Our textbook says "Groups tell us what to think and feel and how to act. We are who we are because of the groups we have been a part of."I won't quite ask if you agree with the statement, at the risk of this sounding like an essay question. But I did have quite a few thoughts run through my mind after I read the statement, and would appreciate very much for your opinions to be raised also!
The quoted statement is quite hard to swallow, especially in this age of rising individualism. People actually like being unique, and don't quite care for the idea of seeing someone else wearing the same shirt we have on. However, as much as we have these people who like to stand out and be admired/followed/worshiped/outcasted/gawked at, there will also be other people who like to blend in and don't feel the dying need to be noticed.
That said, the above statement does have some truth. I think almost everybody has been in situations where you’re influenced by the groups you find yourself in. We can get gently tugged to think green is the new black or forcefully coerced to adopt similar values/habits/beliefs. (Like how gangs force on tattoos to mark their members)
I recall, not too long ago, being influenced to think that going overseas for a degree was the way for me, largely due to the group of people I was with. The ones closest to me were jetting off overseas and I thought I wanted that life as well.
In some ways, I think the influencing power of groups also translates to trends. When more people do something, there is a level of comfort and assurance for the others to follow that option as well. It is as if the way is tried and tested, and more people flock to that path, as if they were being told how to think feel and how to act. Or the more people do it, the more confirmation we receive that this path is socially acceptable, and the more we are inclined to follow that trend. You think so?
4 comments:
Wow, I nvr tot of it this way, that the influencing power of groups can translate to trends. I guess its true, like how tings snowball together- like somebody following someone else.
I just thought of something!
The quoted statement holds true when we think of this in a psychology context! There's always debate on nature and nurture, like how our environment and surroundings (and the people around it) have such a strong hold on us that they influence they our psyche! SO, when we think of groups as our environmental influence, we can relate to how "groups tell us what to think and feel and how to act" so much easier! Not so hard to swallow anymore.
Hey Amandah, I agree! I used to not want to travel overseas to study because I'm someone who gets homesick easily haha. However, seeing people whom I'm close to slowly flying off to study, I begin to get influenced in wanting to gain that experience too! I believe it's a lifetime chance that one should not miss!(:
Hey Em! Yes, people have an effect on people. It's actually quite scary the influencing power that you may have on people.
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