The concept of herd mentality

[*Deidre*]

Suppose the herd is full of bullies, and people who, if you dissent from the herd, will berate or shun you?

Not exactly what you are saying, but:

1. Nazi Germany
2. Zimbardo
3. Milgram

The willingness to do bad when identifying with a group is unavoidable.

This a good point. Nazi Germany was definitely herd mentality however those who dissented were threatened with death if they didn't comply. Which begs the question...would you follow the herd if not doing so would cost you your life? (In this case, the herd/Nazi regime was obviously wrong)

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I don't mindlessly follow herds like most. I intentionally ride along with various herds to benefit myself. If the benefits start to wane I hop over to another herd.

Lol Really? Hmmm...
You jump from herd to herd?

[rexbeccarox]

I don't mindlessly follow herds like most. I intentionally ride along with various herds to benefit myself. If the benefits start to wane I hop over to another herd.

Lol Really? Hmmm...
You jump from herd to herd?

He's a loner... a rebel.

[*Deidre*]

Lol Really? Hmmm...
You jump from herd to herd?

He's a loner... a rebel.

lol I read that all wrong.

[bennyboy]

This a good point. Nazi Germany was definitely herd mentality however those who dissented were threatened with death if they didn't comply. Which begs the question...would you follow the herd if not doing so would cost you your life? (In this case, the herd/Nazi regime was obviously wrong)

I think the order of priorities for me would be:
1) family (and maybe best friends)
2) innocent others
3) myself
4) less innocent others (like soldiers etc.)

I would probably turn a blind eye, and might even directly involve myself in outright murder, even of innocents, to save my wife or children. So in a harsh climate, I would first move to secure my family, so that harm could not come to them through me. I would then fight if I cared enough, or flee if I didn't. For example, I'm currently in Korea, and would probably flee, even though there are lots of Koreans I care about.

But that's just on paper. When there really are a lot of angry people with guns running around, my view might change.

[*Deidre*]

That's interesting Benny. Honestly, I'm not sure I classify that as herd mentality in what I'm trying to convey. However, we can see what happens when people do nothing and follow certain herds, instead of rising above them. The Nazi party I think took like a decade to form to where they were considered a threat. There were some in the party who were against Hitler's "final solution," but they did nothing. That herd should never have reached that point.

[Whateverist]

Honestly, I've done my level best to shake the herd. But damned if they don't follow me everywhere. I hate that.

[Tonus]

I manage to always follow the 'right' herd.

I think that's actually an accurate assessment. We are social creatures, and our minds are wired for both that social instinct and a very strong survival instinct. Stand outside of the herd, and we are at risk. We also want to be liked or admired, even by people we happen to dislike. And then there is also our desire to stand out from the herd, yet be welcomed by it.

I think that we wage a constant inner battle between the part of us that wants to belong, and the part that wants to stand out from the crowd, and the part that values our identity as an individual. We will readily accept certain people and certain groups, and just as readily reject others, and we will tell ourselves that we are doing this deliberately and for specific reasons that we enumerate. And we're mostly very, very wrong.

[*Deidre*]

Honestly, I've done my level best to shake the herd. But damned if they don't follow me everywhere. I hate that.

I'd follow you.

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I manage to always follow the 'right' herd.

I think that's actually an accurate assessment. We are social creatures, and our minds are wired for both that social instinct and a very strong survival instinct. Stand outside of the herd, and we are at risk. We also want to be liked or admired, even by people we happen to dislike. And then there is also our desire to stand out from the herd, yet be welcomed by it.

I think that we wage a constant inner battle between the part of us that wants to belong, and the part that wants to stand out from the crowd, and the part that values our identity as an individual. We will readily accept certain people and certain groups, and just as readily reject others, and we will tell ourselves that we are doing this deliberately and for specific reasons that we enumerate. And we're mostly very, very wrong.

True and great points but I would rather be alone than stand with a herd that I don't respect. "Being liked" isn't enough for me like it once was, even just a few years ago. Yes, we as humans want to be accepted but not if I have to pretend to be someone I'm not. Most herds have core leaders and the rest are their groupies. Lol No thanks.
Like I said, if you agree with the herd on a genuine level, great but if you don't, its best to just fly solo. My opinion. :-)

[Tonus]

True and great points but I would rather be alone than stand with a herd that I don't respect. "Being liked" isn't enough for me like it once was, even just a few years ago. Yes, we as humans want to be accepted but not if I have to pretend to be someone I'm not. Most herds have core leaders and the rest are their groupies. Lol No thanks.
Like I said, if you agree with the herd on a genuine level, great but if you don't, its best to just fly solo. My opinion. :-)

Yes, that's a part of it. We will not want to be a part of every crowd, especially in modern times with such populous societies, where we have a choice of who we associate with. And some people and groups are so offensive to our ideals that we easily avoid them. It's just that most of our interaction with people and groups is driven subconsciously; when we are aware of why we want or don't want to be part of a group, we are much more decisive and clear. But most of the time we're being led around by an application that is... chaotically programmed.

[Losty]

If I know what's going on I try to just do/say whatever I think/feel, but if not I try to follow the herd I think is smarter than me. If I learn that my herd is wrong I either learn enough to do my own thing or I switch herds. Sometimes the herd is off doing herd stuff (grazing on grass and shit I guess) and I'm just lying in the flowers finding shapes in the clouds or painting my toe nails (or hooves/hoofs or whatever).