Ineveryschoola“top”crowdsetsthepace,whiletheothersfollowtheirlead.①Let’ssaythetopcrowddecidesthatitissmarttowearbrightredsweaters.Prettysooneverybodyiswearingabrightredsweater.Thereisnothingwrongwiththat,exceptthefactthatonsomepeopleabrightredsweaterisextremelyunbecoming.Thesituationcanevenbecomedangerous,ifthetopcrowddecidesthatitissmarttodrinkortodrivecarsatseventymilesanhour.Thenthepeoplewhofollowtheleadareendangeringtheirlives.Theyarelikethesheepbeingledtothebutcher.
Now,chancesarethatyouhavecomeacrosssituationslikethesemorethanonceinyourlife;chancesarethatonetimeoranotheryouprobablydidsomethingyouknewtobewrong.Youmayhaveexcusedyourselfbysaying,“Gee,thecrowddoesit.”Well,letthecrowddoit,butdon’tdoityourself.Learntosay,“No.”
Developyourownstandardsandyourownjudgment.Ifyouknowthecrowdisplanningsomethingyoudisagreewith,havethecouragetobowoutpolitely.②You’llhavethesatisfactionofstandingonyourowntwofeet.③Rememberthisinyourheart,youaretheuniqueoneintheworld,justbeyourself.