Why is nonconformity important to you? Why do you look at some of the ways books are marketed today, like you mentioned earlier, or some of the ways that people write how‑to books and you feel like it's an inauthentic version of themselves?

Nick HutchisonFounder and CEO, BookThinkers

Why nonconformity is important to Philip Gabbard!

28 Oct 2022 · 1 min

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1:11

Philip Gabbard argues that excessive conformity breeds mediocrity and stunts personal growth. He points to small moments like accepting wrong orders at a drive-through as signs we've surrendered too much, and warns that authors especially risk losing their authentic voice by chasing market expectations instead of standing out.

Questions this video answers

Conformity can provide stability, but over‑use leads to homogenization and mediocrity, limiting personal capabilities and authentic expression. This pressure shows up in book marketing where authors may dilute their true voice to fit market expectations.

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Why is nonconformity important to you? Why do you look at some of the ways books are marketed today, like you mentioned earlier, or some of the ways that people write how-to books and you feel like it's an inauthentic version of themselves?
Excellent question. It's a loaded question. I could talk for weeks on this subject. Conformity is troublesome because it seems so natural to behave a certain way. And I'm not talking about anarchy and crazy. I mean, there is things about conformity that add stability and assurances of continuity in our lives. But there are those things that have asked us to homogenize ourselves to be average. And somehow that kind of mediocrity is okay. And I see it in myself. I see it in others. I see it at the drive-through when you're okay with not getting what you've ordered, you know, and we accept it and that's okay. Don't raise your hand, wait in line, don't speak out of turn. These life lessons that might have saved our ass at times, if overused, will life limit us. It will curb our capabilities, our experiences. And some people feel down, you know, they just get down and they know why, and because their behaviors have been, you know, associated with trying to fit in instead of stand out.