Am Thomas — On Individuality, Conformity and the Courage to Think**

When I was a teenager, I refused to take part in my communion.

Not out of rebellion — but out of conviction.

I simply asked a question that no one seemed prepared to answer:

“What’s in it for me?”

Not in a selfish sense — but in a rational one.

If belief is meaningful, it must be personal.

If it is imposed, it becomes ritual without substance.

The silence I received in response taught me something far more valuable than the ritual ever

could:

Just because everyone does something does not make it meaningful.

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The Pressure to Conform

What struck me even then was not the ritual itself,

but the unquestioned participation of everyone else.

Not out of belief — but out of compliance.

Fear of standing out.

Fear of disappointing expectations.

Fear of being different.

And this pattern, I later realized, extends far beyond religion.

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From Ritual to Society

Years later, standing on the Great Wall of China, I found myself reflecting on the same idea.

Entire systems — societies even — are built on the same underlying force:

Fear of the unknown and the desire for control.

Conformity becomes structure.

Isolation becomes strategy.

Difference becomes threat.

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How It Begins

We often assume that intolerance is something learned later in life.

It is not.

It begins early:

• “Don’t draw attention to yourself.”

• “Be like the others.”

• “Don’t be different.”

Over time, these subtle messages shape behavior.

And eventually, people stop asking questions.

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The Cost of Living Someone Else’s Life

Many people spend years — sometimes decades — living according to expectations that are not

their own.

Not because they lack ability.

But because they lack permission —

or believe they do.

And the result is predictable:

• dissatisfaction

• confusion

• a constant sense that something is not aligned

Because at its core, there is a simple truth:

You cannot build a fulfilled life on borrowed convictions.

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The Illusion of Collective Identity

In moments of crisis, societies often rally around shared slogans.

“I am Charlie.”

I understood the intention.

I supported the cause.

I stood for the values.

But I also asked myself:

Am I truly Charlie?

Or am I expressing solidarity?

There is a difference.

Because when we replace the “I” with an “us”,

we risk losing the very individuality we claim to defend.

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A World of Individuals, Not Labels

We live in a world increasingly defined by categories:

Nationality

Religion

Ideology

Profession

But none of these define a person completely.

They are attributes — not identity.

The danger begins when we reduce ourselves — or others — to a single label.

Because that is where division starts.

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The Courage to Be an Individual

A functioning society is not built on uniformity.

It is built on individuals who are capable of thinking independently —

and coexisting respectfully.

Not as identical units.

But as distinct perspectives.

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Conclusion

I may be many things:

a European

a German

a businessman

a product of certain cultures and experiences

But none of these define me entirely.

Because ultimately:

I am more than the sum of my parts.

And that is not a statement of separation.

It is a statement of responsibility.

To think.

To question.

To choose.

I am Thomas.

And I will not compromise on that.