Great MIT article on matters of non-conformity

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I loved reading this MIT Sloane (School of Business) article that caught my attention on how unintentional non-conformity is regarded more negatively than intentional non-conformity - seems like the bane of our existence!! And how, during our youth, many of us have/had no doubt noticed that there were these more gregarious "alpha types" who'd violate norms but made it clear they knew they were violating them, and since they'd already achieved a certain social status, it didn't matter. Yep, more of that "it's better to know and not care than to care and not know" which propels narcissistic psychopaths to the top of the pecking order... but maybe I'm using hyperbole to make a point.

https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-surprising-benefits-of-nonconformity/

Our studies found that nonconformity leads to positive inferences of status and competence when it is associated with deliberateness and intentionality. In other words, observers attribute heightened status and competence to a nonconforming individual when they believe he or she is aware of an accepted, established norm and is able to conform to it, but instead deliberately decides not to. In Zuckerberg’s case, for example, many observers saw his decision to wear a hoodie on his tour of the most important Wall Street banks to be a deliberate choice.

In contrast, when observers perceive a nonconforming behavior as unintentional, it does not result in enhanced perceptions of status and competence. When a nonconforming behavior appears to be dictated by lack of means, lack of better alternatives or lack of awareness of the dress code, it will not lead to positive inferences from others. Thus, to benefit from deviance from the norm, we should make sure that others perceive our nonconforming practices to be deliberate and intentional choices.

Thank you and I hope you are well

I already figured that one out.

With me personally receiving forms of misunderstanding that aren't necessarily negative, but misunderstanding nonetheless.


But not merely because of autism, but because of my own sheer pride and ego that came with me.

The autism is just a bonus, an excuse, or a gateway for me to lean into more naturally, more intentionally and more aligned into.

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UNFAIR.