No single ideology can define a human being. Ideas like Feminism, Socialism, Communism, Atheism, Capitalism, Theism, although different in perspective, they are all equally abstract. We all adhere to many values of different ideologies but not a single one can define us thoroughly
Born to be Groupies
There is a rather absurd belief that, as individuals, we can relate and identify with generic grouping principles. We are expected, based on given labels, to agree about politics, religion, ethics, culture and everything else in between. It is understandable for one to hold such beliefs due to our nature as social animals. We all need to belong somewhere thus we instinctively tribalize ourselves into fractions. We have been doing this as a species for millennia.
Group mentality is detrimental to oneself. Whatever fraction one chooses to identify themselves with, the result is much the same. A crowd forms in order to oppose another crowd. At the end, individuality is sacrificed in order for one to become the momentary supporter of a vague idea—an idea that no one fully disagrees or agrees with.
Following the Leader
If one is looking for the pinnacle of the human fall, one has to look no further than those who lead groups. Leadership has been exemplified as something benevolent but it is the single most dangerous idea humanity carries out from our primitive past. Politics act as a feeding arena for leaders and ultimate open the gateway to violence. Groupies are the only entities that sustain politics. Leaders feed on groupies.
Pick any random person from your friend list and examine the conversations you have had with them in the past. You will find that they are bit anarchic, statist, feminist, religious, atheist, humanist depending on the context of the conversation. Group ideologies, aim superficially for the same benevolence thus they share common marketable characteristics. These very characteristics, or better, identifiers, can be perceived as both negative and positive depending on context. The negatives are usually shared from the groupies. The positives are almost always enjoyed by the leaders. In essence, the vast majority of humans, willingly cause harm to themselves without even realising it.
After so many eons on this planet humans are still polarized, often resembling mindless drones. Muppets, blindly following a general idea that benefits those who control them. This is how and why the average voter, blogger, ideological fan, chooses a leader—or worse, the idea one disagrees the least. This is how human relationships become toxic and why we oppose each other without really knowing the reason. When one is mad at someone, often, they turn to be against the idea the opposing person seems to be representing. “Lost in translation” doesn’t even begin to describe the tradegy of this situation.
Finding Oneself
The idea of selfishness is often misinterpeted as pathological egotism, when in fact is the healthy realisation that we are all unique beings. Critical Thinking, a very tough skill to master, is the core of individuality and the corel of our selfishness. It frees people from the effects of the crowd and the influence of leaders. No wonder selfishness and independence have been frowned through the ages whereas sacrifice or belonging to a group is considered virtuous. Leaders are almost always selfish. The only difference with the rest is that they are lying about it.
If humanity is to become civilized and not destroy itself, the notion of group mentality owes to be conquered. Humans need to become their own leaders, their own masters, their own unique -isms.
@kyriacos Awesome work and well put! I've upvoted and I'm following you so I don't miss out on cool content like that in the future.
This actually goes to the point I was explaining in this posting, https://steemit.com/personal/@williambanks/veralynn-a-public-apology-is-clearly-required
Any sort of ism is actually a disease, or a weed with it's roots in ignorance. We don't need to identify as a group, with a group. We need to know who we are and use our own "will to power" to achieve everything we possibly can be.
No one else can do that for us.
I am glad people here in Steemit start to aknowledge the real problem we face as humanity.
Exactly.
Groups don't exist; only individuals.
If you subscribe to a group, you're subscribing only to what you think that group is or means, in your own head.
The group doesn't exist, so the ism you're becoming is nothing more than a delusion.
Precisely. I hope these words reach more ears
Interesting. Well written. I am disappointed though because this didn't make me angry enough lol!
I think you make a good point here though:
Though we like to think of ourselves as single consistent contained entity. - We are actually a group of different, sometimes discrete, sometimes integrated, often quite different personas.
We switch between these depending on the situation. The idea of the individual in it's current form is limited and does not take account of this.
This may also reflect the pathological state of our society in some sense. We must try to be all things to all people essentially.
We are also caught in the impossible double bind which derives from the fact that we are constantly being told that:
1)Individuality and originality is important. Be Yourself.
2)You must conform and be part of the group.
Since one must be both and that being both is a factual impossibility we end up in the current situation.
