A Japanese proverb says, "The nail that sticks out will be hammered down." (5)
             Society tries to place many rules and restrictions on us as individuals, as to what is
             acceptable and what is not. I believe that conformity encourages mediocrity and we must
             decide for ourselves whether to conform to such a social decorum. We are taught as soon
             as we are old enough to grasp the idea, that it is unacceptable to be unique and that we
             should avoid being different. At some point, however, we must decide within ourselves
             whether to spend our lives trying to be like everyone else because society says we should,
             or living each day true to ourselves. Our strength as a person is proven through what we
             decide. E.E. Cummings once said, "To be nobody but yourself – in a world which is doing
             its best night and day to make you like everyone else- means to fight the hardest battle
             which any human being can fight, and can never stop fighting." (5) Although it is not
             always an easy choice, the benefits of being true to ourselves greatly outweigh any
             negative aspects of choosing that path.
             One of the most obvious advantages of being true to ourselves is that people will
             see us, perhaps for the first time. People will see what we are really like on the inside.
             They will see our talents, imperfections, and values. They will see what is truly important
             to us. They will then have the opportunity to accept us on our own terms as we truly are.
             As we work to show our true selves to others, we often may discover things about
             ourselves that even we did not realize. We all have given talents, some of which we may
             or may not be aware. When we have the courage to show who we really are, our talents
             and values will have the opportunity to come to light.
             Society teaches us to conform by not thinking for ourselves. We are told simply to
             solve a problem or accomplish a task. If we do not question the how or why, progress
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