<p>Assignment: Do groups that encourage nonconformity and disagreement function better than those that discourage it? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>
<p>It is commonly believed that conformity holds a group together, making it stronger. However, it is indeed the group that encourages nonconformity that often functions better. As Nazi Germany and Abraham Lincoln can both attest, nonconformity and disagreement helpt a group to function better than those that suppress it.</p>
<p>On one hand, Nazi Germany was a political regime with dogmatic beliefs. In fact, this group, led by Adolf Hitler, encouraged conformity to the extreme. They believed that everyone should conform to the identity of an Aryan, or a blue-eyed, blonde-haired person. Consequently, they enforced conformity by eradicating over 6 million Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and other unwanted persons. In the end, this approach would fortunately not succeed. As a result of World War II, which they lost, their previously vast empire would be dissolved into four smaller parts. A myriad of top Nazi officials were found guilty of crimes against humanity. Hitler himself committed suicide. As it is possible to see, conformity did not work for Nazi Germany. Tragifcally, it took the loss of many lives for them to realize that.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Lincoln was exemplary in proving that nonconformity and differences make a group stronger. Although it is typical for a president to appoint cabinet members with the same beliefs and of the same party, he decided to purposefluly pick cabinet members of a diverse beliefs and from different parties. In this manner, he was able to obtain differentopinions on a wide array of presidential concerns. The result was that he went down in history as a respected man and known as one of the best presidents the US has had. He won the civil war, abolished slavery, and held America together. This feat had eluded all the presidents before him, yet Lincoln accomplished it with his nonconforming cabinet members. </p>
<p>In conclusion, nonconformity and disagreement clearly help to hold a group together, while making it stronger. Both Lincoln and Hitler proved this essential fact.</p>
<p>I tried incorporating some of the suggestions that I got from the last essay, but as you guys can probably tell, I didn’t completely do that, and I know that I still have to work on my intro and conclusion. But thanks so much in advance!</p>