People don't know how to think or act so they turn to the self-appointed leaders to decide for them.
The need to group and be social is both our greatest strength and folly at the same time. I agree with you but I diverge on one point - belonging to a group should be a conscious choice, one made very carefully, not an unconscious action. And while belonging to that group it is very important to not allow yourself to devolve into group think. That's my two cents anyway. Please keep up the great work.
@becomingwhtur
Why one should need to group with anyone? Why not being an individual? The moment one chooses to belong to a group they immediately fall into group thinking. I believe that the first reason one gets into groups is lack of confidence
Oh no, I'm simply speaking of a survival/evolutionary advantage. These days we have much more wealth than we (as a species) have had in the past and that wealth allows us to be less dependent on others - sort of.
Belonging to a group doesn't necessarily mean that one will automatically fall victim to group think. I believe this is a hurdle that we should overcome as individuals - realizing that we ARE prone to group think and to not fall into such traps while supporting each other in groups. I hope that makes sense. I believe that we are stronger in numbers, yes? But we gotta be wary of our lesser-mammalian mind tendencies, scientifically speaking.
But group think IS a problem, and I see it all over the place, even in "liberty" circles. Thank you for speaking up about it.
That's exactly the problem. Stronger against who? The very definition of the group is to go against another
Nature? Survival? Innovation?
Maybe I should explain that I'm not coming from a place that is divisive but one of cooperation - voluntary, of course.
Here is a link I found interesting! http://www.psysr.org/about/pubs_resources/groupthink%20overview.htm
Well put, great ideas. We must remain defiant and individualistic to keep and shape our own identities.
That is why I like to make my isms as I go. For example as far the religion is concerned I am an Orthodox Absurdist, and a part of the Most Holy Syncreteistic Church of Gnosis. Perhaps its only member, but it is fine by me! And I'd like to encourage everyone to be just like me, that is as much nothing like me as is possible and convenient.
I really loke that scene in "The life of Brian" where the crowd shushes the guy who says, that he is like every one else, instead of claiming to be an individual like all of them. :-D
Oh, and if I ever start a cult, like wuite a bit of people I know are asking me to do, "Please think for yourself, and examine your thoughts carefully", would be one of the tenets. Hopefully it becomes a catma i stead of a dogma!
I'd like to believe you but unfortunately I refuse to believe anything. The minute we believe in something, it automatically inhibits us from expanding our knowledge .
Great post.
It seems you believe that:
...so you do believe in something :D
lol @alexgr
No, that's something I KNOW! Hahaha
Spot on!
Really though, this is how I live my life, and it has its ups and downs. Because a lot of people follow the crowd, it's almost always the case that we go against the current. It's especially hard growing up with a rejective personality, but I'm glad that other people share the same sentiment. Great job highlighting this. More people should be aware of this.
I think many people are aware of this but instictively fall into the trap of grouping together. It is similar to going on a diet and then without knowing, you find yourself being particularly attracted to the fridge
Haha good point. Very well put. I guess that's one of the reasons I always feel out of place, because I never manage to fall into the trap of grouping together.
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@zein/2kfand-hello-steemit#comments
I sense a very angry man in your writing; unfortunately our comment tree on my post expired, so I have posted a fresh comment just for you at the top, so you can get the attention you so badly crave.
If you are going to troll me, at least try and do it with some class, a simple Google search shows how wide of the mark you are with your ridiculous statement about Amazon and Google.
I'd like this to end here and now, I'm not here to defend myself to mindless attacks on my writing. If you don't like what I write, don't read it; it's what I'm going to do with you.
Cg
@cryptogee
You sense wrong. Assumption my friend is the mother of all fuck-ups. I don't need attention more than you do. You seem a bit angry. All this just because I said your book was not good at predictions?
Google and Amazon pay a lot of taxes. You cannot deny nor change this
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2010-10-21/google-2-4-rate-shows-how-60-billion-u-s-revenue-lost-to-tax-loopholes
You could have made this comment as new reply to your own profile. I think you like to shift your sourness towards here. I will read and comment on anything I like. rephrain from telling me what to do.
Chillax and remember. When you identify others as being angry (especially online) you are the one being angry.
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