From Chava in the comments to Shayna’s post:
I think becoming a Baal Teshuva calls on us to balance ourselves in this area – yes, we need to be non-conformists with tremendous inner strength in order to move from our secular upbringing and towards a life of mitzvos – and we also need to balance it with a sensitivity to conforming to the Torah true parts of frum society. Being part of the klal, and the sense of achdus that engenders, is fundamental to Torah.
While the other gedolim were bemoaning the rebelliousnes of the 1960’s youth, the Lubavitcher Rebbe saw the counter culture in a positive light. As early as 1960 the Rebbe spoke about our rebellious youth when hardly anyone understood whom he was referring to at the time. He saw the counter culture Messianic, since the youth were busy tearing down the false idols of our age, a neccessary stage in the bringing of Moshiach. He said that these youths were yearning for a better world, were yearning for truth, and he saw in them a tremendous potential for teshuvah. He taught the shluchim to help the youths redirect their yearnings and energies towards creating that better world through Torah living. The first wave of BT’s came out of this era.
typo… should read: much to be said –
There’s also much to be about conforming in order to give our kids a clear identity.