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Society, Law & Politics - Social Norms & Conformity

Dive into English idioms regarding social norms and conformity, like "against the grain" and "play the game".

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English idioms related to Society, Law & Politics
a voice crying in the wilderness

someone who expresses an opinion that others ignore or do not like

Ex: She warned them about the risks for months, but she was just a voice crying in the wilderness. 
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against the grain

used to refer to something that is done in a way that is contrary to the usual customs, conventions, or the natural direction

Ex: Her approach to teaching went against the grain, but students loved it. 
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a law unto {oneself}

someone who does not behave according to rules or expectations of society

Ex: Tom is a law unto himself; he never follows the schedule everyone else agreed on. 
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beyond the pale

(of a person's words or actions) not according to what is considered acceptable or polite

Ex: His behavior at the dinner was beyond the pale; he insulted everyone. 
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to [break] the mold

to act so differently that it changes traditional or previous methods or approaches

Ex: Her first film broke the mold and changed how people thought about documentaries. 
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to [cross] (the|a) line

to show a behavior that is unacceptable or improper

Ex: He really crossed the line when he insulted her in front of everyone. 
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out of bounds

beyond the limits of acceptable behavior

Ex: His comments were out of bounds and shocked everyone in the meeting. 
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to [step|be] out of line

to act in a way that is not in accordance with rules or socially accepted behavior

Ex: You were out of line when you shouted at the receptionist. 
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sacred cow

an idea, custom, or institution considered immune from criticism or questioning

Ex: In that company, the founder's management style is a sacred cow. 
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line in the sand

a limit that makes clear what is considered right or accepted and what is not

Ex: I warned them that taking office supplies home was a line in the sand for me. 
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to [break] every rule in the book

to behave in a manner that is in contrast to the standards of a particular place

Ex: He broke every rule in the book by showing up drunk to the formal meeting. 
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the done thing

the socially accepted or expected behavior or action in a particular situation

Ex: Sending a thank-you note after a job interview is the done thing in this industry. 
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herd mentality

a person's natural tendency or urge to conform to the standards or the behavior of others in a particular group or society

Ex: Herd mentality made everyone buy the same phone, even though most of them didn't need it. 
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to [swim|go] against the (tide|stream)

to do or think the exact opposite of what most people are doing or thinking

Ex: She went against the tide and refused to support the popular policy. 
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to [play] the game

to do things according to the rules, customs, or in the way that is expected of one in order to achieve profit or success

Ex: If you want to succeed in this company, you have to play the game. 
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to [go] rogue
to go rogue
[phrase]

to start behaving in a manner that ignores the expectations of society or an authority

Ex: The manager went rogue and approved the deal without telling headquarters. 
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to [overstep] the (mark|line)

to act in a way that goes beyond the limits of what is allowed or accepted

Ex: He overstepped the line by criticizing his boss in front of everyone. 
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