Society's prosperity depends on two factors: one is individual contribution; the other one is society's overall conformity. Our society will be very dull and weak if everyone is the same; On the other, the conflicts among people will suppress the expression of different ideas. The individual differences and social cooperation together improve the society.
Giving different creativity and ideas, individual is very improtant to the society. As society are improving, we repect each one's freedom more and more. People can have their own opinions, and live the way they like. We understand more and more the importance of accepting different people's will. In University, you can express your own idea in the class even it is different from the professor. In the legistrative council, everyone can persuade others that their own suggestions are the best. As differnt opionions contribute different solutions, society understands these different voices can improve the overall quality. Judged by arguements and comparisions, the dilemma and unfairness can be delimnated. Our society appreciate every single person's ideas more and more.
In order to combine different entity into one harmonic structure, our society encourage conformity. Society consists of some contradict opinions. We need a way to deal with opposite ideas, and allow people to express their thought effectively. Cooperation and conformity are necessary among different entities. As one entity cannot overcome all problems, people need help from their colleagues and friends; as one entity cannot defeat all competitors, even Microsoft have to make commitments with Sun, Nevigators, and Linux. As variety opinions benefit us most, opposite comments can be found in the press. Without cooperation and conformity, we have less chance to judge different ideas and thus many good opinions will be repressed.
Admittedly, individual differences and society conformity are not mutual exclusive.