herd mentality

[adsman]

Anyone who truly doesn't conform is careful to make no effort to stand out from the general herd.

[Go_Blue88]

also, at what point (what unit of time) are people who previously conformed to something no longer conforming and just "being themselves." i put that in quotes b/c that's sort of an ambiguous term.

[JaBlue]

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are you saying that people pretend to be different than other people to make fun of them but are actually the same? examples?

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I know a lot of hipsters like this, they mock the general populace for being intellectually lazy, but they all end up generally listening to the same music, having the same ideals, dressing in the same style, talking the same, etc.

I also suspect that many hippies were like this. I can identify with their ideals much more than what they were rebelling against, but a massive group of people dressing, talking, and thinking the same to me seems like just another bunch of mindless followers. It bothers me a lot when people my age think they're soooo hip for [censored] like this. "freethinking," my ass.

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there are beliefs and styles of thought that have been transmitted to us through every conceivable medium and it's a hard task to suddenly uproot the cumulative effect that these norms have had on your life. even the very act of questioning is something that has probably been transmitted to you by your parents or peer group or whatever. and yeah, i do agree that actively trying to rebel against the herd mentality defeats its purpose.

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Agree, and you are absolutely right that I am indebted to my parents for instilling a questioning spirit.

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it is astonishing to see how little self-reflection people have that they never question the effect that culture has had on them and the extent to which they live according to society's/their parents' prescriptions.

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Yes! So few ask themselves why they're doing what they're doing and if its really what they want to do. IMO this kind of unquestioning submittal is largely responsible for the enrollment of tons and tons of college students who simply do not belong there.

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My problem is with conformity for conformity's sake and rebellion for rebellion's sake. I just want to see more individuals.

[ahnuld]

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conforming is easier and gives me a greater chance of happiness. I just look around, decide what I want, and in most cases it turns out that the easiest and most likely way to get what want is to conform, so I will. I realize it but dont care because its just a means to an end. If there was a better means id use that one.

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Ah, but what if what you want is what you've been programmed to want? Did I just blow your mind?

Other high school-level wisdom on conformity from Pink Floyd's "Sheep":
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Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland away,
Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air.
You better watch out,
There may be dogs about.
I've looked over Jordan, and I have seen
Things are not what they seem.

What do you get for pretending the danger's not real?
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
Down well trodden corridors into the valley of steel.
What a surprise!
A look of terminal shock in your eyes.
Now things are really what they seem.
No, this is no bad dream.

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not really. That doesnt really matter. Happiness is whatever brings me enjoyment/pleasure/fulfillment. If iv been programmed by society to like hot skinny blonds better than fat red headed women then ill still get more enjoyment by going out with the blonds. It doesnt change anything to realize why I like what I like so im not going to spend my time worrying about it.

[JaBlue]

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It doesnt change anything to realize why I like what I like so im not going to spend my time worrying about it.


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This is just laziness IMO. Of course it changes things; it should help you decide if what you like is really worth liking.

[xorbie]

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It doesnt change anything to realize why I like what I like so im not going to spend my time worrying about it.


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Replace the "why" with a "whether" and I think you are getting closer to it.

[gumpzilla]

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It doesnt change anything to realize why I like what I like so im not going to spend my time worrying about it.


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This is just laziness IMO. Of course it changes things; it should help you decide if what you like is really worth liking.

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What establishes worth? It's not like there are objective criteria for such a thing.

[ahnuld]

Ja,
Its not laziness. If knowing a result doesnt matter its a waste of time to think about it. And "worth liking"? cmon..

[Irish Mafia]

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You have to get permission to post stuff like this?

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[chcheers]

In my experience, the heard mentality is only a temporarily satisfying end. It's the line of thinking of 'well I'm doing better than x%, so I won't try any harder.' Everyone else is doing x, so there can't be any harm in it', etc. You just go along with what everyone else is doing and end up measuring yourself against their medicrocu(which feels itself) instead of your own potential, and the end result is that you feel unfulfilled.

It's not hard to break free of the heard mentality. There's just so many people stuck in that state of mind. I'm still stuck in it. You just have to keep working towards what you want and ignore/get rid of anyone that gets in your way.