Groupthink, Social Media, and the Importance of Informed Decision-Making
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Groupthink: This is when people in a group are more focused on the harmony and conformity within the group rather than thinking for themselves and making decisions. It is exactly the opposite of what my page stands for (Informed Decision-making).
The result of groupthink is that the people within this group end up making irrational decisions or ignoring very important information. The alternate view is not looked at in the business team, political organization, or family.
It’s the way they, or we, see the world, and nothing can be done to change it.
In modern times, however, groupthink has taken on new forms. I don’t know if it is harder to see today than it was before, but it has definitely morphed with the internet, as with most things. The internet, in new times, controls our psyche. The mind is such an expensive resource to hand over to people who are not well-meaning.
Groupthink often comes as “common sense” or “the way things are,” meanwhile, it's people infusing their thoughts and opinions as facts. In many instances, it comes from traditions and norms that cannot be questioned. In Nigeria, a clear example is the godfatherism in politics that is well known for its destructive nature, but its acceptance is not questioned.
Groupthink is built on the anxiety and fear of other people. We don’t realize how much we need boundaries as humans, so we play around with groupthink. People want to be told not to think in a certain way because it frees them to think within the boundaries of those thoughts.
If someone else calls the shots for the decisions that are to be made, then all one needs to do is copy and paste those concepts into their life. Which is lazy but it is the kind of thing that gets people.
Social Media
People illustrations by Storyset
The rise of social media has done a lot of good. It has helped connect people, share ideas, start new relationships, and build businesses. But with great power comes great responsibility, and responsibility with no morals leads to degeneracy.
Are we seeing a more degenerate society than we did in the past because of groupthink and social media?
Let's think about who the leaders of social media are, the influencers. Many would think it is the owners of Big Tech, but you need to observe who the users are listening to most of the time.
Social media influencers come in all shapes and sizes and are taking the world in different directions, helping people with useful information, teaching the leaders of tomorrow, and building the social structure of the world in front of us.
In echo chambers on social media, people hold views that are not different from the views held by groupthinkers, where everyone agrees with each other, and no one sees a problem with their method of thinking. People think they would be ostracized for thinking differently, no doubts are shared, and you are a traitor if you question the group and see no problems in some of their risky behavior.
The truth is people will always need to be part of a group, but groupthink is wrong in all the ways that groups become pathological. Groupthink is why it was so difficult to question the atrocities of the world as they happened.
On social media, what we are seeing is a slow-growing pathology of more groups holding different pathological thoughts, and many people holding each of these connected pathological thoughts among themselves.
Cutting off from the internet
People illustrations by Storyset
I recently made some successful amendments to my access to the internet. I now browse with my MiFi device, and I can make conscious decisions about whether I will be using the internet or not.
Once the decision has been made, it reduces my options for how I will handle some things. It reduces the pressure to want to distract myself. If I am studying, there is the additional stress of having to walk to the device to have the internet turned on. If the internet is not on, then I can only access what is available offline.
People underestimate their need for boundaries, and the boundaries created by the groupthinking echo chambers of social media make it easy for people to not reach out to newer forms of thought.
My solution to this problem is to dissociate and get information for yourself. Read books of every form of opinion. Listen to the two sides of the argument.
Are you struggling to break free from group thinking?
You can send me a message on WhatsApp at +2348134530293, and we can have a conversation, or you can speak with a licensed therapist.
Conclusion
In conclusion, groupthink is a phenomenon that can lead to irrational decision-making and the ignoring of important information in a group. With the rise of social media, groupthink has taken on new forms, leading to the development of echo chambers where people hold similar views and ostracize those who think differently. This has resulted in a slow-growing pathology of different groups holding different pathological thoughts, which is detrimental to society.
However, it is possible to combat groupthink by dissociating from the echo chambers of social media and seeking out information for ourselves. By reading books of varying opinions and listening to both sides of an argument, we can make informed decisions and avoid falling into the trap of groupthink.
It is essential to understand that while group membership is natural and provides a sense of belonging, we must guard against the negative aspects of groupthink. It is only by doing so that we can truly make informed decisions and contribute positively to society.
I read about it first time, to be honest I understand very little about it after Reading you above article because it's totally a new term or thing for me, I hope you will help me to understand what is groupthink or groupthinking by definition
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