Photo by Andrea Lightfoot on Unsplash
One of the things that I still notice from time to time, is the desire to fit in with the crowd. Let’s be honest here, at some point, everyone wants to feel like they are part of a group. Over time, depending on what group you are in, can influence your decisions, and your thinking. It can make you start thinking like everyone else.
Because you're thinking like everyone else, you don’t form your own opinions and tend to make decisions based on what the actions of the group do.
Congratulations, you now have a Herd Mentality mindset. To give a brief explanation, it's where you act the same way in a group or society. How long has this been around? Well, since the beginning of time.
While herd mentality is nothing new, this is where problems start showing up. It can create issues where you no longer think for yourself, and go with what everyone is doing since that is the popular thing. Since you want to fit in, you go with what everyone else is thinking.
This is a quote that I found rather interesting and it says:
Collective fear stimulates herd instinct and tends to produce ferocity towards those who are not regarded as members of the herd. - Bertrand Russel
People fear what they don’t understand, so what happens when that spreads among a group of people? It can cause them to think irrationally and reject anyone who doesn’t think the way they do. Other issues can arise such as:
Natural Desire to fit in
The sad reality about this Is that we want to fit in with a group. Even if it goes against our values and principles. Just because something is popular, does not mean it’s the right thing to do.
Not thinking for themselves.
Every one of us has been given the gift of free will, meaning that we can think for ourselves. However, what happens when we replace that with the herd mentality? You stop thinking for yourself and go with whatever belief they believe in.
Always following the group
This can be dangerous if you take the time to stop and think about it. If you are following what they are doing, what are the chances that whatever action they are taking could be harmful? Is what the group doing legal, or would it end up with the consequences of landing in jail?
One huge example of herd mentality that has happened in the past is the Salem Witch trials. To give you a bit of context, this was a series of trials and prosecutions of people who were accused of witchcraft between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused, and 20 were executed. The Witch Trials were influenced by herd mentality as individuals admitted to practicing witchcraft to evade the punishment of being burned alive, which motivated others who were also accused to do the same.
So, for something so common, what is it that makes it difficult to break out of this mindset? Well, there are a few reasons for what it could be.
It’s easier to go with the crowd
Many of us have felt like to belong, we have to do the same thing that everyone is doing. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to fit in, it can however lead into dangerous territory if you are not careful.
Disregard for personal opinions
Every person on this planet has their own opinion on something. That is what makes us unique. However, once you develop the herd mentality, you start ignoring the opinions of people who don’t have the same mindset.
Ignore facts and go on rumor
I need to state something here, this is the most dangerous thing that you can do when it comes to getting information about something. The problem with rumors is that it hasn’t been proven if the information is correct. People are assuming that it’s correct rather than doing the research. Ignoring facts and getting your information through rumors can get you into a bad situation and fast.
Back when I was in high school in 2006, I was often picked on due to my autism. The reality is that no one questioned it since everyone was doing it, and it was the popular thing to do. Not only that but when it came to doing assignments, I was often called upon to do the problem on the board. 90% of the time I would always get it wrong. Most of the time I would get laughed at. Every time that this would happen, I would feel a part of myself dying on the inside. No matter how many times I would read the instructions on how to do a problem, it would never stick, and I felt like I was falling behind.
So, what can be done to prevent horde mentality? There are a few things that you can do.
Do your research before forming an opinion
When being presented with a rumor, always do your research first. Ask yourself, is this based on rumors? Or has there been proof that this happened? Is there evidence that can be presented to back up the claim, or is it only by word of mouth? Ask questions so you can understand it, and then from there, make your judgment if it’s accurate, or false.
Take time to think about your responses and actions before making them.
Always take time to think about how you respond. The same thing goes for your actions. While it may seem like the popular thing to do, there is a possibility that it can have consequences. It might not affect you now, but later down the road, it can screw you over. And there is a chance that it's going to happen at an inconvenient time.
Find comfort in being unique and dare to stand out from the crowd
Be yourself. Who cares if you are different from everyone? That is what makes the world interesting. It would get boring very quickly if everyone was the same. It may feel overwhelming at times since the world tends to look down on people that are different, but in the end, it’s not going to matter. Live how you want to be, regardless of what the crowd tells you.
Note from the writer: After thinking about this for a while, I have decided to go ahead and start posting every Friday. This will be easier for me to get these done, and be consistent. So look forward to new posts every Friday.