Geezer Ranting, Trending & Groupthink

 While skimming Google News this morning, I ran across this "7 Perfume Trends to Smell Sophisticated and Rich This Winter".  

That headline hit on something in me. Why do we even want to smell "sophisticated and rich"? Why not just smell nice? And I do realize that headlines are written this way to pull a reader's attention to an article. Still, why not just " 7 Perfume Trends"? But I would find a problem with that because, lately, I'm having a problem with societies need for "trends" and "influencing" and anything labeled as "latest" or "game-changing". I think I'm just tired of all the follower-like behavior in our culture. 

Is this my old age talking? Is this the geezer coming out in me? Maybe. But there is truth to getting wiser as you age - or rather, as you mature.

Why can't we all just be our best - at our jobs, in our behavior, in life? Why do we always have to be something other than what we are? Of course, we want to improve and grow - to mature in everything, but why do any of that unless for ourselves?

I think I'm on to something here. Think about it. No one - or at least not enough of us - thinks for themselves anymore. We have fallen into the predicted trap of groupthink. Of course, being in some kind of harmony with the rest of society - as far as laws and general behavior -for the sake of peace is good. I'm talking about losing the desire (and maybe even the ability) to think for ourselves.

In high school, I always admired the kids who didn't mind being a little different. There would be the kid who could have been more popular if - they wore her hair a certain way or dressed like the other kids or... Or, or, or, and if. I wanted to be that kid. Instead I wasted a lot of time trying to hard to be like the other kids. Sometimes, it worked (and when it did, it was exhausting), and sometimes it didn't (and I was left feeling anxious and depressed). As a G.I. brat, I changed schools a lot and, depending on the situation, became either a chameleon or a outsider.

That was high school. By the time I graduated, I found my own groove. I became an introvert who could be very social when I wanted. I'm still that way 45 years later. But every now and then, I have to remind myself not to slip into the world of the wanna-bes. 

The problem with kids who "wanna be" whatever it takes to be with the "in" crowd is that they grow up and become adults with the same mindset. This is why (all my opinion, of course) so many people fall into groupthink. 

Asking for a list of examples of groupthink disasters, ChatGPT (I know, I know!) responded:

When Obama was running the first time for president, so many black people (of all political parties) and white liberals and progressives voted for him simply because he is black. I can't deny that, although I strongly disagree with him on so many things, I wanted to see him elected. Grouphink.

When Trump first ran, the same thing happened. Many whites who felt represented for the first time in a long time (and other people for various reasons) wanted him in. Groupthink.

Getting away from politics, look at fashion trends. Afro-natural hair came back several years ago. Groupthink. Korean beauty became big in the past few years. Groupthink. Influencer marketing is big. Groupthink.

Groupthink is the reason we have trends, the reason things fall in and out of "fashion". Groupthink is the reason marketing works. 

As a Christian, I can't be a diligent groupthink citizen - not as far as larger issues. If I were, I'd believe that America is the center of prophecy and that we must be a "Christian" nation. I am a Bible-believing Christian so I know that people accept (or reject) Jesus as their Savior, not nations. 

We are where we are as a world because most of us have been programmed to be part of a "collective". In the Boiling Frog scenario, people who think for themselves will get out of the pot before it's too late.

Let me get a little deep here and say that since every journey starts with a single step, learn when it's better to walk your own way. 

I wear my hair afro-natural, and I love K-beauty, but I know when to get off the groupthink bus. I hope you do as well. Learn to think for yourself when it's most important.

Peace 

--Free