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  %TOKEN NONCONFORMITY DANGER SIGN THREAT COLLUSION+940909
%CONTROL HIDDEN DISRESPECT HAIR DRESS JEWELRY BEARD+940909
   %COATS HATS WIGS CODES RULES REGULATIONS RESPECT 940909

     Many communities show respect for tacit rules,  codes
and  regulations regarding hair styles,  dress,  clothing,
jewelry,  beards,  coats, hats, wigs, etc.   Conformity to
these  tacit rules,  codes and regulations are  tokens  of
respect  for  conformity  to social  expectations.    Non-
conformity to these rules,  codes and regulations inflicts
less  serious  harm  on anyone than  do  murders,   rapes,
assaults,   and robberies.   Yet,  non-conformity to  such
rules,   codes  and   regulations    often    cause   much
consternation   and psychological discomfort.  Why?

     When people fail to (or refuse to)  conform to  tacit
rules, codes and regulations they do violence to the tokes
of  respect for conformity---and fear is  engendered  that
more  serious  forms of non-conformity may follow.     The
false  sense   of   security   and   trust  which   offers
comfort  to many people is violated by non-conformists who
violate the  symbolic tokens  of conformity,  and so token
non-conformists are viewed with  alienative fear.

     In  many communities creative insights into  communal
dilemmas  and technical problems are inhibited by  extreme
patterns   of   conformity.    Creativity   entails   non-
conformity.  To promote creativity one must help people to
feel  free to be non-conformists at least in the realm  of
creative work.  Pervasive respect for tokens of conformity
can  thus  undermine creative work and all  of  the  sweet
fruits which creative work can yield.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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