8 July 2020 — CONFORMING

With all the best will in the world, I sometimes find it difficult to conform. I will be the first to admit that sometimes I feel a little rebellious and for various reasons don’ t always wish to comply with what i am expected to do, such as sit in a certain area where the view is not as good as in another area in the vicinity.

However, today I took a taxi to Southmead Hospital, in order to accompany a friend, and, of course, in this Coronavirus time was expected to wear a mask both in the taxi and in the hospital. This is the first time I have actually worn a mask and I found it as unpleasant as I imagined it would be. I have often suspected over the years that I have an undiagnosed case of claustrophobia as confined spaces panic me in the same way as wearing a mask does.

Some of my friends put my attitude down to my rebellious nature and my reluctance to conform. Neither of which I would deny but sometimes I feel my response to adapting to a situation is a genuine one.

I feel that the question does arise here of attempting to retain one’s individuality and one’s reluctance to being herded along like sheep. Of course, I am not the only one to ‘do it my way’ as it were as one does see many, many people not wearing masks. A difficult question in our Western Society to know when it feel right to conform and right to retain one’s individuality.

HOW VERY LUCKY WE ARE TO LIVE IN THE WEST WITH THE VALUE PLACED ON INDIVIDUALITY INSTEAD OF THE EAST WHERE EVERYONE IS EXPECTED TO CONFORM.