Welcome to Clandestine Sophistry!

This section is under renovation as of 25 Oct 2003

Clandestine Sophistry is fancy title for my view of society. As this document evolves, I will seek to disover the ways that society secretly or unknowingly (Clandestine) convinces people to follow its ways and methods although these methods are usually not the best for the person involved or for society as a whole. (Sophistry)

It does them in the name of conformity and normality. For one to survive in society one must be normal or conform to the trends, fashions, and ideas of everyone else. If one chooses to think, act, or do anything outside these hidden boundaries, one is persecuted or rejected.

An example I like is that life is a Game of Masks. Your environment determines your behaviour. Your actions and thoughts differ based on where you are, who you are with, and how you want to portray yourself. For those with a background in Philosophy, this is similar to Wittgenstein's "language games." Every time we enter a situation, we put on the proper mask, or play the correct "language game." At times this is important and appropriate, but it is too much when it masks the individuality of a person or prevents them from expressing themself.

Few people are willing to break this mold because of consequences given by society. If one chooses to think differently, those around him will classify him as strange and will choose not to listen to him unless what he has to say will directly benefit them. If one chooses to look different, those around him will avoid him and the corporate world will reject him.

Everyone has an innate desire to be accepted and have friends, but this desire or even need often interferes with a person's internal development. People change who they are to be accepted by others or to fit in. They lose their true self as they allow themselves to become who society wants them to be, not who they are and who they want to be. One should be proud of who and what they are. If they are not happy with what they are, they need to work toward what they want to be, not what everyone else wants them to be.