Ineveryschoola“top”crowdsetsthepace,whiletheothersfollowtheirlead.Let’ssaythetopcrowddecidesthatitissmarttowearbrightredsweaters.Prettysooneverybodyiswearingabrightredsweater.Thereisnothingwrongwiththat,exceptthefactthatonsomepeopleabrightredsweaterisextremelyunbecoming.Thesituationcanevenbecomedangerous,ifthetopcrowddecidesthatitissmarttodrinkortodrivecarsatseventymilesanhour.Thenthepeoplewhofollowtheleadareendangeringtheirlives.Theyarelikethesheepbeingledtothebutcher.

　　Now,chancesarethatyouhavecomeacrosssituationslikethesemorethanonceinyourlife;chancesarethatonetimeoranotheryouprobablydidsomethingyouknewtobewrong.Youmayhaveexcusedyourselfbysaying,“Gee,thecrowddoesit.”Well,letthecrowddoit,butdon’tdoityourself.Learntosay,“No.”

　　Developyourownstandardsandyourownjudgment.Ifyouknowthecrowdisplanningsomethingyoudisagreewith,havethecouragetobowoutpolitely.You’llhavethesatisfactionofstandingonyourowntwofeet.Rememberthisinyourheart,youaretheuniqueoneintheworld,justbeyourself.