Individuality Vs Conformity
...duality verses conformity. In the book of Bereishit (Genesis) the Torah describes two societies, which are the epitome of the extremes of individuality and conformity. First the Torah talks about the world before the flood. The world before the flood was a world in which every man was out for himself and himself alone. It was a world rampant with thievery and murder. This is the extreme world of individuality. In stark contrast, is the post flood world of the Tower of Babel, a world in which everyone "was of one language and a common purpose", a world in which a loss of bricks was deemed more tragic than a loss of men. This is the world of extreme conformity. So what is it that God wants from us; to stand out or to blend in? The answer is both. We know this because right in between these two...