A total loss of individuality.

If I told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it? Probably not. If the President of the United States told you to jump off a bridge, what then? Most likely, you still would not. If the Pope told you the same? What then? Unless you are some sort of religious fanatic, the answer is still an unrelenting no.

So grave of an example is proof that people are not always bound to follow the leader. However, given man's natural desire to be social and form communities, more and more people are falling into the trap of blindly accepting the information they receive from various sources.

What does the term "groupthink" conjure up in your head? The traditional definition is that of a faulty thinking process spurred by a desire to fit in with a group, or the unwillingness to think decisions through merely in order to reach a hasty decision on which all members of a group agree.

This process can be both unintentional and purposeful. It occurs naturally when members of a group decide the same thing based on coincidental circumstances and the harmony an easily-reached agreement can bring to a community.

There is a more sinister side to the groupthink theory, though. Those attempting to gain power or stay in power over other people can use this flaw of human psychology purposely as a tactic to gain followers. Because of the social nature of human interaction, we are often influenced to agree with our peers without asking questions, but this is a critical mistake.

A country where political dissent is frowned upon by both the government and most citizens can be a perfect formula for groupthink. To me, total and unrelenting dissent of accepted political views would be a bad thing because it would lead to ultimate revolution and anarchy, yet a complete lack of dissent would also be bad because it relegates the founding notion of our country: freedom.

Ever since the days of the founding fathers, the United States of America has been a poster-child for freedom and equality. However, more and more people lose track of what it means to be an American, and instead just accept the truths of their lives without further examination. There are times when dissent and disagreement with the popular opinion can be the only way to make a change for the better, even though one of the most powerful ways to influence people is by threatening a loss of social acceptance.

Sometimes, though, we must step aside and reexamine an already-accepted notion or concept. Not too long ago, people believed the earth was the center of the universe. People were burned at the stake for disagreeing with those in power, even when there was scientific evidence or proof of their claims. Perhaps it is because man is afraid of change, or perhaps because leaders do not look kindly upon challenges to their power, but in any case, everyone can agree that man has the capability to make mistakes (and frequently does).

This constantly occurring folly of man can be overlooked if we all contribute toward making a change for the better. The gradual loss of ability to think individually has negatively affected our society recently. It is my desire to see a world in which views are not necessarily just adopted as being right or attacked as being wrong right away based on preconceived notions of what is or isn't true, or prejudiced thinking processes. There is never just one approach to a problem.

Modern day media, politicians, schools, and other sources of information and ideas constantly try to get members of their respective communities to adopt their ways of thinking. These habitual ways of thinking, if followed too closely, eventually lead toward the demise of individual thought within the community. Once individual thought is gone, the capacity for dissent and the voicing of individual opinions goes with it.

So, essentially my argument is, the next time you hear someone spout off an opinion, whether it be a politician, an analyst, a news anchor, your next door neighbor, or your local neighborhood priest/school administrator/government official, don't just blindly believe what they say. My intent is not to discredit these opinions, as a lot of them are genuine and true, however it should always be necessary to take the time to process these opinions. Don't just go along with the crowd, formulate your own opinions and react based on them. Americans as well as the rest of the world are losing the capability to think individually, and I have no desire to go down that path.

-MW