian is in war, and being forced to fly more bombardier missions, however, eventually refuses to conform and therefore refuses to fly. Many great military novels have been written about characters refusing to conform to the rigid structure of the military. Lords of Discipline, Conroy's genius, is one of these for example. These characters make the novels interesting.

These characters, and other characters, brought to life make life more interesting. Imagine how horribly awful life would be if every person were exactly the same. Imagine witnessing 50,000 people at a sporting event all wearing the exact same outfit, all eating a hot dog, all drinking a soda, and all having the same conversation while sitting quietly. Now, add one man, just one, the non-conformist, who is wearing no clothes, is standing, drinking a beer and yelling at the top of his lungs. This one man turns an extremely boring scene into one of excitement. Now, turn all 50,000 people into an individual and see how exciting life becomes. Emerson was trying to make people realize the dangers involved in conformity. How boring a world where everyone is too scared to be individual. How boring a world.

Emerson is merely stating in more poetic words what your mother has been saying all along, "Be Yourself." Be an individual. Be exciting. Have a soul and prove it. Emerson is onto something. But your mother is less prolix. "Be Yourself!" That is all. Conformity makes for a boring baseball game. So, go nude, drink beer, stand and shout at the top of your lungs, refuse conformity and be an individual. Either follow Hitler, or your mother!