Groupthink

In observing the culture we live in, there is been a behavior that I believe most people are aware of, but maybe not seen in this light. I have tried for quite some time to quantify what that behavior is, but this morning it hit me. Groupthink.

We often hear about group think as it relates to small groups. The Cuban missile crisis is used extensively to discuss this phenomenon. Groupthink is simply a tendency within a group or organization, or perhaps even a culture, to promote or establish the view of a particular segment of a dominant group. It means people drop their personal responsibility or deny their own critical thinking skills, and follow the norm of said group.

Today the far left, the left leaning media and the apparent leaders of the democratic party (grouped as leftists), suffer from this phenomenon. It is the only thing that can explain how when something happens or someone says something from outside of the leftist group, they all immediately produce the same response.

For example, the constant talk by leftists of President Trump as “racist.” Regardless of what he says, he is targeted by this group. It is obvious to most of us that he is not, but the leftists continue to pound home the same message. Most of them probably don’t even know what the anger is about, but being in the leftist group, they are angry.

I believe this is a significant failure of our educational system, among others, because they appear not to be teaching critical thinking, but group conformance.

It’s sad to see it like this, but I am not aware of a different means to interpret these actions. Oh, I am certain there are die hard communists, socialists, etc., lurking in the background. But that doesn’t address the groupthink concern. How can we break this up? Not sure, but it would take a lot of time, reform of education practices, bringing civility and respect back into our culture, and a lot of prayer.